Anyone who has walked into a hardware store lately is aware of the current price of lumber, a situation that is creating issues for the homebuilding and renovation industries in Calgary and across the country.

The Bow Collection

This grouping of eight exclusive duplex-style homes, located in the sought-after community of Three Sisters, sits adjacent to the Stewart Creek Golf Course. Wrap-around decks, double-attached garages, landscaped yards and no maintenance fees make these homes extremely desirable. Prices start at just under $1 million.

A custom home can tick every box on a prospective buyer's wish list. Without the right builder, however, both the experience of building the home and the finished product might come up short.

Before signing a contract with a builder, there are several important questions people in the market for a custom home should have answered.

Many people who purchase a new condo at a sales centre let the builder's sales staff guide them through the entire process. However, there are many benefits to having your own REALTOR® assist you with the purchase instead, especially when that Realtor is a Certified Condominium Specialist (CCS).

In a market flush with oversupply and lingering economic difficulties, condo builders need to stand out from the crowd to reach potential buyers.

While some offer trips to Las Vegas or New York to seal the deal, two of Calgary's longtime builders say the key to success in today's market is good developments with incentives that help a buyer's financial bottom line.

Trico Homes recently introduced five new home designs that are garnering interest from a broad spectrum of buyers. The Gems Series, an enclave collection of 80 homes in the established northeast community of Redstone, features innovative architecture and interiors that stand out from the pack.

Marda Loop – the popular business district that unites the inner-city neighbourhoods of Altadore and South Calgary – has become a go-to address for new condo development, including two recently launched projects that are now under construction.

The stacked-townhome-style Marlo and apartment-style Mantra are two of the newest developments banking on the charms of an area awash in walkable amenities, from restaurants, pubs and grocery stores to more than 100 upscale boutiques.

Just what is a "single-family" home these days? The distinction is getting blurrier, as many families opt for multi-generational homes.

More than 750 new single-family homes in Alberta will be powered by solar this year, as Jayman Built makes the green technology a standard feature in a first-of-its-kind offering by any Canadian builder.