Former CREB® president Corinne Lyall focused on different drivers behind housing market in 2015

Corinne Lyall is all too familiar with many of the challenges currently facing homebuyers and sellers in Calgary. She served as CREB®'s president just last year when the economic downturn was arguably at its strongest, is currently past president on the board of directors for the real estate member organization and is broker at her own firm Royal Lepage Benchmark.

Yet her message today is the same as it was when she had the gavel in hand: real estate is personal.

Suburban office vacancies encouraging landlords to be flexible

Calgary's downtown office vacancies might have been getting all the attention so far this year, but commercial real estate experts point out it's not alone as the city's suburban office market continues to experience similar challenges.

"We're in the doldrums right now," said Ian Robertson, associate specializing in the suburban office market for Barclay Street Real Estate. "There's too much space chasing too few tenants. So it's a bit of a malaise.

"We saw this coming. It took a while for landlords or the market to accept what was happening. But now we accept the reality of where we're at."

Workshops give show attendees opportunities to get hands-on

Under a cloud of ongoing economic uncertainty, more Calgarians are bringing projects around the home ... well, in house.

"There seems to be a resurgence of making. More and more people want to learn how to make things for their homes or as gifts," said Calgary style-and-DIY-expert Lacey Haskell who will be among a handful of local experts on hand for a series of workshops at the 2016 edition of the Calgary Home + Design Show Sept. 22 to 25.

Districts, housing types tell different stories about Calgary's housing market in August

Fewer new listings within Calgary's resale residential housing market continued to moderate price declines last month, according to new statistics.

Yet experts note what's arguably more interesting is how the interplay between new listing levels and prices within the city's districts, and even housing types, are providing consumers with some much-needed intel on their next purchasing decision.

Try a last-minute salad crop

It was well after her neighbour had finished their veggie harvest and late into November last year when my daughter, Chelsie, allowed her son, Cohen, to fulfill his final garden wish of the season.

First, she asked eight-year old Cohen to fill eight more bags of Kale from their patch.

The next morning, when the temperatures crashed and the remaining crop was crisply covered with frosty icing, Chelsie gave Cohen the go-ahead. He bounced high on his trampoline and lept off into the frozen kale patch. The kale cracked into shards on impact, and the still-soft soil broke his fall as he tumbled like a gymnast down the row. You couldn't imagine a bigger smile and a better way to say goodbye to summer.

Opponents decry Rocky View County as CAVE men: 'Citizens Against Virtually Everything'

A far-reaching increase in off-site transportation levy could be a road to nowhere for business, according to a collection of Rocky View County developers and land owners.

Used to fund improvements in the transportation network, generally in subdivisions and new developments, County engineering services have offered a preliminary proposal of a 440 per cent increase in off-site levy over the next four years.

Construction to start in September

The City of Calgary has unveiled the final design for a new $13-million pedestrian bridge over Macloed Trail by 61st Avenue S.W.

The new bridge will include accessibility features such as elevators and escalators, have a covered four-metre walkway and a connection directly into the second level of Chinook Centre.

According to the City, the overpass will create a safe, accessible and convenient crossing for the more than 2,000 pedestrians that cross over Macleod Trail every day.

Experts provide feedback on Calgary's real estate market so far

It has been an interesting year for the Calgary real estate market considering the city's economy is still struggling due to ongoing uncertainty in the energy sector.

According to CREB®, year-to-date, until the end of July, MLS® sales of 10,952 were down 10.1 per cent compared with the same period a year ago. New listings of 21,191 were off by 2.23 per cent, but active listings of 5,847 were up by 9.64 per cent.

The average MLS sales price of $479,597 increased by 1.2 per cent. However, the benchmark price was down 3.68 per cent to $443,386.

Some housing and business experts were asked what has been the most surprising thing this year about the Calgary real estate market. Here are their responses:

Out-of-town living resonates for those looking for laid-back lifestyle

Dusty Dancer likes his privacy – a natural evolution having owned an acreage property south of Calgary for nearly two decades.

So he gets the appeal of how some homeowners might be looking to leave the city for a little r 'n r.

"Some have their own nine-hole mini-golf course. You can make it whatever you want to be. You can't do that in the city," said Dancer, president of the DeWinton Community Association.

Price declines being moderated by lack of listing activity, say experts

The numbers don't lie, but they can be misleading.

Calgary's real estate market so far this year has continued a pattern of year-over-year declines that was first set early in 2015.

According to CREB®, sales decreased by more than 10 per cent up to the end of July from the same time last year.

Yet, perhaps surprising, is the benchmark price is down just 3.7 per cent.