‘Well that’s it for another school year….and what a year it was! I am full of joy writing this to you, and a little overwhelmed as well realizing just how effective our charity has become. Once again, we presented in EVERY province across Canada while also going to the US, England and Scotland. The Scottish Read More
News
23 Jul 2019
19 Jul 2019
Qualifying Mortgage Rate Falls For First Time Since B-20 Intro
The interest rate used by the federally regulated banks in mortgage stress tests has declined for the first time since 2016, making it a bit easier to get a mortgage. This is particularly important for first-time homeowners who have been struggling to pass the B-20 stress test. The benchmark posted 5-year fixed rate has fallen Read More
17 Jul 2019
Foreclosure, Bankruptcy, Consumer Proposal & Credit Counseling
The Canadian Bankers Association’s latest report on mortgage delinquency shows that Saskatchewan has the highest per capita of all the provinces. The national average shows that .24% of home owners are having difficulty paying their mortgage. Saskatchewan is more than triple that at .80% with next in line Atlantic Canada at .51% and then Alberta Read More
16 Jul 2019
What is a mortgage “refinance” and how does it affect me?
Refinancing a Home is one of those things where people understand what it is but have trouble explaining How it works. To put it simply, refinancing your Home allows you to access the equity you have built up, by changing the mortgage amount. Let’s say you bought a $300,000 condo and you paid 20% ($60,000) Read More
15 Jul 2019
June Home Sales Stopped Deteriorating in Three Western Provinces
Statistics released late last week by the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) show that national home sales were little changed in June following gains in the prior three months. Housing activity remains well below levels recorded over much of 2015-2017–the boom years. As the chart below shows, national sales have moved up to close to Read More
12 Jul 2019
5 ways you could use a CHIP Reverse Mortgage
Reverse mortgages are continuing to grow as a retirement solution for Canadians 55+. Homeowners 55+ are unlocking their home equity for tax-free funds that improve their cashflow and pay-off higher interest loans. Consider your own financial needs. Do any of these 5 common scenarios sound familiar? 1) You have missed a payment/made a late payment. Read More
10 Jul 2019
Bank of Canada Maintains Overnight Rate and Raises 2019 Forecast
The Bank of Canada held the target overnight rate at 1.75% for the sixth consecutive decision and showed little willingness to ease monetary policy, as stronger domestic growth offsets the risk of mounting global trade tensions. There has been ongoing speculation that the Bank of Canada would be pushed into cutting interest rates by the Read More
10 Jul 2019
20 Terms that Homebuyers Need to Know
Buying a home is one of the most important financial decisions you will make. It’s common for a first-time homebuyer to be overwhelmed when it comes to real estate industry jargon, so this BLOG is to help make some of the jargon understandable. To help you understand the process and have confidence in your choices, Read More
9 Jul 2019
5 mortgage tips to help you afford a home
Buying a home is more difficult now than ever—and this is not news to anyone! No matter where you live, the recent stress testing measures, increase in housing prices in major cities, and continued increase of the cost of living all combine to make home ownership a daunting task. But we do want to offer Read More
5 Jul 2019
Following Months of Booming Jobs Growth, Gains Stall in June
After a long stretch of stronger-than-expected Canadian jobs growth, it is not surprising that this notoriously volatile data series took a breather. There was little change in the number of employees in both the public and private sectors in June. The Canadian economy shed 2,200 jobs last month as self-employment fell 1.4% and other employment Read More
Featured Articles
Top 5 Things Millennials Should Know When Buying Real Estate
May 26th, 2015 | Posted in: Chief Economist, News.
April 2015 Jobless Figures, More Bad News for Canada
May 8th, 2015 | Posted in: Chief Economist, News, Press Releases.
Bank of Canada Remains On Hold With Hopes of Economic Rebound
Apr 15th, 2015 | Posted in: Chief Economist, News.
Today’s Federal Reserve Decision – Fed Not Impatient
Mar 18th, 2015 | Posted in: Chief Economist, News.