After seeing double digit growth in 2012, CREB®'s housing market forecast for 2013 shows things settling into more balanced territory.

"Overall, we expect sales growth to ease to two per cent next year," said CREB® economist Ann-Marie Lurie at a forecast sneak-a-peek Dec. 11.

Calgary's residential sales are continuing to show positive growth.

Sales increased by 15 per cent on a year-to-date basis in 2012, and were up eight per cent this November compared to last. With nearly eight consecutive months of double-digit, year-over-year sales growth, the city's inventory levels are decreasing, as new listings haven't been able to keep up. However according to CREB®'s monthly stats, the ratio between sales and inventory shows the market remains in balanced territory.

Buoyed by net migration, job prosperity and low mortgage rates, MLS® sales in Calgary this year are expected to reach their highest level since 2007, before increasing even further in 2013.

As outlined in the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's (CMHC) annual Calgary Housing Outlook Conference, which took place Nov. 20 at the BMO Centre, Richard Cho, CMHC's senior market analyst for Calgary, said sales in Calgary should increase by almost 16 per cent in 2012 to 26,000 units, rising by another 500 units in 2013 to 26,500.

Proposed downtown developments in Calgary will be more than welcome as the city has an office vacancy rate of only 5.4 per cent.

According to Barclay Street Real Estate's Office Market Review, year-to-date office absorption in Calgary as of August was 2.38 million sq. ft. due to the addition of 1.84 million sq. ft. from the recently completed Bow Building.

Calgary's housing market has accomplished the "rare feat" of adding improving affordability even with home resales on the rise, says a new report from RBC Economics.

In the report, which rates the housing affordability in six major markets across the country, Calgary was singled out for having the "best of all worlds" in improved affordability, resales and homebuilding and moderately rising prices.

This morning Landmark Homes invited CREBNow to check out their first high efficiency showhome.

Stuart Wen, Marketing Coordinator with Landmark Homes gave us a tour and some in depth information as to how they made the home a net-zero home.