Real Estate Blog

The new GoodLife Fitness Center has opened in the Bank of Montréal building in downtown Calgary. Now, people that work or live close to the downtown core can work out surrounded by limestone, Corinthian columns and natural light. This building on Stephen Avenue is the former home of the Bank of Montréal and has been sitting vacant for quite a while now.

This will be the flagship club for Calgary and one that will be welcomed by many Calgarians that have made New Year's resolutions this year to become fit and to lose weight. The CEO and founder of GoodLife Fitness, David Patchell-Evans, chose this building due to its fantastic location right in the heart of the business core.

It took more than a year to restore this historic building’s basement, main

Calgary luxury green homes are the new trend in housing. This trend describes houses that have a better impact on the environment compared to normal houses. The trend to go green is growing fast and becoming more than just a “novelty”. This need for green will grow as every year passes due to the high cost of power, more awareness of the climate and a society than is more informed about building eco-friendly homes and properties.

In the long run, new Calgary green homes are much cheaper to run and maintain. Savings are in the form of recycling, harvesting water and using energy efficient power systems. Green properties also have a positive effect on the health of the community, drastically reducing the cost of medical care.

Luxury green homes offer

If you’re like thousands of people across the world, you've made some New Year's resolutions this year. According to statistics, 1/4 of the people that make resolutions will only stick to them for a week. Another 1/4 will have completely broken their resolutions in a month.

The good news is that if you can hold on until the end of the month, there's a good chance that you'll be able to stick to your resolutions until the summer. These numbers are coming from a research study connected by Scranton University and these figures make a lot of sense. We all know how difficult it can be to stick to our resolutions! Furthermore, the research also looked at how people can make their resolutions stick. Here are some of the suggestions that were gleaned from the

There's something new and exciting happening at Zoolights this year! This is the first time that visitors can skate while enjoying all of the excitement of zoo lights at the same time! If you love the outdoors, animals and skating, you can have it all this year at the Calgary Zoo.

From 6:00 PM until 9:00 PM the skating rink will be open just across from the Eurasian Gateway on the West Lawn. You have the option of bringing your own skates or you can rent helmets and skates at the skate shack. The Calgary Zoo has partnered with KidSport™ Calgary this year and their rentals are free of charge.

When you're finished skating you can relax and warm up beside the fire pit and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate. Other activities available at zoo lights this year include

Although prospective home buyers are not always necessarily going to be looking for a luxurious countertop, most people that are looking at luxury homes will expect one. A luxury home just isn't going to cut it if it doesn't come with a high-end counter. Although many people opt for granite countertops, there are other options available that may be better suited for your home.

Granite countertops

These are the high-end countertops that also come with a reputation of distinction and elegance. They are heavy counters made of natural stone and are simply beautiful. The problem with granite, however, is that it needs to be re-sealed once per year. The sealant protects it from liquids so that it doesn't get stained.

Quartz countertops

These

Whether you're looking for a historic luxury home or one that offers breathtaking scenic views, you can find them in the northwest quadrant of Calgary. Some of the best high-end homes can be found in this section of the city.

At the southern part of the northwest section you'll find the Bow River escarpment and to the north you'll see the scenic terrain. This section extends east to Centre St. and heads west towards the mountains. With 60 spacious communities in this part of town and with approximately half offering luxury homes for sale that are valued at $1 million or more, this is one of the areas where you may want to start your home search.

In the part of the northwest quadrant that is closest to the city you'll find historic properties. These

If you're planning on buying a luxury condo in the near future you're going to be better protected. The Condominium Property Amendment Act will add 50 amendments to the current legislation to bring it up to date. This follows 18 months of consulting with stakeholder groups to isolate the key changes that needed to be made.

These changes will apply to all types of condos including luxury condominiums in Alberta. Home buyers will be better protected with more disclosures including information on new home warranties and a notice about any changes that are made to the purchase agreement. If you're planning on buying a new condo, the developer will now have to place the cash deposit into an account with an authorized trustee.

Overall, builders and

Some of the most sought after luxury homes in Calgary are located in the southwest quadrant of Calgary. Here you'll find some of the most prestigious neighbourhoods in the city that feature estate homes that are absolutely gorgeous.

In this part of Calgary lie a number of river pathways, ponds, parks and lakes. Many of these luxury homes are built around these distinguishing features. Many communities also offer recreational opportunities including the Priddis Greens world-class golf course.

There are almost 80 neighbourhoods in the southwest part of Calgary and more than 50 of these communities regularly have home listings for properties that are valued at $1 million or more. Some of these neighbourhoods include Bel-Aire, Mount Royal, Elbow

A luxury home is much more than just a property that costs $1 million or more. The $1 million only represents the fact that the place has much more to offer than a regular home. There is something special about the property and every home will have its own features that make it stand out from the rest.

In some cases it can be the location. If you have a home that is situated beside a lake, the value of the home will skyrocket due to the view offered and the luxury of being able to boat or swim. If you have a Calgary home with a view of the mountains, this can also raise the price of the property.

Many luxury properties consist of large homes with large sprawling lots. Sometimes just the sheer size of the home can make it qualify as a luxury dwelling

What is the difference between a luxury home and an ultra-luxury home? About $2 million, give or take. A luxury home is a property that is worth at least $1 million while an ultra-luxury home has a value of at least $3 million. So far this year, the sales of ultra-luxury homes and luxury homes have been beating past records.

In the ultra-luxury market, there have already been 23 sales in the Calgary region so far this year. Last year, a total of 16 were sold. There is still quite some time left in the year to raise the number of homes that have been sold so far in 2014.

The demand for these high-end ultra-luxury homes is growing. People are looking for condos, estates and everything in between. The driving force behind this high demand is the