A rising number of homebuyers in Canada are turning to alternative lenders for a mortgage, says the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).

Mortgage investment corporations (MICs) held between $13 and $14 billion of outstanding mortgages in Canada in 2018, capturing one per cent of the market share, according to a CMHC report.

Royal LePage Solutions is spearheading an innovative event designed to get people out and about, meeting real estate agents and checking out a broad selection of homes across the city and surrounding areas.

The mortgage-approval process can be a time of uncertainty, one that often ends with many bankers suggesting mortgage protection through their creditor insurance. Buyer beware – the product has come under scrutiny by the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) for incentivized sales and consumer risk.

Calgarians have many options when helping an aging parent find suitable housing, but for some people the solution is right where they live.

So-called "mother-in-law" suites provide a separate space for an elderly parent to live with the assistance of family members just a door away.

Just like homeowners, renters value a sense of community in the place where they live.

This element has emerged in the design of skyscrapers with purpose-built rental suites in Calgary over the past five years, with companies such as Strategic Group making ways to create connections among neighbours a priority.

When it comes to homeowner preference these days, one thing is clear: bigger is definitely better.

The size of the average Canadian home today is about twice as large as it was back in the 1960s. Our living spaces have been expanding rapidly, and not because of necessity.

If you're wondering whether it's the right time to say goodbye to your family home and downsize to a home more suitable for your lifestyle and needs, consider these scenarios:

They say that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it, and the same could apply to historic buildings. In the wake of the Enoch Sales House fire and demolition, heritage groups and individual Calgarians have called for more to be done to preserve the city's historic structures.

It seems that every few months, a new story emerges from hot real estate markets like Toronto about a condo project being cancelled, leaving those who bought presale units scrambling to recovery their money and find another place to call home.

But what's the situation in Calgary, and what recourse do buyers here have if a project they've purchased in is cancelled?