Mortgage rates continued to rise in September after BoC tightening and one of the largest bond selloffs in history. Yields have retraced some of their rise more recently, but demand for new and existing homes has slowed. According to data released by the Canadian Real Estate Association, national home sales declined 1.9% m/m in September, […]

It is hard to believe it is October already! Even though Fall has already started, there are a few things you can do still to ensure your home is well-prepared for the season. Whatever your plans, a quick check of your home will ensure there are no surprises! Examine Your Gutters: This time of year […]

As we round the corner into October, now is a great time to touch base about what to expect in the marketplace this Fall! As you may have heard, The Bank of Canada opted to maintain its policy rate at 5% as of September. The recent rate hikes over the spring and summer have slowed […]

Some regions are seeing much better housing affordability situations compared to others. The erosion of housing affordability has accompanied decades-high interest rates and mounting inflation, but a new study by MetroVancouverHomeSource.com has found that some provinces are seeing their affordability situations fare much better than others, even in the current environment. Aside from average home […]

The national economy posted growth of just 0.1% in August despite rebounding slightly, a sluggish performance that strengthens the case for the Bank of Canada to maintain its pause on interest rate hikes. The latest gross domestic product (GDP) figures, released by Statistics Canada on Friday, showed little change from a flat reading the previous […]

Among three major economies, Canada is actually seeing the “least bad” inflation levels and core measure readings, according to Avery Shenfeld of CIBC Capital Markets. In his new analysis covering Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States, Shenfeld said that Canada’s 4% August annualized inflation reading (3.6% excluding food and energy) fared significantly better […]

Housing affordability is a hot-button issue for Canadians as sky-high interest rates coupled with limited inventory make owning a home unattainable for so many. According to CREA, the benchmark price for a home in Canada reached $757,600 in August, compared to $543,000 in August 2018, a 40 per cent increase in five years. In that […]

Even though prospective homeowners usually pay for their home appraisal, many remain unaware that they typically won’t receive a copy of it. That’s because the professional appraiser sent to calculate the value of a home—which can cost anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars—doesn’t actually work for the prospective homeowner. “Most brokers know […]

Bill C-56 aims to incentivize the construction of more apartment buildings, student housing, and senior residences. Through Bill C-56, the Affordable Housing and Groceries Act, the federal government said that it has taken the next step in its plans to accelerate the development of new housing supply and stabilize grocery prices. Chrystia Freeland, deputy prime […]

This doesn’t mean policymakers will hang tight. A Bank of Canada official said she sees evidence interest rate increases are working to slow inflation, but reiterated policymakers are prepared to hike further if necessary. In a speech at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan on Tuesday — the same day data showed the consumer price index rose […]