WASHINGTON -- Sales of previously owned homes in the United States unexpectedly plunged in January, an industry survey showed on Friday, fresh evidence the housing market has yet to find stable ground. The National Association of Realtors said sales fell 7.2% from December’s level to an annual rate of 5.05 million units, sharply below market expectations for a 5.50 million unit pace. December sales were revised slightly lower to a 5.44 million pace from 5.45 million units. Compared with a ... Full Article...

CALGARY - Calgary will experience a "very active" spring housing market as an improved economic outlook combined with record low interest rates and affordable housing are "fuelling recovery" in residential real estate sales, says a report released today by Re/Max.   "The supply of detached homes is beginning to tighten, with multiple offers becoming more prevalent in hot pockets throughout the city, particularly well-priced, entry-level product," said the Re/Max Market Trends Report 2010.   "Fi ... Full Article...

CALGARY - Developers of the multi million-dollar racetrack and entertainment complex in Balzac are selling some of the land to raise money after seeking creditor protection last fall. The United Horsemen of Alberta has 11.57 hectares of land for sale, the Herald has learned. It's part of a plan, which included previous land sales, to raise money so the project can proceed. Recently, the group reached an agreement with its largest creditor, Ivanhoe Cambridge to forgive its current and future ind ... Full Article...

CALGARY - Boardwalk Real Estate Investment Trust, the country’s biggest landlord, believes the rental market should eventually benefit from recent changes to homebuying rules. Ottawa’s move earlier this week to raise downpayments on investment properties should help ease the glut of condominiums on the market, said chief executive Sam Kolias. “Over time this should reduce the amount speculative construction of condominiums and hopefully provide a more balanced marketplace,&rdq ... Full Article...

Just sold this listing: "BEST PRICE 2 BED ROOMS 2 BATH ROOMS MAIN FLOOR UNIT.ENSUITE LAUNDRY, VERY NICE OPEN CONCEPT FLOOR PLAN. 1 STORAGE AREA AND 1 PARKING STLL COMES WITH THE UNIT (PARKING STALL #21). TENANTS ARE MONTH TO MONTH PAYS $1100.00 RENT. WOULD LIKE TO STAY IF INVESTOR BUYS IT."

Just sold this listing: "WOW! WHAT A GREAT HOME. FOUR LEVEL SPLIT WITH DOUBLE ATTACHED GARAGE, FULLY DEVELOPED BASEMENT, 18 FOOT HIGH CELLING AT MAIN ENTRANCE,LIVING ROOM , DINING ROOM, KITCHEN. 3 BEDROOMS UP & 1 DOWN. MASTER BEDROOM WITH FULL 4PCS BATH AND WALK IN CLOSET. TOTAL 3 FULL BATH.THIRD LEVEL ABOVE GROUND LEVEL WITH SEPRATE ENTRANCE,FIRE PLACE & WET BAR. FOURTH LEVEL OFFER YOU A HUGE GAMES ROOM. VERY GOOD POTENTIAL FOR BEAUTIFUL BRIGHT (ILLEGAL SUITE) IN THE BASEMENT.NO NEIGHOBURS ON ... Full Article...

Just sold this listing: "Wow look at this very large and beautifull condo unit, Fully devloped on all levels, Vaulted celings,fire place, 3 bed rooms, 1.5 baths, family room in basement, car port. Great location 2 minutes walk to LRT,SHOPPING CENTRES.You will love it ready for quick possession!!!"

Just sold this listing: "NICELY RENOVATED FULLY DEVLOPED BUNGLOW ON QUITE STREET.3 BEDROOMS UP+2 BEDROOMS(ILLEGALE SUITE)WITH SEORATE ENTRANCE.24X22 DOUBLE DETACHED INSULATED ..."

Just added this listing: "Wow look at this very large and beautifull condo unit, Fully devloped on all levels, Vaulted celings,fire place, 3 bed rooms, 1.5 baths, family room i..."

Just added this listing: "for showings call pammi brar @ 403-539-0090"

OTTAWA - Canada’s competition czar took aim at the Canadian Real Estate Association on Monday to try to make it cheaper for consumers to list their homes on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). The Competition Bureau is asking the Competition Tribunal to strike down rules imposed by the association on people wanting to use the MLS system, which require them to use additional services they might not want. Melanie Aitken, the competition commissioner, said that if the rules were struck down, ... Full Article...

Canadian real estate sales and prices are poised to set records this year, according to a new forecast that is bound to reignite calls in some quarters for tighter lending rules. The Canadian Real Estate Association, which represents 100 boards across the country, said Monday it expects existing-home sales to reach 527,300, a 13.3% increase from a year ago and a 1.2% increase from the record high set in 2007. The new-home market appears to be picking up steam, too. Canada Mortgage and Housing C ... Full Article...

CALGARY - The housing construction industry in Calgary staged a strong rebound in January from last year’s 18-year depths but failed to recoup all the ground lost since the same month in 2008. According to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., total housing starts in the city reached 514 units last month, more than double the 243 in January 2009 but 28 per cent lower than the 711 units started in January 2008. But Richard Cho, CMHC’s senior market analyst for the city, said the general ... Full Article...

Just sold this listing: "Well kept fully devloped 3+2 bed rooms bi-level home. 2 full bathrooms. Main floor offers good size living room,dining room,very open kitchen with pan..."

Just sold this listing: "NICE & CLEAN VERY OPEN & BRIGHT FLOOR PLAIN. THIS FULLY DEVELOPED 2 STORY HOME OFFERS YOU 3 GOOD SIZE BEDROOMS UP, FAMILY ROOM IN BASEMENT, 2.5 BATH, ..."

The most expensive condo in Asia — perhaps the world — recently sold for ... wait for it ... more than $51 million! The 5,636-sq-ft. ‘semi-duplex’ is situated on Conduit Road in the Mid-Levels area of Hong Kong. At just over $9,000 per sq. ft., one would expect this home to have it all and it does. Included in the price tag — and the quoted gross floor area — is a 96-sq.-ft. window seat, 98-sq.-ft. air conditioning area and 1,124 sq. ft. of common area. And y ... Full Article...

Alberta Venture Magazine has released it’s Fast 50 list, and two Calgary area builders have cracked the top 25 companies over $20 million. Classic Construction Ltd. (CCL) came in at 15, making the list for the 4th year in a row, while Homes by Avi took the No. 13 spot. “It’s based on 2008 numbers, and the comparative is before the boom of 2005, so it’s cumulative growth from 2005 to 2008, which takes into account the huge growth that happened between the boomyears of 200 ... Full Article...

CALGARY - A boom in office tower building permit applications in Alberta and Ontario in December helped boost the national construction planning toll to $6.2 billion, 2.4 per cent higher than November and 32.6 per cent higher than in December 2008. Statistics Canada reported Thursday that non-residential permits were entirely responsible for the month-over-month increase, as they climbed to a seasonally adjusted $2.286 billion from $2.139 billion in November. In December of 2008, they tallied $ ... Full Article...

TORONTO/BANGALORE - Canada’s commercial real estate sector is set to see a dip in year-over-year funds from operations, largely as a result of recent capital raisings and softer property conditions. Owners of office, retail, industrial and residential space begin the fourth-quarter reporting season Friday, when Brookfield Properties posts its results. One of Manhattan’s biggest landlords, Brookfield is expected to report lower funds from operations — a real estate benchmark th ... Full Article...

CALGARY - It's one of the most highly anticipated residential urban developments in Calgary and on Thursday sales are expected to begin for a small number of lots at the Currie Barracks. It's all part of the first phase of a major redevelopment at the former military site that proponents say will create a marquee place to live and work. It's also a major step in the conversion of the former CFB Calgary. A small number of upscale "estate" lots for yet-to-be built homes are expected to go on sale ... Full Article...

U.S. housing prices are headed for a double dip decline that will hurt related equities which have already priced in a recovery in the sector, CIBC warns. “Many companies will be affected,” said economist Benjamin Tal, who declined to mention specific names but argued that sectors from forestry to banking could be dragged into the downturn. The reason, he said, is that any current stabilization in U.S. housing is more a function of a badly damaged market and the distorting affect of ... Full Article...

CALGARY - Home sales and prices in Calgary continue to make gains, marking another rise in January. But the housing market slowed slightly from December’s pace, according to figures released Monday by the Calgary Real Estate Board. The city’s housing market is expected to continue a “gradual and modest” recovery, one official said, helped by low mortgage rates and more affordable prices coaxing buyers into the sector. “Just one year ago, we were facing record low s ... Full Article...

NEW YORK - A recent decline of U.S. home sales is swelling the supply of houses and may push prices down, adding to losses from an earlier three-year slide, said rating agency Standard & Poor’s in a statement Friday. “While home prices have been trending up since spring 2009, existing, new and pending home sales are waning, which suggests that lower prices are on the horizon,” said the statement. Market analysts and policy-makers at the Federal Reserve are closely watching the ... Full Article...

NEW YORK - A recent decline of U.S. home sales is swelling the supply of houses and may push prices down, adding to losses from an earlier three-year slide, said rating agency Standard & Poor’s in a statement Friday. “While home prices have been trending up since spring 2009, existing, new and pending home sales are waning, which suggests that lower prices are on the horizon,” said the statement. Market analysts and policy-makers at the Federal Reserve are closely watching the ... Full Article...

OTTAWA — A measure of home prices in major Canadian markets was up in November compared with a year earlier for the second straight month. The Teranet-National Bank home index, released Wednesday, was up 2.6 per cent on an annual basis for November. The last two gains followed prices being down on a year-over-year basis for 10 straight months. The latest gains put the overall index just 0.1 per cent shy of its peak in August 2008. The index has been up on a monthly basis seven consecutive ... Full Article...

Sales of newly built U.S. single-family homes fell unexpectedly in December as the bounce from an initial tax credit fizzled, the latest sign that the government-led housing recovery might be losing some steam. The government report Wednesday came in the wake of a report showing a plunge last month in sales of previously owned homes and continued decline in sentiment among homebuilders, which could bode ill for the broader economic recovery. New home sales fell 7.6 percent to a 342,000 unit ann ... Full Article...