Calgary's Genesis Centre earns its name

The word genesis means a beginning or origin. When it comes to this definition, the Genesis Centre in northeast Calgary was aptly named. Opened in January of 2012, the centre filled a longstanding void in sport, recreation, wellness and cultural services for residents.

Hub living is the name of the game when it comes to new-neighbourhood design in northwest Calgary

When discussing the current trend of building Calgary residential communities around "hubs" (also known as "activity centres" or "nodes"), the phrase "back to the future" seems apt.

"It's about concentrating uses and activities in one area ... It's how settlements and civilizations have been developing forever," said Beverly Sandalack, associate dean and professor of landscape architecture and planning in the University of Calgary's Faculty of Environmental Design.

"It fell out of favour post-World War II with the over-reliance on the car, but, except for this 50-year aberration, main streets have always been the centre of community activity and business."

CREB®Now sat down with CREB® chief economist Ann-Marie Lurie to reflect on the housing market and Calgary real estate in 2017.

It's the biggest investment we are ever likely to make, yet too often buying and selling a home comes with a bunch of misconceptions about making the most of that investment.

Len T. Wong, broker/owner of RE/MAX Len T. Wong and Associates, chalks these misconceptions up to a lack of information, rather than any fundamental misunderstandings about the buying and selling process. Providing that education to the client, he says, is the role of an experienced REALTOR®.

Here are the top five buying and selling misconceptions Wong has seen throughout his 25-year real estate career:

New HQ or not, e-commerce giant's impact is already being felt

Let's call it the "Amazon effect": the cascading economic stimulation that comes from one of the world's largest corporations taking up residence in your market.

It is an effect already being felt in the Calgary region after the announcement that the e-commerce giant will be opening a 600,000-square-foot distribution centre in Balzac – employing 750 full-time workers, and an additional 450 part-time or seasonally, by the end of 2018.

Innovative University District set to fill area housing gap

The concept of an all-in-one community where residents can live, work and play was the inspiration for Calgary's University District, a comprehensive 200-acre community featuring a mix of residential housing, office space, retail developments, parks and green space.

Under development in northwest Calgary, University District is a community that typifies shifting attitudes about the city's expansion, says James Robertson, president and CEO of West Campus Development Trust.

November marks a rise in sales

The November housing market was spurred by a rise in sales, particularly in the lower price ranges.
Sales totaled 1,411 units in November, an increase of 15 per cent over last year. This is comparable to longer-term averages for the month of November. Improved sales activity occurred in each of the housing segments, with most of the gains occurring in homes priced under $500,000.

Bringing people together sets new rec centre apart

Building a community and building a sense of community are two different things. The City of Calgary understands that distinction, and the new Shane Homes YMCA at Rocky Ridge is a prime example.

As construction of new neighbourhoods proceeds at a frantic pace, the City is doing its best to make these collections of houses feel like home. That's why it committed $480 million to develop four recreation centres in freshly built suburbs. One of those projects, approved in 2012 and set to open in January of 2018, is the new recreational facility in the northwest community of Rocky Ridge.

A new Symons Valley Ranch Market rises from the ashes

A project is underway to redesign and rebuild the Symons Valley Ranch Market, after a devastating fire roared through the historic building and iconic grounds in late January of this year.

"The market had become a real gathering point for the community," said Ken Aylesworth, the market's managing partner.

Calgary homebuilders adapt in the face of adversity

There's no question that demand in the Calgary housing market eased following the collapse of oil prices in late 2014.

The impact of that global event sent shockwaves through the local economy, as thousands of people lost their jobs through two brutal years of recession in 2015 and 2016.

A slowing economy and job uncertainty always have an impact on the housing market, and the city saw a corresponding ease in home demand.

However, Calgary's homebuilders have been resilient and creative.