CALGARY -- The Calgary Real Estate Board says December sales climbed by nearly 45 per cent year-over-year as 2021 ended with a record number of homes changing hands.

The Albertan board says Calgary saw 1,737 homes sold last month, up from 1,199 during December 2020.

Last month's home sales brought the year-end total to 27,686, nearly 72 per cent higher than last year and more than 44 per cent higher than the 10-year average.

The average home price increased by 10 per cent last month to reach $477,977, while the average price across 2021 was $492,704.

New listings for December sat at 1,230, up almost five per cent from 1,172 a year ago.

CREB's chief economist Ann-Marie Lurie say the figures indicate that the market is beginning 2022 with some of the tightest conditions seen in more than a decade.

"Concerns over inflation and rising lending rates likely created more urgency with buyers over the past few months," she said, in a release.

"However, as is the case in many other cities, the supply has not kept pace with the demand causing strong price growth."