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 sellingMore than half of Canadians renovated their home in 2020 with the intention of living in it, with 29% renovating...
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 herself for not completing everything sooner. “I really wish we had done the privacy fence...
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 make room for new wardrobe items. 1. Is there anything you haven't worn in the last 6 months to a...
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 housing inventory and rising demand across the country, it seems there’s...
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...
The History of St Patrick’s DaySt. 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 of this day. St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated annually on March 17, the anniversary of his death in the fifth...
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 – doubling the home’s value in just 30 minutes. But how easy is it, really, to make a profit...
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 a look back at 2020’s top Canadian housing...
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 $4 billion of Government of Canada bonds every week...
Motivated by low interest rates, last year people across Canada 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 the relocation possibilities it opens up!). Experts anticipate the housing market...