Barry Klatt and Cynthia Culhane

Housing sales are forecasted to ease by four per cent this year, due to market uncertainty and changes in economic climate, while prices are expected to remain relatively stable with a modest increase of 1.58 per cent on an annual basis, CREB® said today in its annual forecast.

Although sales levels are expected to ease, previously tight conditions throughout 2014 indicate that rising supply would push the market into more balanced conditions, supporting price stability in 2015. However, CREB® warns there are multiple risk factors attached to this forecast, which estimates a total of 24,503 homes will be sold in the city this year.

“The housing risks lie mainly with employment levels and net migration, both of which can be more severely impacted by a prolonged period of weakness in the energy sector,” said CREB® chief economist Ann-Marie Lurie. “There is also the impact that energy prices have on consumer confidence. If energy prices stay low throughout the year, concern regarding job stability could cause consumers to delay unnecessary changes regarding housing.”

The report notes that while sales activity is expected to ease in 2015, it remains consistent with long-term levels. By comparison, sales in 2014 were nearly 15 per cent higher than the long-term trends for the city.

“The economic situation is far better today than what is was in 2009, where the fallout of the financial crises resulted in a U.S. recession, weakness in energy sectors, a pullback in investment and ultimately job losses in Calgary,” said Lurie. “With economic indicators remaining more positive in this period, the pullback in housing is not expected to mirror activity during the 2009-2010 period.”

CREB®’s forecast also notes that housing activity can vary significantly depending on location, price range and property type. For example, in 2014, there were less detached homes within city limits available in the lower price ranges. This caused many consumers who were looking for lower priced product to move to the attached and apartment sectors within city limits as well as other surrounding areas. Many consumers turned to the larger surrounding areas of Airdrie, Cochrane, Okotkoks and Chestermere, which all recorded record levels of sales in 2014.

“With more supply in the market expected this year, buyers will likely have more alternatives in all price ranges,” said 2015 CREB® president Corinne Lyall. “It’s a nice scenario for buyers, but it also means that sellers will likely have to adjust their price expectations and be realistic about the amount of time their home will be on the market.” 

“A REALTOR® can help navigate market conditions and real estate options, which are always unique to each consumer,” said Lyall. “While challenges in the market can raise concerns for buyers and sellers, it really comes down to their personal situation and knowing what’s right for them. Real estate is truly local.”

For the entire CREB® forecast, visit: creb.com.

(NC) A new year brings new beginnings, a time when many of us make resolutions to be healthier. To help you get there, the Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA) surveyed industry experts to identify the top five natural health trends for this year:

1. Pumpkin: Primed to be the kale of 2015, we are going to see an increase in the use of pumpkin across the country. From oils to seeds, this unique squash has many health benefits and has been linked to heightened prostate and urinary tract health. Pumpkin seeds are also rich in B vitamins, vitamin E, zinc and essential fatty acids.

2. The Gut: Digestive health is poised to reign supreme amongst natural health trends in 2015.  Increasingly, natural health products that support digestion, including a diversifying probiotic category, are being linked to benefits beyond digestive health, such as mental health, skin health, and weight maintenance, among others.

3. Fermentation: The trend of supporting digestion also extends to fermented foods, which are no longer limited to kimchi, tempeh and sauerkraut. Fermentation can liberate nutrients in foods which helps our body better absorb them. For 2015, natural health lovers are taking fermentation outside of the mason jar. Canadians will see a plethora of new fermented foods in different forms including bars and powders popping up in stores across the country. 

4. GMO labeling: In more than 60 countries around the world, including Australia, Japan, and all of the countries in the European Union, there are significant restrictions or outright bans on the production and sale of GMOs. Food labeling activism is on the rise in Canada. We are seeing an increase in consumers demanding to know where their food comes from and whether it has been genetically modified.

5. Fancy Fats: In 2014 coconut oil was all the rage, and while it has many health benefits, we are seeing more and more people using new oils, each offering their own unique health advantages. Some of those that will be trending this year include:• Avocado Oil - Rich in monounsaturated fats and vitamin E and with a high smoke point which makes it better for use in cooking than olive oil. • Camelina Oil - Rich in mono- and poly-unsaturated fats with a high proportion of omega-3s for cardiovascular health.• Flax Seed Oil - Rich in alpha-linolenic omega-3 fats.

If you would like some help for locating a health food store in your neighbourhood, this information is available online at chfa.ca.

www.newscanada.com

(NC) The holiday season is finally here and most of us are off to enjoy quality time visiting family and friends, getting away on sunny vacations or hitting the slopes. Whether you're enjoying the beaches or snowboarding down your favourite mountain, you'll want to make sure that your home is protected while you're away.

With the latest home security systems from providers such as Reliance Protectron, they're helping you rest assured that your home is protected while you are out enjoying yourself this season. “Our interactive services give you protection that goes far beyond the role of a traditional home security system,” explained Patrice De Luca, V.P. of Marketing and Customer Care for Reliance Protectron Security Services. Here are the latest options available to help monitor and protect your home:  

Interactive Video Surveillance

You can set up video surveillance around your property and in your home that seamlessly sleeves into your existing system. You can subscribe to interactive video surveillance to record activity at preset times or begin recording when motion is detected. Only you can monitor what's happening in your house through your webcams, as monitoring centres cannot access your cameras.  

Interactive Door Locks

If you have guests that will be housesitting or getting your mail for you while you are away, there is no need to give them a key. You can give them a passcode to get in which you can change or delete immediately after your vacation is over. You can also lock and unlock your door remotely to allow a guest to enter for example.

Interactive Thermostat

You no longer have to worry about if you left the heat on too high before you left the house. You can simply check the status of your thermostat through your computer or your smartphone and control the temperature from a distance. As an added bonus, you can turn up the heat just before you get back if you are returning home on a particularly cold day.

Remote Control Lighting and Appliances

You can also control appliances and your lighting remotely using the same interactive technology, so you can make sure appliances are shut off and make it look like someone is home by switching lights on and off in the evening. You can even program your system to perform several tasks at once. When arming your system, for example, you can also set it to lock the front door, turn off the lights, and lower the temperature slightly. Similarly, when you disarm it, it can unlock the door and turn on the lights. The thermostat can even be set to the ideal temperature in time for your arrival. You can do all this using a single key on your smart phone – whenever and wherever. More information on home security is available at www.protectron.com/interactive

www.newscanada.com

We are so excited to see our article in YYC's newest magazine Branded, delivered to participating restaurants, salons, retail chains, and pubs all across Calgary! Look for the magazine at your local retailers or view online at www.brandedyyc.com/  

In promoting the magazine, we have started a contest, two draws a month for $100 gift cards to a restaurant or retailer of your choice!  We are looking for proud homeowners that have a renovation project they would like to show off! If that sounds like you, simply send us an email with a brief description on the work done and submit a picture along with your email if desired.

We will announce the winners in our monthly e-newsletters sent out at the beginning of each month. If you are currently not subscribed to our newsletters, you can subscribe here.

Good luck and thank you for your entries!