Five years later, memories of the 2013 flood are still vivid, but Calgary is working hard to make the next one less memorable.

"When I got involved five years ago, I thought the City would be further along than they are now, but we have to appreciate that a ton of work has been done around flood mitigation," said Tony Morris, co-president of the Calgary River Communities Action Group. The grassroots organization advocates for upstream mitigation to protect thousands of homeowners across Calgary.

High-end housing market continues sluggish recovery, but slow sales bump up supply 

As a former long-time writer with the Calgary Herald focusing on the real estate beat, I knew how popular coverage of the real estate industry was to readers.

One aspect of the industry people always loved reading about was the city's luxury home market. So, I was curious how the high-end segment of the housing market has been faring lately.

Year-to-date sales – up to the end of April – of $1-million-plus properties totalled 204 transactions, which is down slightly from 211 during the same period a year ago, says Ann-Marie Lurie, chief economist with CREB®.

Eighteen questions you should ask a Realtor before hiring

Buying or selling a home is likely the biggest transaction people will make in their lives.

For example, the average MLS® System sale price in Calgary, as of the end of April, was close to half a million dollars.

Whether you're a buyer or a seller, finding the right REALTOR® can be a daunting task. There are many to choose from; CREB® has more than 5,400 registered Realtors serving Calgary and surrounding areas. It's important to select a Realtor who can meet your needs, especially when you consider the stakes.

Calgary housing market to see more of the same in 2018, as sales activity holds steady and listings ease

In 2018, the Calgary housing market will face a new reality of slower growth amidst higher interest rates and more restrictive mortgage lending rules.

While that new reality should be moderated by a modest uptick in the still-recovering local economy – assuming continuation of the job growth and net migration recorded last year – CREB® anticipates flat sales and prices for resale product compared to 2017.

Foreclosed properties can be a bargain for savvy investors that do their homework

CREB® president David P. Brown offers a phrase of caution for those interested in purchasing a foreclosed property: "It's not for everybody. You get a home as is, where is."

One of the primary risks Brown identifies when it comes to purchasing a foreclosed property is that a buyer doesn't receive the same guarantees (e.g., that all the appliances are in working order) as with a regular sale.

A closer look at the numbers behind Calgary's apartment-style housing market

Statistics Canada recently released an interesting piece of information regarding Calgary's residential real estate market that went relatively unnoticed.

According to the government agency, the share of households in the Calgary census metropolitan area living in condominiums was 21.8 per cent in 2016. That represented the second highest percentage in the country, behind only Vancouver at 30.6 per cent, and was much higher than the national average of 13.3 per cent.

Jeff and Jessica Huynh found their forever home in Calgary's eastern neighbour

When it came to finding their forever home, sussing out a family friendly community that offered a healthy, outdoor lifestyle, and was close to family and amenities, was top of mind for Jeff and Jessica Huynh. The Huynhs had been living in Coventry Hills in Calgary's northwest. They enjoyed the neighbourhood, but with two young children, the couple wanted to be closer to family who live in Calgary's northeast areas of Pineridge, Coral Springs and Marlborough.

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.

Calgary housing market to see increased stability, signs of change in 2017: CREB®

The worst might be over for Calgary's housing market, according to CREB®, which is forecasting transitional conditions throughout this year on the back of renewed optimism in the oil patch.

The forecast, captured in the real estate organization's 2017 Economic Outlook and Regional Housing Market Forecast report, comes after more than two years of recessionary conditions that have been manifested by sales and price declines in virtually every corner of the local market.

1988 CREB® president Jerry Roberts recalls Winter Olympics arriving at the right time for Calgarians

Like many Calgarians, the first thing Jerry Roberts remembers about 1988 was the Winter Olympics.

The international sporting event transformed Calgary, as 1,423 athletes from 57 nations competed in 46 events over 16 days in February 1988.

But perhaps more importantly, it put Calgary, then a city of 675,000 and the first Canadian city to host a Winter Olympic Games, on the world map, said Roberts, who was president of CREB® that year.