National Real Estate Market Update for 2023 There’s an old adage in real estate: location, location, location. But ever since the Bank of Canada began its series of inflation-fighting interest rate hikes last year, a new mantra has emerged: mortgage rates, mortgage rates, mortgage rates. Higher rates had the immediate impact of cooling homebuyer affordability and demand. But when the Bank of Canada announced in early March that it would put additional rate changes on hold, the... [read more]

2023 Real Estate Market Outlook (And What It Means for You) Last year, one factor drove the real estate market more than any other: rising mortgage rates.  In March 2022, the Bank of Canada began a series of interest rate hikes in an effort to pump the brakes on inflation.1 And while some market sectors have been slow to respond, the housing market has reacted accordingly. Both demand and home prices have softened, as the primary challenge for buyers has shifted from... [read more]

Higher Rates and Short Supply: The State of Real Estate in 2022 Canada's housing market hit a boiling point last year as homebuyers clambered for real estate in regions with significantly more demand than supply. But now that homeowners and buyers alike are feeling the pinch of rising interest rates and record inflation, the market appears to finally be simmering down. That, in turn, could create a welcome opening for shoppers to be more selective with their searches. However,... [read more]

Bank of Canada Increases the Overnight Lending Rate to 0.5% The Bank of Canada today increased its target for the overnight rate to ½ %, with the Bank Rate at ¾ % and the deposit rate at ½ %. The Bank is continuing its reinvestment phase, keeping its overall holdings of Government of Canada bonds on its balance sheet roughly constant until such time as it becomes appropriate to allow the size of its balance sheet to decline. The unprovoked invasion... [read more]

9 Tips for Buying and Selling Your Home at the Same Time Selling your home when you still need to shop for a new one can feel daunting to even the most seasoned homeowner––especially when the demand for new homes keeps rising, but the supply feels like it's dwindling.¹ You're not alone either if you're already feeling drained by the complex logistics of trying to sell and buy a new home all at once.  Searching for a new home can be exciting, but many... [read more]