Everybody is coming to Calgary; not really - it just seems that way. Parts of western Canada have some of the best economic prospects in North America these days, and Calgary is right at the heart of that good news.

We have seen times when it was hard to find a place to live and thought that is no longer the case, really, any assistance a newcomer can get would be welcome. Find out about the Calgary Real Estate Board

So, as you might know, we have seen Calgary in Western Canada rise as a pretty hot commodity over the last few years. Housing prices did skyrocket for a short period, and the market is still healthy, though more balanced these days. It has grown steadily, reaching a million inhabitants in 2007.

For a while, it was quite difficult to find a suitable place to live in Calgary, but we have a few tools around to assist those in need. In Calgary, one will find lots of real estate agents and the Calgary Real Estate Board.

What is the Calgary Real Estate Board? As they say on their own website, "a cooperative association supporting Calgary and area's 5700 Realtors."

They help enable property purchases and leases by providing a network and operating the multiple listing services, MLS, for the city. Buyers and sellers need a computerized service where people can share ideas and data regarding property for sale. They use it to provide up-to-date and complete market data.

Naturally, they advocate using the services of a Realtor as opposed to various fsbo (for sale by owner) plans, or any other salespersons. They claim you get better market access, information, assistance in things like due diligence and the sales process and exposure.

Above all they want you to know you are more protected from potential problems than you would be on your own. What kind of problems? They cite things like errors and omissions insurance and other sources of financial losses. Good Idea.

On their website, the Calgary Real Estate Board, the CREB, also provides a group of links for educational opportunites. Do you know someone who wants to pursue a career in real estate? Check out the courses offered there.

The Calgary Real Estate Board has put out a free local magazine called Home to Home for those who like in-depth knowledge about the local market. They also publish the Calgary Real Estate News. What's that? A newspaper-formatted publication with articles, how-to tips, market information including show homes, listings and more listings.

Naturally they have a few statements: Their Vision statement goes, "To be the core resource provider to our Membership's continued success."

The Mission Statement says, "To provide the Members with the highest level of information and services."

And their Values Statement reads, "To conduct ourselves in the highest ethical, professional, and cooperative manner."

Calgary has lots of real estate for sale. A prospective buyer just has to find the right help, whether that is in the form of websites or personal attention. The Calgary Real Estate Board is there to help these people.