Real Estate News & Articles

Private equity firm numbers at all time high

2015-01-05

Other The private equity real estate industry continued to grow in 2014, hitting an all-time high. Preqin says the aggregate assets under management of closed-end private real estate funds reached US$742 billion ($872 billion) globally as o…

“Billionaires’ Row” Home to Three of BC’s Most Expensive Properties: BC Assessment

2015-01-02

One well-known billionaire's home is ranked as BC's most valuable residential property for second year running Joannah Connolly Other A single street in Vancouver is home to three of BC’s five highest valued residential properties, ac…

8 must-have apps for 2015

2014-12-31

Other Mobile technology is quickly becoming the next frontier in real estate and 2015 is the perfect time to jump aboard the mobile wave. So power up your smartphone and download these must-have apps.     1 - Genius Scan The Geniu…

Could Alberta follow Quebec’s FSBO lead?

2014-12-31

Olivia D'Orazio Other Don’t count your chickens just yet, Albertans! The western province’s real estate association says it, too, will be eagerly awaiting the outcome of a Quebec lawsuit against a major FSBO.   “We&rs…

How will rising interest rates impact buyers?

2014-12-29

Jennifer Paterson Other Most economists agree that interest rates will rise in 2015 – possibly as early as May – but property experts say the ups and downs of interest rates should never be the ‘be all, end all’ for …

Micro condos gain ground

2014-12-24

Jamie Henry Other With more people wanting to live nearer the city core there is a growing interest in micro-condos. For those who put location above space they make an ideal choice with prices starting below $200,000. Smart House Ottawa an…

Brentwood Mall's Amazing Transformation

2014-12-23

Other If you dub your development The Amazing Brentwood, you gotta be able to back it up . Shape Properties EVP Darren Kwiatowski  assures us his firm's transformation of Burnaby's old Brentwood Mall —a “mixed-use project o…

Toronto condo constructions hit new record

2014-12-23

Jamie Henry Other Construction of condos in the Greater Toronto Area has ended the year on a high. Following some tough conditions at the start of 2014, not least from the freezing conditions, the market has grown sharply. Although the anal…

CREA pays over $3 million for rights to .mls

2014-12-22

Other The Canadian Real Estate Association has secured the rights to the . mls top-level domain with a winning bid of US $3.359 million. The association out-bid Afilias , a global registry company based in Dublin, Ireland. Earlier CREA atte…

Positive impact for investors in Dawson Creek and Fort St. John

2014-12-22

Jennifer Paterson Other As the B.C. government approves the construction of the Site C dam on the Peace River, experts suggest that investors in the area will feel a positive impact as early at the beginning of 2015…

15 per cent house price drop possible, RBC chief says

2014-12-19

A rise in interest rates and a ‘healthy’ fall in prices could save debt-strapped Canadians, bank CEO says. Other Canadian housing prices could fall as much as 15 per cent should interest rates climb, which would be “health…

BC Forecast to Lead Nation in 2014 Home Sales: CREA

2014-12-18

BC set to post a 14.5 per cent annual increase in activity in 2014 - and it could keep going up, predicts Canadian Real Estate Association Joannah Connolly Other The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) has updated its forecast for home …

Industry criticizes wind turbine report

2014-12-18

Jennifer Paterson Other A recent study by the University of Guelph, which found wind turbines do not have an impact on nearby property values, might have earned a big sigh of relief from investors – but the study's results have b…

What will be the long-term impact of oil price decline?

2014-12-18

Jennifer Paterson Other Investors hoping that dropping oil prices would give them a foothold in the Calgary housing market might not see the drop in prices they had hoped for. Glenn Herring, a RE/MAX Realtor based in Calgary, said: “I…

Brokers sceptical over CMHC foreign ownership data

2014-12-17

Jamie Henry Other Brokers have been quick to react to new CMHC data on foreign ownership of condos. The report says that contrary to popular belief the figure for Toronto; where foreign investment is most prolific; is only 2.4 per cent; Van…

Court injunction orders Calgary man to stop dealing in real estate

2014-12-17

Johnson has been fined $65,000 by Alberta Real Estate Council Other A man holding himself out as a real estate agent in Calgary is being ordered to stand down after a court of queen's bench judge ordered him and his aliases to cease and des…

Commercial real estate sales plunge 16%

2014-12-17

The Lower Mainland’s high-flying commercial real estate market came down to earth with a thud in the third quarter of 2014, dropping... Frank O'Brien Other The Lower Mainland’s high-flying commercial real estate market came down…

Crowdfunding: What’s in it for investors?

2014-12-17

Jordan Maxwell Other As many U.S. investors cash in on real estate opportunities through crowdfunding , Canadian investors are also taking advantage of the alternative financing option here at home. Tim McKillican , president of Open Avenue…

How will rising interest rates impact investors?

2014-12-16

Jennifer Paterson Other Most economists agree that interest rates will rise in 2015 – possibly as early as May – but property experts say the ups and downs of interest rates should never be the ‘be all, end all’ for …

How to unlock the secrets of your next property

2014-12-16

Jamie Henry Other Whether your aim is to bolster your property’s online profile or unearth the past secrets of a prospective purchase, search-engine sleuthing is worth the effort – after all, you wouldn’t start a new job o…

Finance minister talks reining in housing market

2014-12-15

Justin da Rosa Other Finance Minister Joe Oliver, who is currently in meetings with his provincial counterpart, has said the government may take steps to rein in an overvalued housing market.   “In terms of household debt and the…

CREA revises housing sales forecast, thanks to B.C. and Ontario

2014-12-15

Jennifer Paterson Other The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) has upwardly revised its forecast for annual housing sales in 2014 and 2015, projecting 481,300 units in 2014 – an annual increase of 5.1 per cent and the strongest a…

CMHC fee increases could add hundreds of dollars to mortgage cost

2014-12-15

Jamie Henry Other CMHC is to triple the charges it makes to some financial institutions. The fee increases will be for guaranteeing loans in the mortgage-backed securities market, which the agency operates under the National Housing Act. So…

Canada will need 4.5 million more homes

2014-12-11

Jennifer Paterson Other Historical predictions of an oversupplied housing market caused by a mass exodus of baby boomers from their residential homes have been debunked by a new study. The report, Trends in Housing Occupancy Demand , which …