The initial impact of COVID-19 on the housing market began last March.

One year later, it is not a surprise that March sales in 2021 were higher than in 2020. However, at 2,903 sales, this was the highest March total since 2007.

Working from home lent convenience to the lives of many Calgarians over the last year, but distraction can take its toll.

Competing for space with pets, children, a spouse or roommates can steal concentration quickly. As a result, backyard offices have become a trendy way to create a healthy boundary between home and work.

Right now, there's no way to describe Canmore's housing market other than "hot."

"I'm always hesitant to use that word because you can't paint everything with the same brush, but the statistics don't lie," said Rob Stevens of RE/MAX Alpine Realty.

With gains in every price range, residential sales activity in February totalled 1,836 units. This reflects the best February since 2014.

Ongoing economic challenges, shrinking population growth and a pandemic that won't go away add up to a downtown Calgary office market facing critical vacancy rates.

One solution is adaptive reuse: the conversion of vacant office space into residential projects. The University of Calgary's School of Public Policy recently published a research paper exploring the challenges and opportunities surrounding adaptive reuse and how it could make a major difference in the city's downtown core.

In 2020, housing markets across the country surprised many with a stronger-than-expected rebound in the second half of the year despite record-high unemployment rates and significant job losses.

With pandemic precautions forcing Calgarians to restructure their lives, the city's outdoor spaces have become a hot commodity this winter. Among the spots in highest demand have been the city's many outdoor rinks.

Historically low interest rates are helping boost the residential real estate market in Calgary and across the country, with the trend expected to continue throughout 2021.