High River and Okotoks are burgeoning film hubs

Even for those who don't watch CBC's family-drama series Heartland – now in its 11th season – the town of High River has become synonymous with the show.

"Heartland has become a part of the community," said Irene Kerr, the curator and director of High River's Museum of the Highwood. High River poses as the town of Hudson on Heartland. One of the show's most well-known locales, Maggie's Diner, is a building right along High River's Main Street.

"We noticed a shift around 2015, when people who were visiting High River stopped asking about the 2013 flood and wanted to see where they were filming Heartland," said Kerr.

New developments in surrounding areas limited price growth in 2017

When it comes to Calgary's housing market, there's a lot of activity on the outskirts and in surrounding areas.

"We have a number of new communities and areas with many new developments offering competing products for the resale market," said CREB® chief economist Ann-Marie Lurie.

Ontario transplants Andrew Palmer and Vicki Bernier built their dream home in Okotoks' MountainView

Andrew Palmer and Vicki Bernier had been tossing around the idea of relocating to the Calgary area to be closer to family and to carve out a better lifestyle for their family. With two teens – Kaelyn, 15, and Jake, 13 – and two dogs, finding the right home in the right neighbourhood was a key factor in the couple's decision-making process. They found the perfect match with Excel Homes in the Okotoks community of MountainView.

Fun facts and top attractions in Okotoks and surrounding areas

Okotoks is the land of opportunity for developers and prospective residents alike

"An easy sell." That's how Okotoks' economic development specialist Alexandra Ross describes the process of attracting developers to the town.

"Okotoks has all the amenities of a big city, including its own Costco store, but it still has a small-town feel," said Ross.

As former mayor of Okotoks and a current REALTOR® there, Sandi Kennedy has a unique view of what the town was, is and will be.

From 1988 to 1994, Kennedy headed up a town council that had to deal with the diverse wants and needs of individuals and businesses during a period of tremendous growth. The town had a population of about 5,500 when she took over the mayor's chair, and surged during her term in office – today, the number sits at nearly 30,000.

Born and raised in the southern Alberta foothills, Kennedy still lives in Okotoks, and took the time to talk about what the town's future might look like as it continues to grow.

Prices remain similar to last year, but ease in October

October's housing market conditions closely echoed previous months' trends, with easing sales, rising inventories and downward price pressure. Like last month, the monthly activity was not enough to derail gains that occurred earlier in the year.

Inventory increases and sales drop in September, but overall sales for the year remain higher than last year

Strong gains in the first half of 2017 have put Calgary year-to-date sales at seven per cent above last years' levels and 11 per cent below long-term averages, but challenges remain with easing sales and rising new listings.

Inventories rose across all property types to 6,861 units, while both apartment- and attached-style properties saw the highest inventory on record for the month of September.

Single-level homes are in high demand among retirees planning for their future

For active senior JoAnn Fetzner, who golfs three times a week and travels widely, one-level, bungalow living was an obvious choice for the rest of her life.

For empty-nester Patti Clarkson, 54, who is easing her way into retirement, her recently purchased bungalow villa will be the perfect "forever home."

For both women, finding a single-level home was a priority – part of their long-term planning for possible mobility issues down the road.

Market sees modest inventory gains, but overall prices inch up 

Sales exhibited stable growth through the first half of the year in the Calgary housing market, but the number of transactions slowed slightly in July compared to last year.

Citywide sales totaled 1,637 units, six per cent below July 2016 levels. Year-to-date sales activity totaled 11,957 units, nine per cent above last year.

"Sales growth exceeded expectations so far this year. Clients were re-entering the market after delaying decisions until there were some signs of economic improvement," said CREB® president David P. Brown.