The Bank of Canada announced on March 5^th, 2014 that it was keeping its trend-setting overnight lending rate at 1 per cent, where it has been parked since September 2010. Canadian private sector forecasters currently expect the overnight lending rate to remain on hold until well into 2015.

In its assessment of the overall economy, the Bank recognized that recent economic growth was slightly stronger than it expected and inflation was a bit higher than it anticipated. On their own, these two factors are likely to result in increased financial market speculation about interest rates rising sooner...

OTTAWA, March 10, 2014 — Housing starts in Canada were trending at 192,236 units in February compared to 191,513 in January, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). The trend is a six-month moving average of the monthly seasonally adjusted annual rates (SAAR)1 of housing starts.
“The trend in housing starts remained stable in February for the seventh consecutive month. Since August 2013, the trend has essentially remained in the 185,000 to 195,000 range, with monthto-month variations generally of two per cent or less. This is in line...

The Bank of Canada announced this morning that it is maintaining its target for the overnight rate at 1 per cent. In its accompanying statement, the Bank noted that the economy is preceding largely on the path the Bank projected in its January Monetary Policy Report. While inflation and growth were slightly higher than expected in the fourth quarter of 2013, the Bank expects slack in the economy to keep inflation below the Bank's 2 per cent target this year. The Bank does not view the risks associated with elevated household imbalances as materially changed and judges the current stance of monetary...

In the first two months of 2014, the Greater Vancouver housing market has maintained the steady pace set throughout 2013.

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that residential property sales in Greater Vancouver reached 2,530 on the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in February 2014. This represents a 40.8 per cent increase compared to the 1,797 sales recorded in February 2013, and a 43.8 per cent increase compared to the 1,760 sales in January 2014.

Last month’s sales total mirrors the 10-year sales average for February of 2,547, with just 17 sales separating...

Following the annual review of its insurance products and capital requirements, CMHC will increase its mortgage loan insurance premiums for homeowner and 1 – 4 unit rental properties effective May 1, 2014.
The increase applies to mortgage loan insurance premiums for owner occupied, self-employed and 1-to-4 unit rental properties, including low-ratio refinance premiums. This does not apply tomortgages currently insured by CMHC.
CMHC’s capital management framework is consistent with international practices and Canadian guidelines for mortgage insurers....

First-time home buyers received welcome news in today’s provincial budget. Any REALTORS® currently working with first-time buyers will want to share this news with them as soon as possible.

The government has announced, effective February 19, 2014, under the Property Transfer Tax (PTT) First-Time Home Buyers’ Exemption program, qualifying first-time buyers can buy a home worth up to $475,000. The previous threshold was $425,000.

The partial exemption continues and will apply to homes valued between $475,000 and $500,000.

With this change, the government estimates 1,700 additional...

CentreBlock by Liberty Homes at UniverCity atop Burnaby Mountain is the latest condo project with sales commencing early 2014. 

CentreBlock, named after its location in the heart of the UniverCity shopping district across from Nester grocery store, will span an entire block.  The complex is comprised of two structures; a 6 story mid-rise building comprised of mixed use commercial and residential which will be connected to a 16 story hi-res residential building and a 3 story wood frame building consisting of 26 townhomes.  Ideally located close to shopping, Highlands Elementary School,...

According to statistics released today by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), national home sales activity posted its fifth consecutive month-over-month decline in January 2014.

Highlights:
National home sales fell 3.3% from December to January. Actual (not seasonally adjusted) activity stood 0.4% above January 2013 levels. The number of newly listed homes edged up 0.2% from December to January.
The Canadian housing market remains in balanced territory. The national average sale price rose 9.5% on a year-over-year basis in January. The MLS® Home Price Index...

Housing starts in Canada were trending at 191,456 units in January compared to 194,518 in December, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). The trend is a six-month moving average of the monthly seasonally adjusted annual rates (SAAR)¹ of housing starts.

“The trend in housing starts decreased slightly in January, while the inventory of newly completed and unabsorbed units saw a modest downward trend in the last half of 2013. This is consistent with our expectation that builders will continue to gradually adjust activity in order to manage their levels of inventory,”...

Montréal, Quebec—The Bank of Canada’s flexible inflation target has served Canada well in both tranquil and turbulent times and remains the right policy framework to address the current economic environment of persistently weak inflation, Senior Deputy Governor Tiff Macklem said today in a lecture at Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business in Montréal.
“Inflation targeting was designed against a backdrop of high inflation, but its key features of symmetry and flexibility also give us room to manoeuvre in an environment of disinflation.”
Mr....

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) expects the number of housing starts to stabilize in 2014 and 2015. Support from improved economic and demographic fundamentals will be tempered by a combination of a modest and gradual increase in mortgage rates and a slowdown in demand from first-time buyers, according to CMHC’s first quarter 2014 Housing Market Outlook, Canada Edition¹.

“With a relatively high number of units currently under construction, we expect builders will gradually adjust their activity in order to reduce their level of inventory,” said Mathieu...

The first month of 2014 saw home sale and listing totals outpace historical averages in the Greater Vancouver housing market. 

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that residential property sales in Greater Vancouver reached 1,760 on the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in January 2014. This represents a 30.3 per cent increase compared to the 1,351 sales recorded in January 2013, and a 9.9 per cent decline compared to the 1,953 sales in December 2013.

Last month’s sales were 7.2 per cent above the 10-year sales average for the month.

“The...

2014 is the 50^th anniversary of the establishment of our Foundation in 1964.  Year after year, BC Branch members, volunteers and supporters, like Hafez Panju, have helped the foundation  invest more than $100 million in life-saving kidney research across Canada.  Last year British Columbians donated over $860,000 to support promising kidney research as determined by a panel of Canada’s top kidney researchers.  Without the dedicated and committed support from generous donors like Hafez none of this would be possible. 

A few years ago, the BC Branch made a commitment...

Happy New Year!  I wish you and your families a healthy and prosperous 2014. 

Another year has come and gone and what a year it is has been.  There was significant media attention given to the real estate market in the Lower Mainland.  It felt like not a day went by that some news outlet was reporting something about real estate.  And it was not just about homes prices. 

We have and continue to be told that Canadian household debt levels are at stratosphere highs and the government is concerned.  New reports are suggesting that Canadians are deciding to save more...

The Bank of Canada announced on January 22^nd 2014 that it was keeping its trend-setting overnight lending rate at 1 per cent, where it has been held since September 2010.

Since the Bank’s last announcement in early December, inflation in Canada has moved even further below the Bank’s 2 per cent target. Moreover, the Bank indicated it is now expected to remain lower for even longer and not return to target for “about two years.”

The rising risk of lower inflation has been a theme since last fall. Since then, the Bank’s warnings about how rates will eventually rise have...

The Bank of Canada today announced that it is maintaining its target for the overnight rate at 1 per cent. The Bank Rate is correspondingly 1 1/4 per cent and the deposit rate is 3/4 per cent.

Inflation in Canada has moved further below the 2 per cent target, owing largely to significant excess supply in the economy and heightened competition in the retail sector. The path for inflation is now expected to be lower than previously anticipated for most of the projection period. The Bank expects inflation to return to the 2 per cent target in about two years, as the effects of retail competition dissipate...

Bright and Spacious

Show Suite Condition

3 Bed, 2 Bath, 1,196 SqFt

Prices at $418,800

214 9339 University

Burnaby, BC

Harmony at the Highlands

Simon Fraser University, UniverCity

Bright, spacious & open layout are just a few ways to describe this home. This 1196sqft/3bed/2bath, corner unit is one of the larger plans in the Harmony complex. Your wait is over. Features: open living & dining rms, engineered floors,fresh paint, excellent room separation, spacious kitchen with eating area, SS apps & access to covered balcony. The large master has ensuite w/soaker tub & walk-in...

According to statistics released today by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), national home sales activity posted its third consecutive month-over-month decline in December 2013.

Highlights:

• National home sales fell 1.8% from November to December.
• Actual (not seasonally adjusted) activity stood 12.9% above weak December 2012 levels.
• The number of newly listed homes dropped 4.3% from November to December.
• The Canadian housing market remains in balanced territory.
• The national average sale price rose 10.4% on a year-over-year basis in December.
• The MLS® Home Price Index (HPI) rose 4.3%...