It should come as no surprise that affordability in the Canadian housing market has become a key issue in the upcoming federal election. According to a recent RE/MAX report, 42 per cent of Canadians said the high cost of housing was preventing them from entering the housing market, and 48 per cent shared concerns over their ability to…
Maintaining a property requires a certain amount of care. Without it, the structure may sustain damage, even if the exterior looks like it is in good general condition. There are many reasons that homeowners may have a second property. Many people deliberately choose to make the purchase, for use as a vacation home or investment…
When it comes to navigating an overwhelming, complicated or unpredictable housing market (hello, 2021!), hiring a RE/MAX real estate agent is a good first step. Here’s why. No one ever said real estate was easy. In fact, especially since March 2020, most homebuyers and sellers have probably muttered a much different sentiment under their breath. …
With interest rates reaching historic lows in a persistent seller’s market, the new-home construction industry is facing a test of successfully balancing supply and demand. In the premiere episode of the interactive series “Keepin’ It Real with Nick Bailey,” RE/MAX President Nick Bailey and two guests explore all sides of the new-home construction market.…
There are so many people (who do not work in real estate) who have advice for a new homebuyer trying to find the right place. And, unfortunately, so many of those people advise against having a real estate agent, whether it’s because they have had an unpleasant experience themselves or because they think they’re saving…
Canadians opt for more affordability and new lifestyle, flocking to recreational property market 57 per cent of markets offer properties below $500K, according to RE/MAX brokers and agents Average sale price anticipated to rise up to 30% in some recreational property markets, according to RE/MAX brokers and agents. 44 per cent of recreational property buyers…
Stakes in Canadian real estate have never been higher. Industry professionalism needed to restore buyer and seller confidence. Particularly for buyers engaged in the Canadian real estate market, the transaction is filled with mounting complexities and undeniable frustrations – most specifically, the lack of transparency in under-market-value listing strategies within an already expensive market, and…
Canadians invest in home renovations to improve quality of life, not to add value in current Canadian real estate market Challenging Canadian housing market conditions put additional importance to home renovations since the start of COVID-19, both for those looking to stay and those selling More than half of Canadians renovated their home in 2020…
As construction season kicks off, those looking to renovate this spring and summer might be stunned by the price of lumber. “It was a big shock to find out it was going to be that much more this year,” Andra McLachlan said. She’s on her second year of home and backyard renovations and is kicking…
If you have seen the movie Confessions of a Shopaholic then you know that if you like to shop then you have to clear up your closet space with items you don’t use. Otherwise, they’re going to start falling on you! LOL Here are some ways you can clear out your precious closet space so you can…
Canadian real estate continues to make headlines for its strength and resilience in the face of COVID-19, and increasingly for the obstacles preventing homebuyers from entering or moving up in the market. A question on everyone’s lips right now is, how long can this current rate of price growth continue? In the face of record-low…
Entrepreneur magazine recognizes the global real estate franchisor for its continued growth. Already named a top franchisor in 2021, RE/MAX is now also recognized as a fastest-growing franchise – for the eighth straight year! The March issue of Entrepreneur magazine ranked RE/MAX on its widely respected 2021 Fastest-Growing Franchises list. This is the 20th time RE/MAX has made…
The History of St Patrick’s Day. St. Patrick’s Day is a special day for me as March 17 was my Grandfather’s birthday (Papa) who was a special person in my life coupled with the fact that I have Irish blood running through my veins. Because of this, I thought I would look at the history…
You might have seen International Women’s Day mentioned in the media or heard friends talking about it. But what is it for? When is it? Is it a celebration or a protest? Is there an equivalent International Men’s Day? And what virtual events will take place this year? For more than a century people around…
How to make a home stand out in the market and possibly get top dollar at closing. Few can resist a classic makeover story – and home transformations are no exception. TV networks have built empires making it seem that anyone can take an outdated, ’70s bungalow and turn it into a dream urban escape…
Canadian real estate surprised everyone in 2020. While the markets closed the year with red-hot, record-breaking activity, the year brought much uncertainty, financial upheaval, renewed forecasts of a bursting housing bubble, and other news that will likely continue to impact market activity in 2021. With the first week of the new year behind us, here’s…
The Bank of Canada, this morning, released its January Monetary Policy Report (MPR), showing they expect to keep overnight interest rates at its “effective lower bound” of 0.25% until 2023 (see chart below). To reinforce this commitment and keep interest rates low across the yield curve, the Bank will continue its Quantitative Easing (QE) program–buying…
Hope you are having a fantastic start of the year! If you are a Vancouver property owner, the deadline for the declaration of your Empty Homes Tax is on February 2, 2021. Make sure that you hit the deadline! Please note that the City’s Empty Homes Tax is separate from the provincial government’s Speculation and…
Motivated by low interest rates, last year people across the U.S. were on the move to wherever their telecommuting hearts desired. But will the trends continue in 2021? Those looking to buy or sell a home in early 2021 might want to keep in mind the three “I’s”: Interest rates, inventory and internet access (and…
