Canadian Real Estate and the New Mortgage Rules.

Canadian real estate has been a tough nut to crack for some homebuyers, and those with less than 20 per cent as a down payment now face another challenge, with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.’s (CMHC) tighter qualification rules for borrowers of high-ratio mortgages. This move is in response to the global pandemic that has left many…

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103-year-old nicknamed the ‘Hurricane’ wins yet another gold in 100-meter dash.

At 103, Julia Hawkins might have fallen short of the record-setting 100-meter dash she completed two years ago, but she is still living up to her nickname the “Hurricane.” At the 2019 Senior Games in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Hawkins won gold medals in both the 50-meter dash and the 100-meter dash in the women’s 100-plus…

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Home prices remain steady, buyers and sellers become more comfortable operating in today’s market

Metro Vancouver home prices have remained steady since provincial health officials implemented physical distancing requirements in March. The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that the MLS® Home Price Index1 composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Metro Vancouver today is $1,028,400. This is virtually unchanged from April 2020, a 1.4 per…

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Why is Real Estate an Essential Service?

With social distancing advisories and non-essential business closures in place, many people – some realtors included – are scrutinizing whether real estate is an essential service as it has been classified in many regions across Canada and the US. Those who argue against the essential classification are coming from a good place, with hopes that more-stringent lockdowns…

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Home sales and listings down amid COVID-19, new tools and practices emerge to help buyers and sellers adapt

While Metro Vancouver home sale and listing activity remains limited by the COVID-19 situation, REALTORS® across the region are fast adopting new tools and practices to help advise and serve their clients in a responsible way. The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that residential home sales in the region totalled 1,109 in…

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Home buyers and sellers adjust their activities in March amid challenging circumstances

Metro Vancouver’s* housing market saw steady home buyer demand to begin March and a levelling off of activity as the month went on and concerns about the COVID-19 outbreak intensified. The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that residential home sales in the region totalled 2,524 in March 2020, a 46.1 per cent…

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