Homebuilding industry honours its best

"Best of housing industry recognized Nearly 100 local professionals and companies in the area's residential construction industry were recognized with nominations as part of the 2015 SAM Awards by CHBA - UDI Calgary Region Association. "From soup to nuts Brookfield Residential senior manager of strategic initiatives Grace Lui said it can take some communities in Calgary decades before the first residents move in. Photo by Michelle Hofer/For CREB®Now "Long live the auto Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. regional economist Lai Sing Louie said many Calgary homeowners still want the freedom to come and go with a car at their disposal, and they’re willing to pay for it. Photo by Wil Andruschak/For CREB®Now "Future of housing Canadian Home Builders’ Association-Alberta CEO Donna Moore said one of the organization’s top concerns when it comes to the development of a national housing strategy is to address affordability for first-time buyers.. Photo by Adrian Shellard/For CREB®Now "Stress test "Builders expect busy year to continue Symons Gate by Brookfield Residential in northwest Calgary was recently named New Community of the Year by the Canadian Home Builders’ Association – Urban Development Institute Calgary Region Association at its 29th Sales and Marketing Awards. Photo courtesy Brookfield Residential. "Setting the pace Qualico Communities communications manager Maribeth Janikowski, pictured in the builder's Augusta show home in southwest Calgary, believes the economy has created opportunities in the lower-priced segments. Photo by Adrian Shellard/For CREB®Now "'Wave of the future' CHAC steering committee members. From left, Sarah Woodgate (City of Calgary), Jyoti Gondek (Haskayne School of Business), Kevin McNichol (Calgary Homeless Foundation), Beverly Jarvis (CHBA-UDI Calgary Region Association), Kim O’Brien (Horizon Housing Society), John Harrop (Attainable Homes Calgary Corporation), and Jennifer Arntfield (City of Calgary). Photo courtesy CHAC "Canmore tackles affordability The Town of Canmore is planning to look at three proposals that would turn the four-acre (1.6 hectare) Moustache Lands site into employee housing and/or purpose-built rentals. Photo courtesy Town of Canmore. "Let's make a deal Outside of some developments in the Beltiline, cash-for-density fund established by the City is being underutilized by developers. Illustration courtesy of Qualex-Landmark. "Charting a new course CHBA - UDI Calgary Region Association CEO Guy Huntingford is concerned new city charters could potential undo more than three years worth of existing work put into a new Municipal Government Act. Photo by Adrian Shellard/For CREB®Now "Breaking barriers Aging in Place owner Carla Berezowski said Calgary is stuck in the past with old ways of homebuilding. Photo by Wil Andruschak/for CREB®Now "Veil lifted Ward 3 Coun. Jim Stevenson and Brookfield President and CEO Alan Norris were both on hand for the launch of the new Livingston community in north Calgary. Sales in the master-planned development are expected to start early next year. Photo by Wil Andruschak/for CREB®Now "Outside interest Harmony, located west of Calgary, will not only have 3,500 homes when all is said and done, but will also have its own village retail core and a large lake and wetland area. Illustration courtesy Bordeaux Developments "Attainable Homes announces new project in northwest Calgary ARRIVE at Bowness will include a mix of attainable homes and market-priced units. Illustration courtesy Attainable Homes Calgary Corp. "Tesla of homebuilding Avalon Master Builder is currently building Zen Solar in Cranston, where all 66 townhomes in the southeast community will have solar panels. Photo courtesy Avalon Master Builder "Housing starts to fall in 2016-17: Altus Group Altus Group expects Calgary's apartment sector to be hit the hardest this year. CREB®Now file photo. "Lucky number three Brett Taylor is owner of Red Tree Custom Homes and shows a three-storey townhome show suite in Montgomery on 4727 17th Ave. N.W. Taylor said a third floor provides space for luxury features. Photo by Lindsay Holden/For CREB®Now. "Jayman's new net-zero homes make energy-efficient design more familiar and accessible for Calgary homebuyers Jayman Built’s new net-zero showhome, the Madeline Ultra E-Home, in Seton. Courtesy of Jayman Built "Four red flags to watch for when hiring a home renovation contractor Getty Images "Building value: Renovations remain a popular investment and economic boon across Canada Getty Images "Builder's Corner: Avi Urban's Livingston multi-family projects meld pioneer spirit with modern design Courtesy Homes by Avi "Tearing down trade walls Industry experts believe proposed drywall tariffs will eventually be passed onto homebuyers, adding about $1,000 to $2,000 to the price of a home. "Rinse and repeat Richard Cho, pricipal market analysis for Calgary with CMHC, expects rental vacancy rates to hover around seven per cent in 2017. Photo by Wil Andruschak/for CREB®Now "Domino effect Town of Cochrane economic development manager Mike Korman believes Cochrane’s population will grow by about three to four per cent, and building starts will maintain 2016 levels. Photo by Wil Andruschak/For CREB®Now "On the road "2016 CREB® President Cliff Stevenson CREB® president Cliff Stevenson. Photo by Michelle Hofer/for CREB®Now "55 Years of Calgary Real Estate: 1985 CREB® President Jim Moore Past president Jim Moore now spends his time as CEO and executive director of the Dream Centre. Photo by Michelle Hofer/For CREB®Now "55 Years of Calgary Real Estate: 1988 CREB® President Jerry Roberts Former CREB® president Jerry Roberts said the Winter Olympics in 1988 represented a turning point for Calgary and its real estate industry. Photo by Michelle Hofer/For CREB®Now "Q&A with CREB® chief economist Ann-Marie Lurie CREB® chief economist Ann-Marie Lurie expects the market to turn around in 2017, but doesn’t expect conditions to return to long-term trends. Photo by Adrian Shellard/For CREB®Now "2016 year in review While final numbers have yet to be reported, CREB® expects Calgary’s housing market to have behaved by year’s end as first forecasted. At the end of November, sales in the city had declined by slightly more than six per cent, while benchmark price had fallen just under four per cent to $333,318. CREB®Now photo "Q & A with CHBA-UDI's Marissa Toohey Marissa Toohey, manager of government relations and committees for the Calgary Region at CHBA - UDI Calgary Region Association, believes there is not a single solution that will solve affordable housing. Photo courtesy Marissa Toohey "Reaching for the sun An example of a double-skin facade that could address solar challenges in multi-storey buildings., according to Caroline Hachem-Vermette, an assistant professor of architecture in the Solar Energy and Community Design Lab at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Environmental Design. Illustration courtesy Caroline Hachem-Vermette. "Road smarts Yeatland Wong, senior engineer for intelligent transportation systems with the City of Calgary, at the traffic management centre along Spiller Road S.E. Photo by Wil Andruschak/For CREB®Now "The upside of carbon tax The provincial Residential No-Cost Energy Savings Program will supply and install — at no charge — simple products that save energy in homes such as LED light bulbs, efficient showerheads and faucets and various other components. "'Tis the season Joe Jacobs, president of Mortgage Connection Inc. in Calgary, said the best way to qualify for a mortgage is to decrease or eliminate other debts. Photo by Adrian Shellard/For CREB®Now "Runway ready One of the trends to be explored at the Renovation Runway will be the strong influence of Nordic design, whether it be through Scandinavian wallpaper, lighting, or the kind of hardwood used. Photo courtesy Wicket Blue Interiors. "Foreign interest in apartment sector unchanged: report "Healthy homes, healthier people "Back to school