Tag Archives: Real Estate

House Hunting Goes Social with HomeSort.ca

New interactive website will change the way you shop for real estate

Finding your dream home just became a whole lot easier thanks to HomeSort.ca, a new interactive website that makes organizing, comparing and sharing promising real estate listings easy. Developed by industry-leading online mortgage specialists, FamilyLending.ca, the HomeSort.ca system takes the hassle out of home hunting.

“Looking for a new place is tough,” explains Robb Nelson, President and CEO of FamilyLending.ca, “Monitoring, comparing, and sharing listings with your circle of friends and professional acquaintances used to require hundreds of emails, phone calls and print-outs. Now all you need is your free HomeSort.ca account.”

With a few simple clicks, users can save different real estate listings from external sites like HomeFinder.ca, Zoocasa.com and Realtor.ca into HomeSort.ca’s streamlined property management system. Simply copy and paste the URL of the listing and HomeSort.ca will save important details to your account for future access. Continue reading →

Low Mortgage Rates = False Sense of Security?

Historically low interest rates are making it easier for Canadians to enter the real estate market. Why continue to rent when a mortgage payment could be less than your current monthly lease? If you’re considering the here and now, buying makes perfect sense. With the help of a seasoned mortgage broker, you can easily secure a best rate mortgage that’s cost-effective – but what happens when the market shifts and interest rates begin to rise? Continue reading →

Home Ownership Becoming More Affordable, Reports Show

Housing affordability appears to be improving in Canada, according to RBC’s quarterly numbers released on Wednesday. RBC’s chief economist, Craig Wright, believes that continued low interest rates this year will help keep housing prices and costs reasonable in the near term.

RBC’s report also showed that the financial burden of owning a home declined for the second straight quarter in 2011, thanks to “softer” home prices and higher household incomes. The report found that all categories of housing in the nation, including condominiums and two-storey family properties, have since risen on the affordability scale. Which is great for homeowners, but even better for home hunters. According to the Canadian Real Estate Association, the Canadian housing marketing is predicted to see a 0.3 percent increase in unit sales.  Continue reading →

Mortgage Changes Could Happen Before March

Tougher mortgage requirements could be on the horizon for Canadian homeowners, according to analysts surveyed by a recent Reuters poll. This comes on the assumption that housing prices will cool off this year. Experts anticipate that housing prices will climb just 0.1% this year, a considerable decrease from the 0.9% year-to-year increase seen in 2011.

Ten out of 14 economists polled by Reuters answered “yes” when asked if they thought Ottawa would step in and tighten mortgage rules within the next 12 months. If Finance Ministry Jim Flaherty were to adjust requirements it would be his fourth intervention in the nation’s real estate market in as many year.  Continue reading →

Should You Pay Off Debt or Invest in Your RRSP?

With the RRSP deadline looming, many Canadians are trying to make sense of their investment options. Personal debt levels in Canada have hit record highs, most of us don’t have a pension to fall back on and our retirement savings are far from adequate. Which leads us to the perennial problem: Should Canadian’s focus on paying off their mortgage and lowering debt or invest in RRSPs?  Continue reading →