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We have assembled a collection of thought provoking articles, reports, surveys, industry information, and other interesting content for your enjoyment.
by Yvonne von Jena | August 17, 2018
Vancouver and Toronto condo prices may seem high to Canadians, but it’s all relative. On a global basis, downtown condo living in several Canadian cities compare quite well according to Matthieu Arseneau, National Bank Financial’s deputy chief economist, who compared ownership prices of “comparably sized” downtown condos across 24 cities.
by Yvonne von Jena | August 14, 2018
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has asked the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to take a “more direct and formal role” verifying income claimed on mortgage applications, part of a two-year plan to tackle mortgage fraud.
by Yvonne von Jena | August 8, 2018
The Canadian housing market has weathered a series of headwinds this year, including higher interest rates and a mortgage stress test, which have sent sales falling since January. BMO, CREA, RBC and TD weigh in on what to expect in the coming year.
by Yvonne von Jena | August 2, 2018
The impact of wind turbines on nearby property values is difficult to define, but some hard numbers are beginning to emerge according to Inman. Although the information is US-based, it does provide helpful insights.
by Yvonne von Jena | July 31, 2018
Genworth’s 2018 Financial Fitness & Homeownership Study shows that homeownership is a mainstay of Canadians’ financial well-being.
by Yvonne von Jena | July 17, 2018
The amount of foreign ownership of Canadian properties has resulted in much research and debate. To better understand the topic, here are some great insights provided by the Chinese portal Juwai.com as per the Globe and Mail.
![[Royal LePage] Expect Prices to Rise Next Quarter after a Sluggish First Ha...](https://www.rpsrealsolutions.com/img/blog/2018/07/Picture1.png)
by Yvonne von Jena | July 10, 2018
Following a sluggish first half of 2018, Royal LePage expects the housing market to remain in a long-term expansionary cycle, albeit at a slower pace than witnessed over the past couple years.
![[Royal LePage] How to Best Boost A Property's Value](https://www.rpsrealsolutions.com/img/blog/2018/07/Screen Shot 2018-06-07 at 11.34.27 AM.png)
by Yvonne von Jena | July 5, 2018
According to a survey by RPS’ sister company, Royal LePage, a kitchen renovation is the clear upgrade of choice with the potential to boost a property’s value by more than 12.5%. Ranking behind this are a finished basement and a new bathroom, which have the potential to increase a property’s value between 2.5% and 12.5%, depending on the investment.
by Yvonne von Jena | July 3, 2018
Similar to the rest of the country, stricter mortgage regulations that came into effect in January have caused sold volumes to decrease significantly in British Columbia. House prices however, have not experienced as large a decline generally across the province.
![[RBC] Ownership Costs Rise Due to Higher Mortgage Rates](https://www.rpsrealsolutions.com/img/blog/2018/07/RBC Housing Affordability Report - Jul_2018.png)
by Yvonne von Jena | July 3, 2018
According to RBC’s latest Housing Trends and Affordability report, the little bit of housing affordability relief that Canadian homebuyers enjoyed in late 2017 slipped away in the first quarter of 2018. Further, RBC expects further rate hikes between now and the first quarter of 2019, which has the potential to stress housing affordability significantly going forward.