What Actually Makes a Listing Stand Out in 2026 The playbook for selling a home has changed fast. Buyers have more options, more leverage, and they are using it.  According to the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), active listings on Canadian MLS® Systems were up 7.4% year-over-year at the end of 2025.¹ At the same time, the national MLS® Home Price Index declined 4% year-over-year by December 2025, with benchmark prices falling for seven consecutive... [read more]

The True Cost of Homeownership: What You Pay Beyond the Mortgage When many new Canadian homebuyers calculate whether they can afford a new home, they focus almost exclusively on one number: the monthly mortgage payment. It's the figure lenders use for the mortgage stress test, the number real estate agents discuss during showings, and the benchmark buyers use to determine their budget. However, the mortgage is only the starting line. Homeowners also pay for property taxes,... [read more]

How to Become a Homeowner on a First-Time Buyer’s Budget It's not easy being a first-time home buyer right now. At the end of last year, housing affordability hit an all-time low.1 Additionally, mortgage rates have risen significantly since 2021, while inventory remains tight for many property categories, but especially for starter homes. Even lower-priced condos are harder to snag these days, as investors and downsizers muscle out first-timers by offering stronger, often... [read more]

Buy Now or Rent Longer? 5 Questions to Answer Before Purchasing Your First Home Deciding whether to jump into the housing market or rent instead is rarely an easy decision – especially if you’re a first-time homebuyer. But in today’s whirlwind market, you may find it particularly challenging to pinpoint the best time to start exploring homeownership.    A real estate boom during the pandemic pushed home prices to an all-time high.1 Add higher... [read more]

8 Strategies to Secure a Lower Mortgage Rate Interest rates have risen rapidly this year, triggered by the Bank of Canada’s efforts to curb inflation. And the July MNP Consumer Debt Index found that 59% of Canadians “are already feeling the effects of interest rate increases.”1   Why has the impact been so widespread? In part, due to the rising popularity of variable rate mortgages. According to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, in the latter... [read more]