10/25/2024 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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The federal government allowed 30-year mortgage amortizations for first-time homebuyers purchasing new builds in August, and the new rules are set to expand in December to ... More

Here's why a mortgage broker thinks a 30-year amortization is a 'trap'

  6/21/2024 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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Many Canadian renters do not plan to purchase a home in the near future, with affordability challenges being a significant factor.

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Most Canadian renters can't afford to buy a home due to insufficient income

  4/30/2024 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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The majority of Canadians aspiring to buy a home say they will push their plans to next year or later to wait for interest rates to drop, a new survey shows.

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Majority of aspiring homeowners awaiting rate cuts before buying: BMO survey

  4/18/2024 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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As variable-rate mortgage holders eagerly anticipate the Bank of Canada’s first rate cut, fixed rates are heading in the other direction: up.

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Fixed mortgage rates are rising. What's the deal?

  3/2/2024 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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The federal government has announced it will be discontinuing its First-Time Home Buyer Incentive (FTHBI) program as of March 21.

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CMHC to scrap First-Time Home Buyer Incentive and refocus funding on other tools

  2/27/2024 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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One third of Canadians are considering alternative home ownership models, a new survey has found, as purchasing a home remains out of reach amid an ongoing affordability ... More

One-third of Canadians considering alternative home ownership models amid low affordability

  9/8/2023 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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It’s no secret that Canada’s banking regulator has its sights set on fixed-payment variable-rate mortgage products. And OSFI chief Peter Routledge reiterated that ... More

OSFI seeks to address problem of fixed-payment variable-rate mortgages

  8/14/2023 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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Originally introduced to mitigate borrower default risks in the event of rising interest rates, some brokers now argue that Canada’s mortgage stress test is no longer ... More

Canada's mortgage stress test: Obsolete or still doing its job?

  5/17/2023 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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A string of aggressive interest rate hikes from the Bank of Canada is driving short-term fixed-rate mortgage demand higher, according to a new survey.

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Demand grows in Canada for short-term fixed-rate mortgages

  1/3/2020 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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Have you decided to purchase a new condo? Consider these things to ensure you understand your rights as a new home buyer.

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Five Things Every New Condo Buyer Should Know

  12/13/2019 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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Millions of Canadian millennials feel they may never be able to follow previous generations into homeownership according to a new survey.

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Owning a home is a pipedream for many Canadian millennials

  9/16/2019 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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In an election announcement on Thursday, Liberal Party Leader Justin Trudeau promised to turbocharge the First-Time Home Buyer Incentive (FTHBI) for Canadians who live in ... More

What to know about the Liberals' new housing-incentive promise

  8/24/2019 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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New data shows the country’s youngest buyers are being affected most by the government’s mortgage stress tests.

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Mortgage Stress Test Sidelining Young Buyers

  6/18/2019 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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The incentive will allow eligible first-time homebuyers who have the minimum down payment for an insured mortgage with CMHC, Genworth or Canada Guaranty, to apply to finance a ... More

First-Time Home Buyer Incentive To Launch In September

  6/13/2019 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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Three quarters of homebuyers in three of Canada's largest housing markets are not willing to take financial risks when buying a home, ... More

Price growth expectations and financial risk: top influences for homebuyers

  5/17/2019 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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The Conservative Party leader says he's "absolutely committed" to reviewing the rule.

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Andrew Scheer Says He Wants To Scale Back Canada's Mortgage Stress Test

  5/15/2019 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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Canada needs to be building more homes to meet demand which is greater than official figures suggest.

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Housing demand is stronger than we're told: CIBC

  5/7/2019 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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Young families in particular want strong transit links, short commute

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Transit is increasingly a deal-breaker for Canadian homebuyers

  4/30/2019 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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If you’re considering a custom-built home, here’s everything you need to know.

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How Much Does It Cost to Build a House?

  4/4/2019 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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Canada's housing agency says new spending measures aimed at helping first-time buyers afford homes won't push prices up more than a few tenths of a percentage ... More

CMHC releases statement on Liberals' mortgage plan

  11/30/2018 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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CMHC has published its financial report for the third quarter of 2018 which also reveals insights into this year’s homebuyers.

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More homebuyers opted for variable rates in Q3 says CMHC

  10/4/2018 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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CMHC’s new guidelines that make it easier for self-employed borrowers to qualify for a mortgage came into effect on Oct 1.

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New CMHC Guidelines in Effect for Self-Employed

  9/13/2018 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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Rising rents is making homeownership the affordable alternative according to a new report.

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Canadians can't afford NOT to buy study suggests

  9/4/2018 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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Here are some interesting data about Gen Zers and their homeownership plans and goals.

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Nearly half of Gen Zers want to buy a home in the next few years

  7/20/2018 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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With detached family homes few and far between in Canada's major housing markets, these trends may leave new homebuyers in a lurch.

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9 in 10 seniors plan to stay in their homes while retired

  7/19/2018 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. is making changes intended to make it easier for the self-employed to qualify for a mortgage

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CMHC makes announcement regarding self-employed borrowers

  7/5/2018 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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Toronto real estate may not be what it was one year ago, but it’s still a battle for home buyers.

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Majority Of Toronto And Vancouver Real Estate For Sale Sees Bidding Wars

  7/4/2018 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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There appears to be little relief in sight for Canadian homebuyers, especially first-time buyers, as affordability is likely to worsen.

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Affordability likely to get worse says RBC Economics

  6/12/2018 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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Private lenders have doubled their share of Canadian mortgages since 2015.

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Private lending becomes new normal

  6/6/2018 | Posted in Home Buyers by Ruth Halperin
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York Region municipal councillors have proposed a municipal land transfer tax, but the CEO of the Ontario Real Estate Association is imploring them to consider the ... More

Proposed land transfer tax too much to bear, says OREA
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