Gerry’s Blog
Living in the mountains is a much-needed escape from the stressful city life. Imagine waking up and witnessing breathtaking mountain views and feeling the gentle breeze on your cheeks. If you take pleasure in outdoor activities like hiking, angling, mountain cycling, snowboarding or skiing, living among the mountains is an ideal choice. Canada offers majestic…
The rise of multi-generational living, where families of different generations live under one roof, is becoming a notable trend. Driven by both necessity and choice, this living arrangement is reemerging as a popular option. It’s not just about the practical benefits of shared expenses and combined caregiving for the young and old. Living with extended…
The Prairies continue to offer Canadian homebuyers something they have been craving for a long time: Housing affordability. The Saskatchewan and Manitoba real estate markets are still enjoying low-priced residential properties, especially compared to other places in the Canadian housing industry. In Manitoba, for example, the average sales price for a home in November was…
Are Canadian homeowners and prospective buyers beginning to take climate change more seriously in the real estate market? A recent survey for Rates.ca and BNN Bloomberg found that 60 percent of young homeowners were thinking about the possible effects of climate change on the area where they were purchasing their residential property. By comparison, this…
The Moncton real estate market is forecast to have another stellar performance, according to a new RE/MAX report looking at the Canadian housing industry in the year ahead. In 2024, the average sales price in Moncton is projected to rise five percent to $350,171, with sales anticipated to climb three percent. After years of being…
The Ottawa housing industry is projected to remain in balanced territory while prices rise at a modest pace and sales activity slows, according to the 2024 RE/MAX Housing Market Outlook (HMO) report. This year, the Ottawa real estate market is forecast to see the average sales price rise two percent to $737,968, the report stated….
At a time when mortgage rates are hovering between five and six per cent and home prices remain above their pre-pandemic levels, discussions surrounding the mortgage stress test have been prevalent across the Canadian real estate market. The mortgage stress test is a federal government mandate requiring that borrowers prove they can afford higher payments…
A mortgage calculator is a versatile and powerful tool that empowers prospective and current homeowners to better understand their mortgage obligations. It offers insights into various aspects of a mortgage, such as monthly payments, amortization schedules, and the impact of lump sum payments. Understanding how a mortgage calculator works and what it can reveal is…
The Edmonton real estate market will favour sellers in 2024 as prices rise and sales activity slumps, according to a new RE/MAX report that looks at the 2024 Canadian housing market. Over the next year, the average sales price of a home in Edmonton will climb four percent to $416,860, while sales are projected to…
The talk of the town as of late has been interest rates. How long will the Bank of Canada (BoC) keep its policy rate at five per cent? Will the central bank cut rates this year? Will mortgage rates slide to four per cent by the year’s end? Indeed, there are many questions that buyers,…
Owning a home is a keystone of wealth… both financial affluence and emotional security.