Where is it?

Alberta is located in western Canada, bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, Northwest Territories to the north and by the US state of Montana to the south.

What's so special about it?

A Canadian province since 1905, Alberta is steeped in the wilderness of the Rocky mountains. Containing dozens of rivers and lakes and well known tourist destinations such as Banff National Park, the area, and especially the city of Calgary, was put on the map when it hosted the 1988 Winter Olympics.

Best kept secrets:

Alberta is home to the vast Athabasca Tar Sands which are the world's second largest reserves of oil after Saudi Arabia. This has made Alberta one of the richest areas in North America and its per capita GDP is 56% higher than the Canadian national average.

Alberta has cleared its federal debt and is in surplus, so much so that 5.6bn was given back to Albertans when last year the government gave each resident a "prosperity cheque" of CAD$400 ( 257.874).

Who lives here?

It is rumoured locally that Brad Pitt and Arnold Schwarzenegger have bought in the region. Famous Albertans include actress Elisha Cuthbert, actor Michael J Fox and singers Joni Mitchell and kd Lang.

What's the property market like?

As one of the richest and fastest-growing regions of North America, Alberta has been a magnet for workers and those wishing to live in the region.

Unemployment is very low and a shortage of skilled workers is now a very real problem.

According to the Petroleum Human Resources Council of Canada, there are about 50,000 people directly employed in the industry in Alberta, rising to 80,000 very soon.

As a result property prices rose sharply in 2006.

Average residential prices rose by 49% in Edmonton and 38% in Calgary. This rush for property is particularly evident by the backlog of mortgages and land transfers at the region's land title office.

How do you go about buying property?

Local reliable media include the Edmonton Journal and the Calgary Herald. When sourcing local agents there is also a range of options from the national Canadian Real Estate Association, the Alberta Real Estate Association, the local Calgary Real Estate Board and the Edmonton Real Estate Board.

There are no major restrictions on foreigners buying land in Alberta and the process is quite simple.

In some "controlled land" areas foreigners cannot buy land, but this is mainly agricultural and recreational land, and in some towns, such as Banff, foreign ownership is restricted.

When buying, an offer to purchase is prepared by your lawyer and submitted to the seller with a 10% deposit. Once accepted and a price agreed, a home inspection and land survey is carried out, your lawyer finalises the agreement and prepares a statement of adjustment and once all is agreed the deeds and keys are exchanged. Mortgages are available in Alberta through Alberta Equity or the Alberta Mortgage Brokers Association.

Where are the best places to buy?

In the capital Edmonton, the best area for prices is the Vegreville area. However, Calgary is the largest city in Alberta and the most prosperous and has the second-highest number of company headquarters in the whole of Canada. For a taste of the wilderness the area around Canmore is a popular location.

What's the rental market like?

In some areas of Alberta rental properties are in very short supply. In Fort McMurray for example it costs in excess of 525 a month to rent a room in a mobile home. Last year in Calgary rents for two-bed units rose to CAD$960 ( 618.533) per month and in Edmonton the average rent for a two-bed apartment was CAD$808 ( 520.598) per month. In rural resorts such as Three Sisters Mountain Village monthly rents of CAD$6,000 ( 3,867.77) for a large family home and CAD$1,500 ( 966.943) for an apartment are estimated.

However it must be noted that in these resorts accommodation can only be rented out for a minimum of 28 years in any given month.

What's the resell market like?

With demand for housing at a high, resale properties are also in high demand and in Edmonton especially resale prices have been strong.

What type of property is available?

Like much of North America, properties in Alberta are much larger than Irish or European buyers are used to. Detached houses are most popular but as prices are rising at such speeds, first-time buyers are opting for semi-detached houses and condos as they are more affordable.

Average property prices:

Figures show that the average price of a singlefamily home in Edmonton is CAD$341,933 ( 220,413.40), while in Calgary it is CAD$396,870 ( 255,826.34).

According to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, increases in 2007 will be less dramatic as there will be an expected increase in resale listings and additional supply with new homes being completed.

It conservatively estimates 13% growth in 2007.

What are the tax breaks with Ireland?

Irish buyers are liable to Canadian taxation on rental income and on capital gains.

Canada and Ireland have a double taxation agreement so all income must be reported to the Irish revenue.

Property Gallery

MORAINE RIDGE AT SPRING CREEK MOUNTAIN VILLAGE
Price: From $359,000 ( 229,520)
Details: Near downtown Canmore, in the Canadian Rockies, the resort consists of 42 uniquely appointed units Contact: Spring Creek Mountain Village, 001-403 678 9460; www.SpringCreekMV. com

THE ICON, EDMONTON
Price: From $1,410,000 ( 901,524)
Details: The tallest residential building in Edmonton, the two-bed penthouse on the 30th floor comes with luxury finishes Contact: Reekie Terrie - Re/max real estate, 001-780 457 3777; www. terrie. ca

ERINWOODS, CALGARY
Price: From $389,900 ( 249,293)
Details: 1187.3sq ft detached four-bed house built in 1990, which also comes with a garage
Contact: Century 21, 001-403 509 2121; www. century21thepros. com
Price: From $580,000 ( 374,295)
Details: Alpine-style resort near Banff national park and situated on 2,000 acres of land, properties come in a variety of sizes, options and designs
Contact: Newfound Property International, 0044-20 8605 9550; www. newfoundproperty. com

FAST FACTS

Getting there: Air Canada does direct fiights to Calgary from London
Area: 661,848sq km
Population: 3,290,350
Currency: Canadian dollar (CAD$1.00 = 0.64)
Weather: Due to its size, climate varies between areas. Temperatures range from -24degreesC in winter to 30degreesC in summer.

Transport: Alberta has over 180,000km of highways and roads and as it is an entry point into the US can be busy. The area has two international airports in Edmonton and Calgary, which are within the top "ve busiest in Canada. It has over 9,000km of rail lines including the popular Rocky Mountain Railtours.

Alberta is landlocked.

Going out: Edmonton is home to the Edmonton Fringe Festival, the world's second largest arts festival after Edinburgh, while Calgary hosts the annual and popular Calgary Stampede, dubbed "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth". Ice hockey is extremely popular in Alberta and is akin to GAA in Ireland.

Eating out: Due to its diverse mix of people, dining in Alberta is an eclectic culinary experience, but because it is North American, portions are also on the large side. The area is particularly renowned for its famous Alberta beef and you can see wild boar, bison or even ostrich on the menu. Connoisseurs and 'foodies' look forward to the International Wine and Food Festival, held at Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel every October.

Shopping: The world's largest mall . . . 48 city blocks . . . is in Edmonton.

However you can still find plenty of speciality stores, boutiques and markets among Alberta's cities' tower blocks and Rocky Mountains.

USEFUL CONTACTS

Irish Honourary Consulate in Calgary: 001-403 243 2970

Canadian Embassy in Dublin: 01-417 4100; dubln@international. gc. ca

Government of Alberta: www. gov. ab. ca

Alberta Tourism Board: www. travelalberta. com

Property Lawyers Abroad Network: www. plani. net

Real Estate Magazine: www. remonline. com

REALTOR Magazine Online: www. realtor. org/rmodaily. nsf

Residential Real Estate News: www. residentialrealestatenews. ca

The Edmonton Journal: www. canada. com/edmontonjournal

The Calgary Herald: www. canada. com/calgaryherald

Canadian Real Estate Association: www. crea. ca

Alberta Real Estate Association: 001-403 228 6845; www. abrea. ab. ca

Calgary Real Estate Board: www. creb. com

Edmonton Real Estate Board: www. ereb. com

Real Estate Institute of Canada (REIC): www. reic. ca

Alberta Equity: www. albertaequity. com