A former media colleague from Vancouver called a couple of weeks ago. I hadn?t talked to him in 10 years. After decades on the West Coast, he had just moved to Calgary with his wife and three kids. The reason? Good jobs, lower housing costs and higher disposable incomes. In other words, the same factors that draw many Canadians to Alberta. Sure, he?ll miss the ocean, he admits. ?But once you get over the idea of living on the Prairies, life is pretty good here.? My nephew recently came to the ... Full Article...

The renewed slowdown in global economic activity is putting further downward pressure on already-weak residential property markets across much of the developed world, according to the latest Global Real Estate Trends report released Tuesday by Scotia Economics. And while Canada?s hot housing market also has begun to cool, it remains a ?notable outperformer,? says Adrienne Warren, senior economist and real estate specialist with Scotia Economics. Of the nine major developed markets tracked by ... Full Article...

  Engineering and construction firms are driving up demand in Edmonton's suburban office market, according to a new national office trends report. Real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield said the third quarter saw positive absorption in Edmonton's suburbs of 120,000 square feet. Suburban office vacancy fell to 15.3 per cent from 16.6 per cent in the previous quarter. The report forecasts demand for suburban office space will continue to grow over coming quarters as large oilsands projects ... Full Article...