Thinking long-term puts Calgary's housing market in perspective

Real estate is a numbers game, and looking at those numbers over an extended period truly does shine a light on the performance of a market over the long-term.

From that perspective, home prices in Calgary have been very impressive.

New community to house close to 1,600 residents

After a few trips to the drawing board, the new Airdrie community of South Point has sketched its way to approval, and will be highlighted by a much-needed link in the city's road system.

Located on a 28-hectare plot east of Hillcrest, south of Morningside and 40th Avenue S.W. and west of the CP Rail tracks, the Vesta Properties' project will eventually host an estimated 587 residential units that will service close to 1,600 residents.

With questions over density allocations and housing mix, the original Neighbourhood Structure Plan (NSP) was defeated by Airdrie council in September. A re-worked plan was approved in late January.

Versatile tiny homes provide unique lifestyle on a limited budget

Mark Kirk sold his house, moved to Calgary, and only then realized how much stuff he really owned, and how little of it he regularly used. This revelation – along with his desire for a career change – led Kirk to start his own tiny-homebuilding business, Blackbird Tiny Homes.

These homes are called "tiny" for a reason, measuring between 120 square feet and 420 square feet. Kirk says that while tiny homes have been around for close to a decade in the United States – and are the subject of more than one HGTV series – they're a relatively new option for Albertans.

Candidates spar at CREB® mayoral forum

Calgary's top three mayoral candidates discussed a variety of issues on Sept. 21 at CREB®'s Courageous Conversations, an exclusive forum focusing on housing-related issues critical to REALTORS® and the city.

Candidates Andre Chabot and Bill Smith joined incumbent Naheed Nenshi in CREB®'s W. Frank Johns Auditorium as the candidates took verbal jabs at each other over several issues.

The forum was hosted and moderated by CREB® CEO Alan Tennant.

Calgary's top three mayoral candidates discussed a variety of issues on Sept. 21 at CREB^®'s Courageous Conversations, an exclusive forum focusing on housing-related issues critical to REALTORS^® and the city.

Local REALTORS® build homes with Habitat for Humanity

On Sept. 21, the CREB® Charitable Foundation sent out a team of 24 local REALTORS® to take part in a Habitat for Humanity build day in the northwest community of Bowness. Despite the cold weather conditions, these superhero volunteers warmed the hearts of the community.

Alberta's most popular renovation projects

Canadians spent nearly $53 billion on renovations throughout 2016, according to Statistics Canada. And throughout the first quarter of this year, Canadians have already spent more than $12 billion on renovations.

According to ATB Financial's Economics and Research Team, home renovations in Alberta alone hit "a record high" of $1.78 billion during the first three months of 2017.

So, just where are Canadians – and Albertans, specifically – spending their renovation dollars?

Could a laneway home be up your alley?

For some Calgarians, a laneway house is a realistic way to achieve the elusive dream of home ownership.

Laneway houses are fully independent, small-scale dwellings that face onto an alley, typically found in the backyards of existing homes. Often referred to as "urban cabins," they are an alternative way to add density to established inner-city neighbourhoods.

While the buzz around laneway homes might be new, the concept is not.

The benefits of small-space living

When software developer Mike Surbey and occupational therapist Kaitlyn Bernardin got married earlier this month, they were already ensconced in a 498-square-foot, one-bedroom condo just off popular 17th Avenue S.W.

The young couple — he's 32 and she's 29 — along with their cat, love their open-concept, efficient space in Grosvenor's Smith project in the Beltline. The smaller living space is the perfect fit for their lifestyle.

"We don't accumulate a lot of stuff and it is really easy to clean," said Bernardin.

Single-level homes are in high demand among retirees planning for their future

For active senior JoAnn Fetzner, who golfs three times a week and travels widely, one-level, bungalow living was an obvious choice for the rest of her life.

For empty-nester Patti Clarkson, 54, who is easing her way into retirement, her recently purchased bungalow villa will be the perfect "forever home."

For both women, finding a single-level home was a priority – part of their long-term planning for possible mobility issues down the road.