With many people trading in their downtown commute for a home office due to the COVID-19 pandemic, proximity to the city centre has been less of a priority for house hunters this year.

In fact, a new emphasis on creating comfortable, productive workspaces within the home and the reduced importance of living anywhere near the office have increased buyer interest in areas just outside Calgary's city limits – where prices are lower and space is plentiful.

In a competitive housing market, if you want to sell your home faster and get your asking price, a degree of home staging is a must.

After the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced they planned to call Canada home, Okotoks town council passed a resolution inviting the royal couple to settle in their town.

Since then, however, a viral pandemic and a change of heart on the part of the couple – they are reportedly quarantining in California and have shifted their sights to finding a new home in Malibu – seem to have scuttled the possibility of the royals settling in the Great White North any time soon.

Yet, with all the attractive properties in the Calgary area, the possibilities for Harry and Meghan would have been endless.

If you think young people are less focused on the housing market than previous generations, you haven't been paying attention. Generation Z, which roughly encompasses everyone born in 1997 or later, is poised to have a massive impact on real estate, in Calgary and beyond.

Over the course of his time in the NHL, Jamie Macoun embodied all the intangibles hockey folks prize so highly: dependability, competitiveness and an innate will to excel.

These days, two decades on from his playing career, he brings those same attributes to his work as the driving force behind Macoun Real Estate in Calgary.

Alberta's recreational property market will likely be soft this winter, creating opportunities for prospective buyers.

Elton Ash, regional vice-president for RE/MAX Western Canada, says older buyers have been the recreational market's strength for years, but millennials are growing in purchase numbers.

Varsity is an established community with a lot to offer, which explains why nobody wants to leave.

Residents of this northwest neighbourhood generally stay put until the kids leave the nest and it's time to downsize.

The booming U.S. Sun Belt, a drooping Canadian dollar, and a new speculation tax applied to popular B.C. vacation areas could all benefit Alberta's recreational property market this year.

Be prepared to invest your time along with your money. Be patient. Do your homework.

There are a lot of boxes to tick when buying a new-build home, but following the advice of industry professionals can make it easier.

Calgary's century homes are still turning heads

If you're lucky enough to live to 100, you'll probably slow down a bit. But many of Calgary's 100-year-old homes are still going strong and drawing plenty of attention.

"These are homes that have stood the test of time," said Karen Paul, director of communications for the Calgary Heritage Initiative Society (CHI), a grassroots, member-based organization dedicated to the preservation, and productive use and interpretation, of buildings and sites of historic and architectural interest in Calgary. "They offer a level of craftsmanship, character, uniqueness and aesthetic beauty that is hard to find in modern homes."