Acreages and rural living provide room for growth, sense of community

Alberta's come a long way from its historical roots of buffalo herds and settlers.

More than 600,000, or 17 per cent of, Albertans lived in rural populations in 2011, according to Statistics Canada. That's a far cry from 75 per cent who lived rural rather than urban in 1901.

Yet a pioneering spirit still remains throughout the province, said Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Verlyn Olson.

Short-term fixed re-emerging as alternative

Variable rates are back in fashion after the Bank of Canada lowered the overnight  lending rate in January, and economists expect another decrease in the near future.

Yet, even though variable rates make sense, most borrowers are still leaning toward fixed-rate mortgages for no reason other than certainty. Consumers like to know what their mortgage rate is going to be.

The good news is there are options for risk-averse borrowers who don't want to dive into the variable-rate waters, but still want the low rates that come with the floating products.

Study looks to update 40-year-old plan for roadway

The City of Calgary is conducting a study to look at the future of Crowchild Trail.

The study, which will examine the stretch running from 24th Avenue N.W. to 17th Avenue S.W., will identify short-, medium- and long-terms plans for the major transportation corridor to accommodate future growth and improve travel.

Throughout June and July, Calgarians are invited to provide their thoughts through workshops, study area tours and an online questionnaire. The City will also be at various community events to talk to people about Crowchild Trail.

Secondary suites, defined by the City as "a self-contained accessory living space consisting of a bedroom, bathroom and kitchen developed within or on the same property as a single family home," require a strict set of guidelines to be recognized as legal, safe and conforming.

Under current guidelines, the biggest obstacle for many homeowners seeking to add a secondary suite is zoning. With secondary suites in homes zoned R-1, R-C1 or R-C1L requiring the "lengthy process" of obtaining a Land Use Amendment (along with the proper development permits) to be recognized as legal, even those homes in zones which allow the suites still need to comply with several guideline to be deemed legal.

The past, present and future of secondary suites in the city

Calgary is a city on the move. Energy sector uncertainty aside, cranes continue to dot the skyline and new communities continue to blossom along the outskirts.

However, despite years of debate, a familiar topic seems poised to remain as a burr under the saddle of the "Heart of the New West" – secondary suites.

Most recently, a council committee was tasked this week with determining whether to hold a plebiscite that would let the public decide whether suites should be allowed in neighbourhoods they're currently not zoned for. With an estimated price tag of $2 million, reports suggested city staff was fully opposed to the option.

How do property taxes work anyways?

Calgary's Smarter Growth Initiative - a collaboration between the Canadian Home Builders Association - Calgary Region and the Urban Development Institute - created an informational video to answer just that.

The exception to the maximum refinance rule

 On July 9, 2012, then Finance minister Jim Flaherty introduced a rule preventing  homeowners from borrowing more than 80 per cent of their property value.

The logic behind this decision was clear – to prevent Canadians from using their home equity as a bank account like many Americans did leading up to the credit crisis in 2008.

The implications were immediate. Canadians could no longer refinance higher interest debts into low-interest rate mortgages. Not-so coincidently, consumer debt levels correspondingly jumped.

Genesis launches neighbour-friendly development in Airdrie

Genesis has a vision every time it puts a shovel into the ground: construct a home that reflects your dreams, but that is entirely within reach.

Now, that reach extends to Airdrie, where the award-winning land developer and residential homebuilder has recently opened three new show homes in its Bayside Pier 11 neighbourhood.

How making some adjustments to your yard can spur home sales

They say you can't judge a book by its cover, but when it comes to buying a new home, curb appeal is often everything.

Dandelion décor and weathered wood decks won't work in your favour to draw buyers to your property, said Donna Balzer the gardener, speaker and TV personality behind www.gardenguru.net. Balzer cited a seller in Scarboro who contacted her after potential buyer's commented on his home's outdoor esthetics.

You don't have to get all your gardening done in one go

Are you doing all your own gardening this summer?

Are you ready to rock 'n roll in the radish patch and primp your patio?

While your internal kettle is boiling and your energy is high, you probably think you can do it all in one big push.

And then reality sets in.

You just don't have enough time. Instead of a marathon garden workout, you need the small-bite approach to gardening. Don't look at your garden as a huge mess needing to be tamed over a weekend. Lighten your load and start looking at tasks in tiny nibbles or tasty snacks wedged between your other daily tasks.