During the COVID-19 pandemic, an obsession has developed among people who are extremely online with an interior design feature whose heyday occurred more than 50 years ago: the conversation pit.

Mariah Wilson - Generation Z

Housing situation

Living at home with her parents, while she waits to take occupancy of her new condo.

Housing goals

Wilson recently purchased a one-bedroom condo in the Annex, a new development in vibrant Kensington. She and her partner are excited to move in when the project is completed in late 2020.

If you think young people are less focused on the housing market than previous generations, you haven't been paying attention. Generation Z, which roughly encompasses everyone born in 1997 or later, is poised to have a massive impact on real estate, in Calgary and beyond.

The complicated relationship between millennials and the housing market

When Juliet Burgess, 29, bought her 110-year-old home in Inglewood for the above-list price of $350,000, she says she became the first among her circle of millennial friends to become a homeowner.

"I personally don't know anyone in my age group who owns property," said Burgess, who works in the not-for-profit sector. "We're super lucky to be able to afford to buy.

"I've been saving my whole life, since I was 14. Even with that, my partner's savings and our parents giving us a little bit, we could only put down the minimum for a down payment."

Over-reliance on gizmos could be younger generation's ultimate downfall

It's one of those "aha" moments: Speaking to a roomful of baby boomers, bestselling author Jason Dorsey asks the audience to finish the sentence: "Generation Y is tech-...."

"Savvy!" shouts most of the crowd.

Nope, not true, says Dorsey, an expert on Gen Y, or the Millennial generation — people who became adults in the 21st century.

Former CREB® president Ron Stanners recalls local housing industry slows down slightly in 2007 after break-neck speed years prior

Over the past five decades, Calgary's real estate industry has been bare to it all – from double-digit interest rates to densification. As part of an ongoing series, CREB®Now continues to weave together an incredible narrative of how the local housing industry has evolved through the unique perspectives of CREB®'s 30 remaining past presidents.

Following two "absolutely crazy" years in Calgary's real estate market, Ron Stanners almost looked forward to the slightly slower pace when he became CREB® president in 2007.

"It was a good year, but it was not the boom of the years before," he said.

"The first half of the year had good, solid sales. Then, sales did slowdown in the latter half. That's normal, but they slowed more than normal."

Two young professionals living in the inner city versus suburbia

Calgarian Crystal Scriven went five years without a car until purchasing one last September.

Her deference to driving came down to her needs at the time, but also personal preference – a sentiment shared by a growing number of young adults, suggests Zipcar's annual Millennial Survey.

The survey, released last month, found 45 per cent of millennials – the most popular definition of which is someone born between the early 1980s and early 2000s – are making a conscious effort to reduce how much they drive.