Calgary's housing market expected to take off in 2013

A Canadian real estate expert says the best way to predict housing sales and price gains is to track population and job growth numbers.

Don Campbell with the Canadian Real Estate Investment Network tells 660News, Calgary leads the country in those two categories which usually produces a bit of a housing boom 18 months later.

Campbell says, actually, between now and 2016, Calgary and Edmonton will become the country's real estate hotbeds.

He predicts house prices in Alberta's two biggest cities will rise by 5 to 7 per cent in 2012, and post gains of 7 to 10 per cent in 2013.

Campbell says national real estate numbers don't tell the real story because they truly reflect regional conditions.

He adds, using Canadian housing starts and sales numbers to plan for the future is like looking in the rearview mirror.