Off-leash parks provide freedom for pets and sometimes consternation for owners

Calgarian Alex Middleton and his four-legged companion Captain are familiar faces at the Britannia Slopes off-leash dog park, typically frequenting the southwest area of the city two to three times a day.

It's a home away from home for the pair – a fact not lost on Middleton.

"The reason I moved to Elbow Park was to be closer to Britannia Slopes," he said.

Middleton and Captain are not alone. When making a move from their condo, accessibility to off-leash areas was also a huge selling feature for Terri and LiShelle Trembath in purchasing a home in the northwest community of Hawkwood.

The Calgary Herald reported this morning the Calgary Flames have plans of a new arena project, which would not only house the Calgary Flames hockey team but include a football stadium and amateur sports fieldhouse as well.

On March 13, the CREBNow print edition reported some of the particulars that would be involved in the construction of a new arena in Calgary.

5 Things about Calgary's new arena:

Where will the Calgary Flames play?

While those in the know are still very hush-hush about the plans for Calgary's new hockey arena, including where it will be located, there are a few things we can say with some certainty about a potential new home for the Calgary Flames.

First quarter activity reflects economic uncertainty

Elevated inventory levels and low sales for three consecutive months caused unadjusted benchmark prices to ease by 0.44 per cent in March, relative to the previous month, for a total of $454,300. Based on first quarter statistics, conditions are consistent with buyers' market conditions.

Typical home prices have declined by 0.59 per cent in the first quarter of 2015, compared to the fourth quarter of 2014. The sales to new listings ratio also dropped to 41 per cent and months of supply averaged 4.03 for the quarter. This is a significant change from one year ago when the market was facing inventory shortages and price gains.

Save long-term pain by reading the fine print

Consumers taking advantage of low mortgage rates from banks and brokers may not realize  what they are truly getting – or in some cases what they're not getting.

Last week, Mortgage360 received three inquiries from homeowners whose respective mortgages went wrong with other brokers or banks. In all three cases, the homeowners had attempted to refinance their previous low-rate five-year fixed mortgages into new, lower-rate variable mortgages.

Recreation properties provide fun in the sun and homes away from home

Calgary may be the second best place to live in Canada – as ranked by Money Sense in 2014 – but that doesn't mean residents of the area don't have another abode somewhere where they head for some rest and relaxation.

For those with the means, living life to the fullest often involves purchasing a second home allowing the ability to ski, swim, golf or simply bask in the sunshine moments from their front door.

Nancy and Terry Schmautz of Okotoks purchased a recreation property 20 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico six years ago. Nancy said the couple had spent the last 25 years touring the coast via time shares or cruise ships.

To water or not to water in Calgary's early spring, that is the question

Perennial plants close to buildings were popping up in the heat wave a couple weeks ago, but my shovel clunked into ice just below the surface.

It reminded me winter is still transitioning into spring in Calgary. Our mild winter with yo-yo temperatures and light snow cover makes it both tricky for outdoor plants and stressful for gardeners such as Marilyn Brown, who was worried about her Columnar Blue Spruce and wanted to know if she should water it.

Making your home smarter - on a budget

Today's home technology solutions is allowing owners to perform a myriad of tasks, with budget being the only limiting factor.

Yet, you don't need to spend thousands to "smarten" up your home. With a plethora of affordable gadgets now available, any homeowner can increase their home's IQ without breaking the bank.

CREB®Now takes a look at some of the more popular devices available.

Real estate industry not concerned about long-term effects following provincial budget surprise

Buying a home in Alberta is about to get more expensive.

Beginning July 1, Albertans will be required to spend as much as $1,000 extra to purchase a home in the province as a result of increased real-estate-related fees in the new provincial budget.

Counted among the changes are increases to the transfer/title creation flat fee, which will go from $50 to $75 and the variable fee transfer fee will jump from $1 to $6 for every $5,000 in the home's value.

On March 26, Alberta Finance Minister Robin Campbell addressed the province on the 2015/16 budget for Alberta.

After spending $1,300 more per capita, compared to the national average, on programs and services last year, changes to spending outlined in the current budget will narrow that margin over the next three to four years.
"We have told Albertans that tough decisions would be needed and budget 2015 reflects a balanced approach that will see us return to surpluses within three years," said Premier Jim Prentice.