Canada’s largest banks cut mortgage rates last week, and now they might need to reverse the cuts. Half of Canada’s “Big Six” banks cut the interest rate on their 5-year fixed rate mortgages at the end of last week. It might have seemed like a no-brainer back then, but a week is forever ago in […]
Australia’s central bank is warning home prices may threaten the country’s financial stability. Reserve Bank of Australia assistant governor Michele Bullock gave a housing update this week. She warns the quality of borrowers has been deteriorating, as they take on more leverage. As the share of these borrowers surges, so does the risks they bring […]
Canadian bond yields have been sliding for the past few weeks, but that changed pretty fast. Global bond yields surged on Thursday after central banks expressed hawkish views overnight. By communicating their intention to ease stimulus, an abrupt market change occurred. Long-term yields have now climbed to the highest level in months. Experts say this […]
Canada plans to increase credit access for the country’s riskiest borrowers in the years to come. A re-elected government may not seem like change, but they promised a big one — larger insured mortgages. High-ratio borrowers will see an increase of up to 25% of their maximum mortgage size. Expansion of credit during a low […]
US home buyers are busy with purchases, but there are fewer present than a few months ago. National Association of Realtors (NAR) data shows home sales fell in August. The drop was accompanied by a decline in inventory as well. Despite the relatively neutral market position, price growth is starting to slow. US Existing-Home Sales […]
Canadian home prices are moving faster than wages, leaving a lot of cash-poor, house-rich Boomers. The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board (OTPPB) must see opportunity, because they are buying a large reverse mortgage lender. The pension announced its acquisition of HomeEquity bank today. It might not be a familiar name, but their flagship product might […]
Elevated levels of inflation may stick around longer than central banks have let on. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released its 2021 summer outlook. The intergovernmental agency for advanced economies revised Canada’s inflation forecast higher. Not a little either, they now see double the rate of expected inflation next year. The agency […]
Canadian employers are making jobs faster than people can fill them. In two separate reports, BMO economists took a dive into rising job vacancies and wages in Q2 2021. They found job vacancies hit a new record high last quarter. A lack of labor doesn’t appear to have much urgency though, as wages are still […]
The Canadian election is over and the country’s leadership remains largely unchanged. However, a laundry list of election promises mean big changes to real estate are coming. Most of the promised plan seeks to create more demand for housing, which softens price drops. Expect more of the same currently being done, but with a revamped […]
Canadian real estate is expected to be slow for the rest of this year, but it won’t last very long. The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) shared their 2021 forecast. In the forecast for this year, they see minimal movement from the current average sale price. Next year they see huge gains returning, especially in […]
