In real estate, the one buzzword I hear all the time is "amenities."

Whether it's a new high-rise condo development in the inner city or a new community in the distant suburbs, the salespeople for the project will inevitably talk about amenities and their proximity to new homes.

Just 30 minutes east of Calgary is the lovely town of Cochrane, a bustling and vibrant community offering all the amenities a resident could want, from shops and services to a world-class recreation centre.

Congratulations to the following Calgary-area builders and developers, who are all finalists for the 2018 BILD Alberta Awards. The winners will be announced at the BILD Alberta Fall Conference in Jasper on Sept. 14.

Crestmont View, the new extension to the established community of Crestmont on Calgary's western edge, offers beautiful views, lots of wide-open space and all the benefits of living in the city.

"This is an estate community and then some," said Cheryl Heilman, marketing director with Qualico Communities, the developer behind the project. "It's both the east and west Artist's View by today's standards – it's a really customizable and elite community."

For some, having too many options can be overwhelming. But for homebuyers who revel in choice and opportunities for customization, the pre-construction condo might be the ideal fit.

Whether you're building a $1-million-plus customized dream home or your family's first abode, the key is finding a place that fits your lifestyle.

Are green spaces and parks most important? Do you need quick access to roadways or transit to take you to work? Are shops and restaurants nearby? Are there schools for your kids or places to walk your dog?

When it comes to the names of Calgary communities, some honour early pioneers, others are named after the surrounding landscape and some simply sound like a nice place to live.

Pleasant Heights, Scenic Acres and Sunalta (a mash up of sunny and Alberta) sound like they could have come out of a real estate subdivision name generator. But how do developers actually come up with the names for new communities?

In just over six months time, an area structure plan (ASP) setting out the vision for a natural, amenity-rich, 570-hectare parcel of land in Calgary's deep south will go before city council.

The proposed new community of Ricardo Ranch is named after an area ranch owned by Calgary Stampede co-founder Senator Patrick Burns, and first established by William Crawley Ricardo.