Here are The Globe and Mail’s top housing and real estate stories this week and one home worth a look.

The wildfires devastating Los Angeles will likely increase home-insurance premiums in Canada by raising the cost of reinsurance policies for providers, writes Salmaan Farooqui. Insurance companies purchase reinsurance from other, often multinational companies to protect themselves in the event of catastrophic and costly natural disasters, as major weather events become more frequent. And as such deadly and destructive fires, as well as flooding events, become more common in Canada, insurance experts say Canadian consumers could be hit with price increases, especially in British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec – provinces that are prone to costly fires and floods. Though experts say there is no immediate risk that some homes will become uninsurable, as is currently the case in California.

The Canadian Real Estate Association is forecasting a surge in sales this spring as a deluge of first-time homebuyers enter the market and take advantage of lower interest rates and new mortgage policies, writes Rachelle Younglai. The cost of a new mortgage is cheaper than it was a year ago and may soon bottom out if the Bank of Canada stops cutting interest rates. CREA predicts Canada will see 532,704 home sales this year, a rise of 8.6 per cent from 2024 when activity started to pick up after the central bank’s rate cuts began. However, CREA senior economist Shaun Cathcart said he was dour on the future for the condo market, where demand has waned amid a spike in new buildings. He said condo owners are having trouble selling because many buyers prefer more spacious types of housing.

A Toronto condo owner found to have used spray paint to assault her neighbours and also emblazon swastikas on their doors is fighting a court order that she sell the home that she has been banned from visiting or living in for more than a year. While it’s relatively rare for a court to force owners to sell condos over extreme or anti-social behaviour, the case highlights the potentially heavy cost of failing to get along with your neighbours, writes Shane Dingman. The owner is appealing the order to sell, but on Jan. 7 the Court of Appeal for Ontario dismissed her appeals of the ruling – as well as an order that she pay $100,000 of the condo’s legal costs. Despite her second-floor condo being listed for sale currently with an asking price of $1.3-million, the owner told The Globe she has no intention of selling.

As part of a rezoning application to build more than 1,000 new dwellings over the course of a decade in Glenmore Landing, a community shopping centre in Calgary’s southwest, RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust, the property’s owner and developer, spent close to a year engaging neighbours to incorporate their feedback into a cohesive vision for the 10-acre site. However, the city voted against RioCan’s proposal, citing the concerns voiced by community members about the impacts densification could have on traffic and infrastructure. This outcome evidences the shortcomings of Calgary’s planning process in meeting the overarching goal of the city’s Municipal Development Plan: to build a more compact, resilient city. But change could be in the horizon, writes Ximena Gonzalez.

11 Beaumont Rd., Toronto – Full gallery here

In a secluded enclave in Toronto’s Rosedale neighbourhood, the four-bedroom house is set far below street level, surrounded by forest. First built in 1969 by renowned architect Eberhard Zeidler, the home went through some major renovations along the way – including a massive rebuilding to future-proof it against the sliding ravine soil. The kitchen is closest to the floor of the valley, and that lower level provides a more relaxed family room and games area. The bedroom level provides a primary suite with a south-facing view into the ravine. There’s a European gas fireplace in the sleeping area and doors opening to a balcony. The outdoor sanctuary includes a rebuilt pool, hot tub and outdoor fireplace set in landscaped gardens.