Will an increase in vacancy rates push down housing demand? 

Calgary has long had a reputation as a difficult place to rent – a reputation confirmed for much of last year when the city's vacancy rate hovered below one per cent.

Yet market uncertainty brought upon by oil patch woes have painted a much different picture in 2015, with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC) reporting vacancy rates in the city as high as 3.2 per cent.

While good news for renters, it poses as potential bad news for home sellers, notes ATB Financial chief economist Todd Hirsch.

As part of a greater review of the province's Condominium Property Act, the Redford government is making it mandatory for developers to be more transparent about condo fees.

With some condo buyers expressing concern about higher fees than were initially disclosed, the move will provide buyers with a standardized disclosure package, including an operating budget, at the time of purchase.

A Calgary developer is taking social media to a whole new level when it comes to condo living in the city.

Bucci Developments Ltd. is partnering with tech company bazinga! to introduce a new approach to connecting condo owners to each other and their homes starting with the developers Tribeca project in Mission.

Much like most of Calgary's real estate scene, condos in the city are finding themselves in high demand.

Through the first seven months of 2013, combined (apartment and townhome) condominium sales in the city have increased by 16 per cent over the previous year. In July, combined condo sales shot up 26 per cent over the same month in 2012, a clear indicator momentum in the market is rising.

In a decision that could affect Alberta homeowners, Service Alberta Minister Manmeet Bhullar provided an update on the province's ongoing condo consultation.

Following a "very successful and engaging" consultation process that gathered more than 5,000 responses, Bhullar said much of the new legislation will come next spring, although progress could be made sooner on the issue of mandatory building assessment reports.