All Posts in Category

It has been more than a year since the Bank of Canada (BoC) kicked off its tightening cycle, raising interest rates to their highest levels since the global financial crisis and trimming its enormous pandemic-era balance sheet. What has changed? The most notable development was the considerable correction for the Canadian real estate market, with…

Rising interest rates. Increasing vacancy rates of commercial office buildings. Rampant price inflation. The commercial real estate market faces many challenges in today’s climate, and these trends are creating a shift in downtown economies from coast to coast, many of which have relied on the office sector for sustained long-term growth. Even as economies return…

Are homeowners waiting for the right moment to put their residential properties up for sale? Supply has been a key hurdle for the Canadian real estate market to overcome since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic that unleashed a sales frenzy, with many households taking advantage of historically low interest rates. Even when the country’s…

Building a house from scratch is a dream that many Canadians share, but it can also be an intimidating and challenging process, especially when it comes to financing. One way to achieve this dream is by obtaining a Home Builders Mortgage, explicitly designed for those who want to build their homes. A Home Builders Mortgage…

The rumours of the Canadian industrial real estate market’s death have been greatly exaggerated. Despite sluggishness in the broader economy, Canada’s commercial real estate sector has been recording exceptional growth and has even outperformed other asset classes amid a rising-rate environment. Market analysts contend that the industry has become a hotbed for investors searching for…

Refinancing a mortgage in Canada can allow homeowners to improve their financial situation, lower monthly payments, access equity, or consolidate debt. However, navigating the refinancing process requires careful consideration to avoid potential pitfalls. Let’s dive into the pitfalls to watch out for when refinancing a mortgage in Canada. Ignoring the Associated Costs Refinancing often involves…

While economic concerns impacted activity in the Regina housing market early in the year, buyers have steadily gained momentum in recent months. Year-to-date residential sales hover at 1,680, down from heady 2022 levels, but ahead of the 10-year average. Average prices fell just short of year-ago levels, currently sitting at about $312,000, but are up…

While sales in the Calgary housing market remain more than 20 per cent off last year’s torrid pace, activity has been exceptionally robust in the first half of the year in Calgary. Inventory shortages across all housing types and price ranges have created a competitive marketplace, with one in every three homes now sold in…

Move-up buyers, with concerns over further Bank of Canada‘s interest rate hikes, converged on the Montreal housing market in the second quarter of 2023. According to the Quebec Professional Association of Real Estate Brokers (QPARB), year-to-date sales in the Montreal CMA still fall short of year-ago levels (20,477 vs. 26,600), but average price is climbing…

Steady upward momentum characterized buying activity in the Winnipeg housing market during the first half of the year, with buyers taking advantage of the Bank of Canada’s temporary pause in overnight rate hikes and lower housing values. Year-to-date average price declined by almost eight per cent to $405,301, down from $439,621 during the same period…