After more than a year of COVID-19 restrictions and public health guidelines that discouraged gathering indoors, Alberta's recent reopening has restored some sense of normalcy. When it comes to the process of buying and selling homes, it has also meant the return of a real estate staple: the open house.

For residents of Calgary's lake communities, having such a special amenity available during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a blessing. Now, those communities are looking ahead to, hopefully, even better times this summer as the province reopens and restrictions are lifted.

Over the last year, nearly everyone across the world has become familiar with gathering online. Whether it's working from home or online school, learning via laptop or smartphone has become commonplace.

The City of Calgary has embraced this trend by posting a series of home improvement webinars on its website. The sessions available online aim to reach the many Calgarians who have been unable to gather this type of information in person during the pandemic.

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.

Whatever "new normal" is coming, the COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped many aspects of the real estate industry in Calgary and across Canada. From changes to the way homes are built, bought and sold, to shifts in buyer priorities and the economic forces at play, it's been a wild ride for REALTORS^®, builders, homebuyers and everyone in between.

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 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.

It's not a spot where you would normally expect to find a recreational space. Yet, Flyover Park, located under the overpass that links westbound Memorial Drive to 4^th Ave S.E. and the East Village, is the newest addition to Calgary's parks system.

Dear Santa,

My oh my, it certainly has been an interesting and challenging year, with the COVID-19 pandemic impacting almost every part of our lives.