As expected, the Bank of Canada kept its key interest rate on hold last Thursday, even amongst growing concern over consumer debt. This rate has stood at a near record low of 1.00% since September of 2010 in an effort to boost economic growth. Nothing in the statement suggests a change in the rate anytime soon. In fact, the tone of the Bank’s official statement was relatively optimistic. Continue reading
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Mortgage Changes Could Happen Before March
Tougher mortgage requirements could be on the horizon for Canadian homeowners, according to analysts surveyed by a recent Reuters poll. This comes on the assumption that housing prices will cool off this year. Experts anticipate that housing prices will climb just 0.1% this year, a considerable decrease from the 0.9% year-to-year increase seen in 2011.
Ten out of 14 economists polled by Reuters answered “yes” when asked if they thought Ottawa would step in and tighten mortgage rules within the next 12 months. If Finance Ministry Jim Flaherty were to adjust requirements it would be his fourth intervention in the nation’s real estate market in as many year. Continue reading
More Rules Rumoured for Hot Canadian Real Estate Market
The Government of Canada is considering imposing stricter rules on mortgages due to the nation’s seemingly overvalued housing market. Bank of Canada’s Governor, Mark Carney, and Finance Minister, Jim Flaherty, have been focused on the nation’s rising debt load for more than a year, stating that things must change in order to avoid serious economic repercussions. Ironically, instead of encountering a doomsday outcome, the Canadian real estate market has continued to boom as rates remain low and buyers maintain an optimistic outlook. Continue reading
A Review of 2011 Mortgage Trends
The Canadian mortgage market experienced a number of changes this past year. There were some ups and there were certainly some downs. The following are some of the biggest trends from the past year, and how we expect the market to unfold in 2012. Continue reading
Re/Max Report Predicts Robust 2012 Canadian Housing Market
The Canadian housing market showed exceptional resilience in 2011, according to Re/Max’s annual housing marketing outlook. Published early last week, the report states that an estimated 460,000 homes are expected to be sold this year, a significant increase over last year’s 44,010 properties.
Re/Max credits low interest rates for the housing market’s success, along with tight inventory levels and increased urban demand. And while the European debt crisis and worsening American recession continue to plague the global marketplace, it appears to have had little effect on the Canadian housing market. The country’s economic foundations actually grew in the past year, thanks to the addition of more than 200,000 jobs and slow but steady GDP growth. According to Re/Max’s report, economists are already looking forward to increased growth and renewed investment in 2012. Continue reading