Real Estate Blog - affordable housing

A Spotlight on Canada’s Most Affordable Housing Markets

For the first time since the early days of the COVID-19 public health crisis, residential property prices are coming down in the Canadian real estate market. Whether you call it a correction or a downturn, prospective homeowners might be finding housing affordability options across the country.

According to the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), national home sales tumbled 3.3 per cent month-over-month in November, and average prices declined 4.4 per cent year-over-year to $632,802. When the Greater Toronto Area and the Greater Vancouver Area are removed from the equation, the national average price is slightly more than $500,000. This is way down from the peak of more than $800,000 earlier this year.

But while…

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5.8M Homes Needed by 2030 To Tackle Affordability Crisis

The Canadian real estate market is experiencing a correction period. While many industry observers are stopping short of calling this downturn a crash, it is clear that the once-sizzling housing sector is being doused by rising interest rates and broader uncertainty surrounding market conditions. So, are we still experiencing an affordability crisis?

In September, the national average home price tumbled 3.9 per cent from the same time a year ago to $637,673, according to the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA). Even when Toronto and Vancouver – two of the hottest housing markets in Canada – are eliminated from the equation, the typical residential property in the country sold for more than $500,000. While this is…

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A Spotlight on Newfoundland Real Estate

Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the Newfoundland and Labrador real estate market has seen the best of times and the most modest of times. In other words, the Atlantic Canada housing market has enjoyed a pandemic boom, but prices have not mirrored what was taking place in British Columbia or Ontario.

Despite climbing interest rates that have ostensibly impacted many major urban centres, small towns and rural communities across the country, Newfoundland and Labrador have held steady. The province and its municipalities have not fallen off a cliff. Instead, despite waning demand, prices have remained intact and affordable.

So, what occurred in the eastern province’s real estate market? Let’s explore the…

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Is Low Supply Keeping Canadian Real Estate Prices High?

A year ago, housing affordability dominated national conversations as the Canadian real estate market exploded in growth, across major urban centres and rural communities alike.

For the last couple of months, it seems like this discussion has shifted, with affordability taking a back seat given recent moderation in the market following the unprecedented “COVID boom.”

The average price for a home in Canada was sold for about $630,000 in July, recent data from the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) confirm. This is down five per cent from the same time a year ago. When the red-hot markets of Toronto and Vancouver are removed from the equation, the typical price for a residential property falls to roughly $525,000.

Despite the last several…

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5 Most Googled Questions About Canada’s Housing Market

After two years of remarkable growth in the Canadian real estate market, the housing industry is experiencing a change. Perhaps it is a path to normalization, or maybe it is a sharp correction. Whatever the case may be, it is unlikely that Canada’s housing market will continue the meteoric growth it has enjoyed since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.

Indeed, many trends are forming in Canada: interest rates are rising, mortgage rates are going up, sales activity is slowing down, prices remain high, and supplies fail to meet strong demand. Because of this, many market participants – buyers and sellers – have questions. As a result, they are turning to Google to have their questions answered. But what exactly are…

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Weighing In on Federal Housing Proposals

In recent months, officials at all three levels of government have been scrambling to increase affordability in the Canadian real estate market, with municipal, provincial and federal housing proposals ranging from new or higher tax rates to more tax credits.

During the last general election, all of the federal party leaders put forward their ideas to improve the housing sector and ensure more Canadians can purchase a home, be it a single-family home, townhouse or condominium unit, without breaking their budgets to do so. But now that it appears Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Liberal government will remain in power for another three years, the Grits are beginning to tackle this national issue. What federal housing proposals will actually…

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Smaller City - Good Move?

Over the course of the pandemic, homeowners have been re-evaluating what they need most out of their property. For some, this has meant packing up and downsizing to a smaller city or community for greater living space, privacy, and a more relaxed pace of life.

Both statistically and anecdotally, we’ve witnessed buyers moving to the suburbs and other rural areas over the past two years. Small towns like Squamish, Wasaga Beach, Kingston, and Collingwood have been home to some of Canada’s fastest growing populations lately, a trend largely attributed to residents moving from urban centres in search of more affordable housing, according to a report from RBC Economics.

Why have buyers been moving to smaller cities?

Right now, there are two main…

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