Calgary is a city brimming with natural beauty and vital ecological corridors. Here, prairie grasslands and verdant river valleys are interspersed with ancient stands of aspen trees – some almost 4,000 years old – and 600-year-old forests of Douglas fir.

Despite urbanization and climate change, these forests have thrived and grown. These days, one can also find a selection of non-native tree species, planted by early settlers, current residents, developers and the City, all of which contribute to Calgary's urban forest.

Curating the perfect home is no easy feat, especially if you are doing it without any professional help.

For all the design DIYers out there in need of a little direction, we reached out to a couple Calgary designers for their foolproof colour palettes, design schemes and decorative themes that are sure to sizzle in any space. The best part is that anyone can pull these looks together – no experience necessary.

To the uninitiated, plumbing repairs and maintenance can be intimidating. Major repairs and plumbing emergencies are no doubt best left to the professionals, but with a few tools and a bit of knowhow, smaller fixes can be accomplished by any homeowner.

With that in mind, here are five tips for the aspiring DIY plumber:

You can always go downtown. At least that's what the song says.

Much has been written about the current woes of Calgary's Downtown Commercial Core. Office vacancies are approaching 30 per cent and many businesses and commuters are conspicuous in their absence from the area.

However, there are a significant number of Calgarians who have no intention of going anywhere, even after the workaday crowd goes home.

The substantial growth seen in Calgary's detached resale market this year has been driven by the mid-range segment, but big-ticket listings are also bouncing back.

Between Jan. 1 and the end of April, 350 detached homes priced at $1 million or higher have changed hands in Calgary, according to CREB^®. This represents a 289 per cent upswing from the 90 transactions that occurred over the same period a year ago.

May is national "Moving Month," which comes during a busy spring for the Calgary housing market, with record homes sales so far this year.

All those home sales mean lots of people on the move. Unfortunately, there are always epic tales circulating about bad moving experiences, including damaged or missing items, bloated costs and even home furnishings held hostage.

As the Calgary Flames' and Edmonton Oilers' game-day raffle results from last year's NHL playoff bubble demonstrate, Albertans love a good 50/50 draw.

Those 50/50 fans are in luck, because tickets are now available for the CREB^® REALTOR^® Community Foundation's 50/50 Cash Raffle, with all proceeds going to local non-profit organizations that provide housing and shelter solutions.

There were 3,209 sales in April, a new record high for the month, as Calgary's housing market continues to bounce back from the pandemic lows recorded in 2020.

Whatever "new normal" is coming, the COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped many aspects of the real estate industry in Calgary and across Canada. From changes to the way homes are built, bought and sold, to shifts in buyer priorities and the economic forces at play, it's been a wild ride for REALTORS^®, builders, homebuyers and everyone in between.