Flaherty’s Recent Mortgage Comments

On May 14, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty was questioned by Julian Beltrame of Canadian Press (CP) about the need for additional mortgage restrictions. Flaherty replied: "I'm not going to intervene in the mortgage market, I don't need to."

Canadians are paying off mortgages quickly — so is Ottawa’s crackdown really necessary?

Despite the fact Canadians pay off their mortgages quickly, the federal government has continually cracked down on amortization of insured mortgages it backs.

Home ownership a passion for Canadians

Canadians have a love affair with their homes, stretching their finances to buy them, sacrificing other things to have a house or condo and remaining deeply in debt even when the numbers suggest they would be better off renting.

Sell your home fast

While homes in big cities may sell quickly, outside major centers homes can sit on the market for months and months. Sometimes it's a slow market. Sometimes it's silly mistakes made by sellers. Whether you are selling in the city or hoping to move your rural property into new hands, don't make these mistakes:

OSFI head warns low rates spurring risky moves by banks

Canada’s banking watchdog fears that ultra-low interest rates are forcing banks to take undue risks in order to maintain profits.

Boomers will finance kids' housing purchases

Vancouver’s real estate market in the next 15 years will actually be two separate markets financed by one chequebook, real estate marketer and “condo king” Bob Rennie told an Urban Development Institute audience in Vancouver Thursday.

Average property prices rise across most of Asia in first quarter of 2013

Average luxury property prices in Asia are continuing to increase with only Hong Kong and Singapore seeing values fall, according to the latest residential index from Jones Lang LaSalle.

Canadians and Russians Penetrate U.S. Housing Market

Ever since the U.S. housing bubble burst, it’s no surprise that foreign buyers have flooded the U.S. housing market. Both the Canadians and the Russians are leading the pack, but in different ways.

Changes coming fast atop shrinking CMHC

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., the country’s national housing agency, is finally on the path to being operated like a significant financial player which it has morphed into during the past decade.

Mexico set to change restrictions on foreign property ownership

Mexico is on course to change the rules that restrict foreign buyers from buying property on coastal plots and its borders.

Chinese pushing up housing prices in Canada?

According to Xinhua News Agency, recently, some agencies in Vancouver, Canada issued a report, pointing out that the apartment vacancy rate in downtown is high, and some people use this report as evidence of "Chinese are involved in real estate speculation", saying that Chinese investors are pushing up local housing prices. In this regard, local industry insiders think such claim lacks factual basis.

Action needed on B.C. property transfer tax

When knocking on doors in Vancouver-Fraserview, the B.C. Conservative candidate talks about one other thing aside from typical issues like education and health care: the property transfer tax. Even though his party hasn’t taken a stand on the levy, Pandey tells voters that he wants to see this tax reduced.

Updating your home means updating your insurance policy

When you add an extension to your home, install new security devices or replace your weathered roof, your insurance policy may also need a makeover.