Greatest Boom Ever

          Americans handed Democrats a thumping midterm victory on November 3, with voters voicing anger over the cost of essentials like food, gas and housing. 1 Democrats captured both the House and the Senate, setting up a divided government under President Trump for his final two years. 2 3 For Alberta, the question isn't whether Washington changed hands — it's what a divided Congress actually means for trade, energy and, eventually, property markets north of the border.   The honest answer on real estate: not much, directly. Buyers don't purchase homes based on election results — they buy when they feel secure in their jobs and confident about their payments. 4 About 70% of Canadian exports go south of the border, and when power shifts in Washington it shows up in three places: jobs, prices, and eventually the housing market. 4 That transmission belt runs through trade, not through ballots.   Here's where Alberta specifically sits. Tariffs s...

“Canada’s really having a moment now,” says Stantec CEO Susan Reisbord.       Read more: https://tinyurl.com/27tzb9p6    

Councillors on Edmonton's urban planning committee want the city to consider tightening the rules on Airbnbs and Vrbos by requiring hosts to live on the property.       Read more: https://tinyurl.com/36vemd49     

While average home sales are down in the Greater Edmonton Area, a new Remax Canada report shows that luxury homes are in high demand.       Read more: https://tinyurl.com/2uwv9vcd     

The Alberta government is moving forward with spending $39 million to boost urgent care capacity, which right now is primarily centered in the Calgary region.       Read more: https://tinyurl.com/bapf69hj     

Calgary city council will consider new restrictions Monday on where rowhouses and townhomes can be built in dozens of communities.       Read more: https://tinyurl.com/d372cawk  

The Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) has approved a proposed natural-gas power plant 7 km east of Gibbons that is intended to supply electricity to a nearby AI data- centre campus.       Read more: https://tinyurl.com/5a9prhar     

Homebuyers continue to retreat, but sellers are still digging in, refusing to cut prices or give up. As a result, September’s frozen housing market is now October’s frozen and increasingly bloated market.       Read more: https://tinyurl.com/4r4dadxj    

Sydney households are increasingly turning to home batteries to combat soaring electricity costs, as discounts set to reduce in government rebates could leave families facing hundreds of dollars in additional annual expenses.       Read more: https://tinyurl.com/zhv9k2ht    

Tenants at an apartment building in Edmonton’s Old Strathcona neighbourhood are protesting a proposed rent increase of up to 60 per cent, calling it an unfair hike that could force residents out of their homes.       Read more: https://tinyurl.com/rzzm8by7