Dear Santa,

It's been an interesting year in Calgary real estate.

On the residential side, sales activity is struggling, as the city continues to recover from recession years in 2015 and 2016. In the downtown core, there's still an office vacancy rate of about 25 per cent.

I'm thinking of those dynamics as I ponder my Christmas wish list. Of course, I would like a nice bottle of scotch, concert tickets, more paid writing gigs or perhaps a trip somewhere. But as a journalist who tends to focus much of my writing on the world of real estate, I have some special requests.

Selling your home in Calgary's present real estate market can be a challenge, but some common-sense decisions can help improve the odds.

John Hripko, a REALTOR® with Royal LePage Benchmark, says he's recently noticed basic things that some sellers are not doing – things that, if done right, could make a difference when selling in a down market.

The holidays are just around the corner, and what better way to kick off the season then a visit to one of Calgary's trendy, inner-city neighbourhoods to stroll through a collection of locally owned ateliers, art galleries and vintage stores.

According to Calgary business improvement associations (BIAs), local shopping is expected to be popular this year, and retailers in inner-city shopping districts are primed for an influx of visitors.

A beautiful, well-designed and well-crafted home is about more than the pretty countertops and gleaming floors. Often, what lies beneath the surface is just as important.

It's been a big year for the CREB® Charitable Foundation, as events, fundraisers and dozens of volunteer initiatives filled the annual calendar. To cap the year off, the foundation announced a $1-million, three-year commitment to Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta's newest development, the Silvercreek Legacy build.

Gino Marghella was a young manager at the Italian Centre Shop in Edmonton when he bought his first home back in 2005.

For a young adult, purchasing a home can be an experience filled with anxious moments. Marghella – who is now general manager of the Italian Centre Shop, Alberta, and manages the Calgary store – readily admits that's the way he felt at the time.