The planning and development of liveable, vibrant neighbourhoods has gained in popularity over the past few decades to increase physical activity, prevent chronic diseases, and promote health and well-being among community residents.

However, there are mixed opinions among homebuyers and sellers, real estate professionals, and community developers about what features contribute to a livable, vibrant and healthy neighbourhood.

Experts tout prevalence in today's homebuying decisions

Walkability has evolved from a buzzword to an influential part of home purchasing decisions in Calgary, say real estate experts.

And to meet growing demand for improved accessibility, developers and planners need to start now by designing communities of tomorrow through a more pedestrian-friendly lens.

"(Walkability) is important to our customers," said Brookfield Residential development manager Tara Steell. "We're hearing from them and using best practices to create communities with master-planned communities. We have the ability to influence that and try to get people out of their cars."

Pilot planning initiative puts public health front and centre of new community development

A stretch of Nose Creek that straddles Calgary's northwest and northeast quadrants may now be only home to scenic, rolling grassy hills.

But soon enough, about 9,000 city residents could being calling it home sweet home, along with 21,000 jobs, as planning is underway to develop a community with residential, commercial and industrial opportunities.

Most notably, however, is this community, once built, will be one of city's healthiest places to live, work and play.

CREB® chief economist Ann-Marie Lurie has seen a bit of everything in 2016. From buyers' conditions to migrational changes, Calgary's housing market has taken industry observers like herself on a wild ride over the past 12 months.

CREB®Now recently had the chance to sit down with Lurie and reflect on 2016. Here's what she had to say:

CREB®Now: Did 2016 play out the way you expected?

City revisiting inner-city development

Almost 15 years ago, Naz Virani made the shift from chef to homebuilder and developer. Since then, he has been one of a handful of builders at the fore of Calgary's gentrification.

In the early 2000s, Virani founded Sarina Homes, and began what he describes as a journey to transform the inner-city, one infill home at a time.

"A lot has changed since we started the business," he recalled. "We started out building single-family homes, then moved into semi-detached and then fourplex designs."

Over the past five decades, Calgary's real estate industry has been bare to it all – from double-digit interest rates to densification. Starting today, CREB®Now will weave together an incredible narrative of how the local housing industry has evolved through the unique perspectives of CREB®'s 30 remaining past presidents.

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Change can be hard.

It can be messy.

It can be painful.

But it can also be necessary.

And with perspective, it can be the best thing that ever happens.

Evolution of Beltline area only the beginning, say advocates

True urban living: that's how Beltline Communities president Rob Taylor describes the resident experience just south of downtown.

Taylor has seen Calgary's Beltline district – bounded by the CPR tracks on the north, 17th Avenue to the south, 14th Street to the west and the Elbow River in the east – evolve extensively since he first moved into West Connaught in 1983. (The Beltline is made up of four neighbourhoods: West Connaught, Connaught Centre, Victoria Centre and East Victoria.)

"There has been a tremendous amount of development in the Beltline. We're very much focused on creating a vibrant community with high-density, urban living."

Where will Calgary's newest hot spot emerge?

People are always on the lookout for the next big thing, and that search extends to the world of real estate.

When it comes to reading the proverbial crystal ball as to which community will emerge as Calgary's next inner-city hot spot, the author of the blog The Everyday Tourist, Richard White, suggests one look north.

"The northwest inner-city communities are becoming much more urban and desirable," says White, explaining the growth of these communities has coincided with the relatively recent expansion of facilities like the Alberta Children's Hospital, the Foothills Medical Centre, SAIT and the University of Calgary campus.

Local researchers applaud study that links urban design to obesity rates

Are you overweight and out of shape? It could be because of where you live.

Local researchers are pointing to a new international study that has found a connection between obesity and urban geography – in particular as it relates to living in high-rise apartments.

"The literature out there is pretty clear — there's a strong relationship between the walkability of your environment and your health," said Calgary architect John Brown, a professor in the Faculty of Environmental Design at the University of Calgary.

Behind-the-scene details of how communities in Calgary come to life

For casual observers, it might appear that new neighbourhoods just sprout from the ground overnight.

In fact, those first show homes only come after years of planning and negotiation.

"When people see the graders out there, people think that's the start of a community, but it starts long before," said Brookfield Residential senior manager of strategic initiatives Grace Lui.

In the case of Brookfield's up-and-coming Livingston development in north Calgary, for example, grading might have started this year, but land acquisition took place 15 years ago. The new community, which will be comprised of 10,000 homes on 514 hectares of land just north of Stoney Trail, will welcome its first show homes in 2017.