Belmont
Developer: Anthem United

Just south of the ring road and moments from the rolling foothills, Belmont is situated in a newer area, but has ample amenities nearby. Granary Road, Spruce Meadows and the shopping options in Shawnessy are all well within reach, and Belmont's location near the outskirts of the city makes for easy mountain getaways.

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?

Home trends from Calgary's new-build market

Cultural and economic shifts are pushing this year's housing trend line into both large and small homes in Calgary's new-build market.

Large-volume builders Homes by Avi and Mattamy Homes are seeing demand for four-bedroom homes in their northern neighbourhoods, as many customers – particularly from Asian or Indo-Canadian backgrounds – seek multi-generational homes.

And where price is key, the shift continues towards attached units like duplexes and townhomes that come without condo fees, as well as smaller, single-family homes without past years' glitzy upgrades.

As Airdrie grows, new communities flourish

Airdrie's new communities are looking forward to renewed expansion in 2018, as more buyers are looking to the city, fuelling a boom that has put residential housing sales at their highest point since 2013.

According to the city of Airdrie, nearly 2,000 houses were sold in 2017 for an average price of $394,046, up from 1,336 the previous year. The housing boom has not only led to a population increase, but has helped Airdrie grow its young, vibrant demographic. The city's statistics now show that 35 per cent of residents are between the ages of 25 and 44, with children under 15 accounting for the second largest demographic.

Calgary's new northeast offers exciting opportunities and value for homebuyers

"A full, master-planned community destination." That's how Mattamy Homes vice-president of sales and marketing Warren Saunders describes Calgary's expanding – and evolving – northeast quadrant.

"That means choice for homebuyers," he said, noting that wasn't always the case in decades past.

In the "new northeast," Saunders says the expanding range of housing options allows different generations of homebuyers to remain in that sector of the city throughout their lives.

Trevor Gibbs and Melissa Wellingtan doubled their living space with a new Airdrie townhome

Trevor Gibbs and Melissa Wellingtan both love to whip up culinary gems in the kitchen – he loves to cook and she enjoys baking. But with a nine-year-old son, a 17-year-old cat, and the fact that Trevor works from home, space in their 800-square-foot, two-bedroom Airdrie condominium was at a premium. The small space made it hard to move around the home, let alone cook or entertain.

So, in December of last year, the couple started looking for a bigger space with room for the family to grow. They found everything they were looking for, including a state-of-the-art kitchen, at the Gates at Hillcrest in Airdrie, a townhome development by Mattamy Homes.

The Rotary/Mattamy Greenway puts Calgary on the map as one of the most connected cities in the world for biking, walking and enjoying the outdoors

Calgary is world renowned for many things: the Calgary Stampede, mountain views and hosting the 1988 Winter Olympics to name a few. Now it can add the Rotary/Mattamy Greenway to that list.

The 138-kilometre pathway that follows the route of the city's ring road is a monumental achievement in green infrastructure, says Sheila Taylor, the executive director of Park Foundation Calgary, the driving force behind the $50-million undertaking.

"It is one of a kind in the world," she said, adding it connects with 1,000 kilometres of existing pathways in Calgary, linking virtually every community within the city. "The Greenway is the wheel and the other paths are the spokes."

Newest townhome designs focus on livability

Mattamy Homes' latest project has the presidential stamp of approval.

More than that, the design of the two townhome style Manor series show homes in The Gates at Hillcrest in Airdrie, including the 1,698 square foot Aspen and 1,525 square foot Birch – have his hand prints all over them.

After an absence of 10 years, Don Barrineau, president of Mattamy Homes' Calgary division, decided it was time to get involved in home design again. What he found early on was that his vision of what the homes should focus on hasn't changed.

New southwest community by Mattamy to house up to 12,000 people

Come spring, the landscape of Calgary's deep southwest will be undergoing another change, this one being sculpted by Mattamy Homes.

With the snow gone, grading and storm pond construction is expected to get started on the new community of Yorkville, located over more than 190 hectares along the southern boundary of Silverado and moving further south and west.