ABOVE THE CURVE TRICKLE-DOWN
Bearspaw/ Springbank Feature
Small volume builders New home oversupply unaffected by economy to impact industry
Communities offer a bit of everything
INDUSTRY A5
MARKET A6
A7 FREE apr 1 to apr 7 2016 issue 06-12 editorial 403-781-1324 advertising 403-263-4940 crebnow@creb.ca
real estate news from industry experts
LITTLE HOUSE ON THE ALLEY Laneway homes could soon turn Calgary’s back alleys into thriving mini-communities JOEL SCHLESINGER for creb®now
P
aul and Jill Robert have big plans for the little home they’re building on their back lane. Only the dwelling isn’t for them. The Roberts already live in the wartime house in the northwest neighbourhood of West Hillhurst on the same lot where Paul, a professor at the Alberta College of Art and Design, grew up. Instead, the diminutive back-lane house is for Jill’s parents who are selling their home in Edmonton and moving to Calgary to be closer to family. “They had originally been looking at condos and then they were talking with friends who said, ‘Well, Jill and Paul have a lot of property. Why don’t you build on their land?’” said Paul. That got the Robert family thinking. “From there, we just started researching and went to Google … and laneway housing came up,” said Jill, who works with Alberta Health Services. Many Calgarians have probably never heard of a laneway house, let alone seen one in their neighbourhood. But they soon will as the City of Calgary and other industry partners consider innovative ways to increase density in centrally located neighbourhoods, as well as mitigate rising housing costs. The City is currently working on a plan to test the concept along the back lane of 10-10A Street N.W. in the community of Hillhurst Sunnyside. The University of Calgary is also investigating laneway housing ’s potential through a pilot project involving students from its Faculty of Environmental Design. Already, the concept has its proponents.
PHOTO BY MICHELLE HOFER/FOR CREB®NOW
Paul and Jill Robert, pictured with their daughter, are currently building a laneway home in West Hillhurst for Jill’s parents, who were looking to be closer to family.
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A3
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A4
Spring renovations
2,741 2,906
FEB14 MAR14 APR14 MAY14 JUN14 JUL14 AUG14 SEP14 OCT14 NOV14 DEC14 JAN15 FEB15 MAR15 APR15 MAY15 JUN15 JUL15 AUG15 SEP15 OCT15 NOV15 DEC15 JAN16 FEB16
1,381
1,491
2,093
2,182
3,219 3,147 3,259 2,919
3,288 2,950 3,136 3,064 3,161 3,122 2,733 3,081 2,678
3,817
3,753 3,319 2,396 2,711
LANEWAY A3
HOMEBUILDER CONTENTS AMONG FINALISTS NEWS BRIEFS FOR PROVINCIAL ENVIRONMENTAL FIVE THINGS AWARD
MLS® NEW LISTINGS* FEB ‘14 – FEB ‘16
4,327
CITY OF CALGARY
“Laneway housing can provide an attractive and affordable housing option while creating an appealing interface between the residential and retail areas,” said Paul Donker, co-ordinator of local area planning and implementation with the City of Calgary. “It is one strategy among several that the City is using to achieve sensitive intensification, which is one of the major goals of the municipal development plan.” A laneway house is essentially a mini-home built on the same lot as an existing house, only it generally faces the alleyway. “There are a lot of different names for it such as a carriage house, garden suite or garage suite, but we prefer to say laneway housing because we like the idea of it facing the alley and addressing it as a thoroughfare,” said Mark Erickson, creative director at Studio North in Calgary, the firm designing and building the Robert’s laneway house. “Instead of it just being a living space on top of a garage, we are addressing how these little houses can create micro-communities in larger communities.” Although still in its infancy, Erickson said the housing alternative is catching on with existing homeowners seeking affordable solutions to suit a variety of needs. Like the Robert family, many are building to accommodate aging parents. Others want to generate revenue by renting out the dwelling. “There are a lot of different scenarios we’re encountering, but it’s basically making inner-city housing more feasible,” said Erickson. “We think it will help spur a revolution in how we inhabit our city.”
CREB® STAFF
WEEKLY FEED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A6
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EVENT LISTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A6
attamy Homes is among 70 organizations and individuals who have been named as finalists as part of the 25th annual Emerald Awards, which recognize environmental excellence in the province. The homebuilder has been recognized under the Large Business (more than 100 employees) category for its Cityscape community in northeast Calgary.
ENVIRONMENT A3
*All statistics based on monthly data compiled by CREB® via MLS® activity. Includes detached, attached and apartment.
OPEN HOUSE SAT & SUN 1-4
MAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1 OPEN HOUSES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B15 @crebnow
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Lori Dahlberg Independently Owned and Operated
$599,900
MLS C4044763 ®
68 SNOWDON CRES SW Totally renovated split in Southwood, 1742 sq. ft. with 5 bedrooms, 3 & 1/2 baths, gourmet kitchen, main floor family room, oversized single garage. MINT.
$289,900
MLS C4049964 ®
#81 630 SABRINA RD SW Corner townhouse unit with 2 parking stalls, 3 bdrms, updated kitchen with granite & new appls, new decorator paint, new windows, furnace and electrical.
$377,000
MLS C4050571 ®
701, 1997 SIROCCO DR SW Cactus Ridge two storey w/main flr mstr, single O/S garage, total 2 bdrms and den 2 full baths, heat and W/S included in condo fee. Assumable mortgage.
$278,000
MLS C4050588 ®
156 ELGIN GARDENS SE Elgin Village Townhouse with 2 master bdrms, 2 ensuites, open main floor with large living area and cozy kitchen. Private location with oversized single garage.
$728,000
MLS C4052270 ®
12 DISCOVERY RIDGE CO SW Custom Alanridge 2342 sq. ft. two storey fully developed home with 4 beds, spacious open main flr, main flr den, fabulous yard. Beautifully decorated.
$548,000
NEW LISTING
2109 32 AVE SW 1676 sq. ft. Marda Loop Infill with double garage. Older infill with good bones, great starter for someone who wants to be inner city.
In Calgary call 403-289-3322 Out of town Call 1-877-565-5674 For more information go to www.LoriDahlberg.com lori@royallepage.ca