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.

To accommodate a growing ridership, Calgary Transit has begun construction on several LRT station platforms in preparation for the operation of fourcar trains as opposed to the usual three.

Work has already started on the Fish Creek-Lacombe and Heritage stations with an expected construction duration of five months. Chinook Station construction is expected to begin this year, though Transit has marked likely closure in 2013. The 39th Avenue and Banff stations have an expected construction start date of next year or the year after.

Less than 20 minutes away from Calgary's city limits, the town of Cochrane has managed to maintain its strong sense of western history and culture while growing into one of the most modern and bustling towns in the province.

According to building stats from December 2011, the town's current population sits at 18,646 — quite the jump considering the town was home to a mere 900 people as of 1969.

Just as the seasons themselves change, for many homeowners, the arrival of winter signals it's time to start thinking about change inside the home. Aside from the obvious coniferous addition to your abode, there are some more subtle changes that can increase aesthetics and heighten holiday cheer.

"Decorating your house for Christmas for a lot of people is more than just putting up a Christmas tree," said Charlene Threatful, owner/design consultant at Calgary's Lush Interiors Inc.

A new development is set to take over from the stalled second phase of the Riverside Quays projects in Inglewood.

Named for it's location along banks of the Bow River in southeast Calgary's, M2i Development Corp's mixed-use SoBow development will include a 120-unit residential building dubbed 1912Cross.

Canada's real estate market was little changed from September to October seeing a – 0.1 per cent decrease.

Little changed when it came to year-over-year numbers as well with sales activity down 0.8 per cent compared to last October. In Calgary both single-family and apartment condominium sales increased by 17 and 12 per cent respectively year-over-year.

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.

In the past three years Calgarians have recycled more than 200 million kilograms of materials.

"Calgarians have made recycling a part of their every day routines and are doing the right thing by tossing their paper, cardboard, plastic containers, food cans and glass jars into their blue cart or community recycling depot," said program development leader Paula Magdich.

With strong economic growth expected to continue into 2013, some say Alberta's recent real estate market "renaissance" is just getting started.

"The Alberta housing market enjoyed an unusual mix of factors in the third quarter: firm and steady resale activity, balanced demand-supply conditions (if marginally tight), moderate home price increases, and attractive and improving affordability," said an RBC Housing Trends and Affordability report.