Housing market will be stable next two years: RBC A stronger economy will offset the effects of higher mortgage rates and keep Canadian house prices stable over the next two years, according to the Royal Bank of Canada. In a market update that has the bank forecasting price gains of 0.5 per cent in 2011 […]

Lifestyle and expenses determine how much money is needed in retirement By LuAnn LaSalle, The Canadian Press MONTREAL – Your current lifestyle may impact your retirement more than you think. Can it be sustained? How much money will it take to maintain the standards you’re used to? What will it take in RRSPs, investments, savings […]

Did you know effective March 18, 2011   –         The maximum amortization period will be reduced from 35yrs to 30yrs for new insured mortgages with loan-to-value ratio’s of more than 80% –         The maximum amount that applicants can borrow when refinancing will be reduced from 90% to 85% of the value of their home   […]

Canada’s housing market could prove more resilient in 2011 than predicted By Sunny Freeman, The Canadian Press TORONTO – Canadian home sales this year will be better than previously thought, helped by improving consumer confidence that will partially offset the anticipated deterrent of interest rate hikes, the Canadian Real Estate Association predicts. CREA released a […]

  Scheme saw large mortgages obtained with stolen identification   HAMILTON — A 45-year-old Hamilton woman has pleaded guilty to six charges in connection with the use of false documents to defraud local financial institutions of more than $200,000 in mortgage funds.   Lauren Paolini is believed to be one of six accused involved in […]

As many of you are aware, when most mortgage lenders price their 5 year fixed rates, they do so with a spread above the Government of Canada 5 year Bond yield. Just before Christmas most lenders re-priced the 5 year fixed at 3.99%-4.04%, given a Government of Canada 5 year bond yield of about 2.48% at […]

Rate hikes could spark house price collapse, economist warns Steve Ladurantaye  Globe and Mail Blog Any move by the Bank of Canada could “easily” cause house prices to collapse, Capital Economics warns in a bleak report that suggests the Canadian housing market is likely to suffer the same sort of crash that has plagued countries […]

News Release: February 2, 2011 INCREASE IN LISTINGS ADVANTAGEOUS FOR FRASER VALLEY BUYERS        (Surrey, BC) – The Fraser Valley Real Estate Board reports an increase in listing activity and steady sales for the first month of 2011.   Deanna Horn, president of the Board says, “In addition to an influx of new inventory in January, our […]

Migration at 20-year high Nicolas Van Praet, Financial Post · Thursday, Jan. 27, 2011 MONTREAL — The number of Canadians moving to another province has punched to a high not seen in 20 years as people pack up in search of better jobs and salaries elsewhere. Roughly 337,000 Canadians were on the move in 2010, […]

Canadian, U.S. consumers more hopeful about jobs, finances, purchases By Julilan Beltrame, The Canadian Press OTTAWA – North American consumers are starting to feel better about their personal finances and the economy, a hopeful sign for the still fragile recovery. Two fresh surveys, one by the Conference Board in Canada and another from the International […]