Amenities and adventure a stone's throw away from Calgary

Immediately south of Calgary, the MD of Foothills has everything one could need for a natural escape from the hustle and bustle of city living.

Incorporated in 1954, the MD had a population of 21,258 as of 2011, an increase of 7.7 per cent compared to 2006. Aside from agriculture and industrial operations, the MD surrounds the communities of Okotoks, High River, Black Diamond, Priddis, Blackie, Turner Valley, Heritage Pointe, Aldersyde, Cayley, De Winton, Longview and Millarville.

The Koi fish are happy to be in their Devonian Gardens home.

Yesterday was the reopening of the Devonian Gardens in The Core Downtown. After 4 years the newly renovated indoor park was welcomed back into downtown culture with much fanfare including Mayor Nenshi, Alderman Druh Farrell, Alderman John Mar and Ann Charlton, Director of Parks. At yesterday's vine cutting there were a lot of news outlets but many more people enjoying their lunch, a welcome sight to the indoor oasis.

Nominated by CREB member Ann McCracken, the Haysboro Elementary School will have plenty of great soil and a plethora of seeds to plant in their new Dream Catcher Garden.

As part of the CREB Charitable Foundation's efforts to build a better community amongst its members, the 25 for 25 program has handed out another $25,000 dollar cheque. This time the Haysboro School is the fortunate recipient of this grant. The money will go to their Dream Catcher Garden, a projects with a vision to teach students about horticulture and nutrition with an overall goal of deepening a respect for ourselves and for nature.

Knowledge is power when it comes to REALTOR® safety. Kerry Suave, security expert and director of StreetSense Safety and Security Inc., could not agree more, especially in a career where everyday duties present risks.

"REALTORS® have a potentially dangerous job. They often work alone, meet strangers in empty homes and commercial buildings, and travel with strangers in their vehicles," he said.

Despite potential dangers, Suave says REALTORS® and the general public can incorporate simple practices into their lives to dramatically reduce risk.

"Our instincts are very good at acting as an early warning system for the body, but we often choose to ignore them, or downplay what they are telling us," says Suave.

The 5 W's of the recent federal government announcement by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty. A quick source guide to what this means and how it will affect you as a REALTOR and as a homebuyer.

Who>> Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced that the new rules are expected to affect less than 5% of new homebuyers.

With confidence in Calgary's real estate market growing by the week, the city's luxury market is no exception.

Year-to-date, 242 Calgary homes priced at $1 million or more have been sold, compared to 195 during the same period last year. Those numbers come during a time that saw MLS® sales in the city increase by 123 per cent, rising from 1,068 in January to 2,385 in May.

During the month of May alone, 81 homes priced $1 million or more were sold, setting a new all-time monthly record for the city. The previous high came in July of 2007, when 61 homes priced $1 million changed hands.