Calgary Real Estate - Audrey and Bill MacDougall

Saturday, April 14, 2012 - Oil boom finally hits Alberta housing starts

Economists predict strong year for Prairies Home construction is booming in the Prairies - and Alberta, after years of tepid housing starts, is leading the charge. The rate of residential construction, especially condominiums, has lagged behind the oil boom in Alberta in the past few years. But blockbuster housing starts in March - they jumped 72 per cent year over year - hint that residential construction is getting hot again. The data, released by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., showed ... Full Article...

posted in General at Sat, 14 Apr 2012 08:28:59 -0600

Tuesday, November 22, 2011 - Five Great Things about Homeownership

Five Great Things about Homeownership by Carla Hill If you've been on the fence about homeownership, now is the time to take a leap! Don't let the negative press deter you from one of life's greatest joys. Take a look at five short and sweet reasons that homeownership is great! 1. Equity. When you pay rent, you never see that money again. It is lining the landlord's pocket. Yes, buying a home may come with some hefty initial costs (downpayment, closing costs, inspections), but you will make th ... Full Article...

posted in General at Tue, 22 Nov 2011 08:48:55 -0700

Wednesday, March 30, 2011 - Calgary ranks third on global prosperity score card: Toronto Board of Trade

By Kim Guttormson, Calgary Herald March 29, 2011 Calgary is back near the top of a score card that ranks prosperity in a number of cities around the world, besting all other Canadian metros on the list. Strong population growth, a young workforce, disposable income, affordable housing and clean air helped boost the city to the number three spot on the list behind Paris and San Francisco. That’s up from last year’s fifth place ranking, but below its first place finish in 2009, the fi ... Full Article...

posted in General at Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:00:41 -0600

Tuesday, February 8, 2011 - Alberta confidence highest in the country: Survey

CALGARY - A new survey released Tuesday shows optimism among Albertans about the national economy is the highest in the country. Almost two-thirds (61 per cent) of Albertans feel Canada's economy is going to improve in 2011, according to the January 2011 RBC Canadian Consumer Outlook Index. The survey also said Alberta residents are the most confident that their own financial situation will improve this year, registering a positive outlook of 48 per cent compared with the national average of 38 ... Full Article...

posted in General at Tue, 08 Feb 2011 09:00:12 -0700

Wednesday, January 5, 2011 -

Calgary, January 4, 2011 – Home and condo sales in Calgary and area remained relatively unchanged in December 2010, Home and condo sales in Calgary and area remained relatively unchanged in December 2010, indicating that a full-fl edged recovery in the housing market has yet to take hold, according to figures released today by the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB®). The number of single family home sales in the month of December 2010 were 734, compared with November 2010, when sales were 8 ... Full Article...

posted in General at Wed, 05 Jan 2011 09:19:01 -0700

Tuesday, December 7, 2010 -

An upbeat hiring climate is expected for Calgary in the new year. According to the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, released today, 28 per cent of Calgary area employers plan to hire for the upcoming quarter (January to March) while 10 per cent anticipate cutbacks. Randy Upright, chief executive of Manpower's Alberta region, said the numbers indicate stability in Calgary's labour market. "It's telling me we're continuing to see active hiring which is good," said Upright. "We're well a ... Full Article...

posted in General at Tue, 07 Dec 2010 10:26:18 -0700

Thursday, December 2, 2010 -

SUBDUED HOUSING MARKET GIVES BUYERS CHOICE Calgary buyers looking for the right price, location and conditions Calgary, December 1, 2010 – November home sales in the city of Calgary remained steady monthover- month, while year-over-year sales were down, according to figures released today by the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB®). The number of single family home sales in the month of November 2010 held firm at 891, compared with October 2010, when sales were 888. The number of co ... Full Article...

posted in General at Thu, 02 Dec 2010 08:30:56 -0700

Monday, November 29, 2010 -

CALGARY - Calgary's housing market is no longer running in reverse but it appears to be stuck in a very low gear, says the Housing Trends and Affordability report released today by RBC Economics Research. "Despite affordable home ownership costs, the recent pick up in area home resales has been modest, with levels moving up only to levels that last prevailed 10 years ago - notwithstanding the slump at the end of 2008, during the worst of the housing downturn," said the report by Robert Hogue, s ... Full Article...

posted in General at Mon, 29 Nov 2010 09:12:40 -0700

Tuesday, November 23, 2010 -

CALGARY - Alberta shoppers led all provinces in the annual growth rate for retail sales in September. Statistics Canada reported today that retail sales in the province, which came in just under $5 billion, rose by 5.8 per cent from September 2009. They were also up by 0.9 per cent on a monthly basis. It was the fourth consecutive month of gains in Alberta. "I'm not surprised by the growth but it's definitely good news and definitely a continuation of the trend we've seen over the last few mont ... Full Article...

posted in General at Tue, 23 Nov 2010 12:37:47 -0700

Tuesday, November 23, 2010 -

CALGARY - Job growth is expected to gradually strengthen into 2011 as economic activity improves, says a report by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. In its Housing Market Outlook, the CMHC said changes to the provincial royalty framework and sustained energy prices are expected to attract more investment and support employment growth. In 2011, employment is forecast to rise 1.8 per cent in the Calgary region. "Calgary's unemployment rate peaked at 7.6 per cent in May 2010, reaching its highest ... Full Article...

posted in General at Tue, 23 Nov 2010 12:20:58 -0700

Monday, November 1, 2010 -

Calgary Buyers’ Remain Cautious Sales of million dollar plus homes a bright spot in 2010 market Calgary, November 1, 2010 – Home sales in the city of Calgary were down month-over-month in October 2010, showing signs that buyers still remain cautious, despite signs of economic recovery. Year-over-year sales continued to trend lower in the month of October, according to figures released today by the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB®). The number of single family home sales in the mont ... Full Article...

posted in General at Mon, 01 Nov 2010 17:46:21 -0600

Monday, October 4, 2010 -

Home sales in the city of Calgary were up month-over-month in September 2010 Calgary, October 1, 2010 – Home sales in the city of Calgary were up month-over-month in September 2010, the first uptick in sales since April 2010. Year-over-year sales continued to trend lower in the month of September, but at a pace slower than previous months, according to figures released today by the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB®). The number of single family home sales in the month of September 2010 gre ... Full Article...

posted in General at Mon, 04 Oct 2010 00:18:16 -0600

Thursday, September 23, 2010 -

Businesses see Calgary climbing out of recession Conference Board report sees Calgary reclaiming lead role in Canadian economy By Mario Toneguzzi, Calgary HeraldSeptember 23, 2010 8:09 ks It may not feel like the heady days of 2007, but Calgary is set to take back its spot as the nation's leader in economic growth. That's according to a Conference Board of Canada report Wednesday which predicts that, after being battered and beaten in 2009, Calgary's economy will be the country's gr ... Full Article...

posted in General at Thu, 23 Sep 2010 12:20:27 -0600

Wednesday, September 8, 2010 -

The Conference Board of Canada waded into the debate Wednesday, saying there will not be a “free fall” in the market Globe and Mail Update Published on Wednesday, Sep. 08, 2010 11:17AM EDT Last updated on Wednesday, Sep. 08, 2010 11:47AM EDT As Canada’s housing market softens, the question for many homeowners is how much prices might decline. The Conference Board of Canada waded into the debate Wednesday, saying there will not be a “free fall” in the market but ra ... Full Article...

posted in General at Wed, 08 Sep 2010 10:43:06 -0600

Monday, August 30, 2010 -

Calgary lagged Canada in home price increases for June: Report By Mario Toneguzzi, Calgary HeraldAugust 25, 2010 A new report says in June Calgary prices rose by 0.2 per cent on a monthly basis, behind Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, and Vancouver. A new report says in June Calgary prices rose by 0.2 per cent on a monthly basis, behind Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, and Vancouver. Photograph by: Herald Archive, Reuters, Calgary Herald CALGARY - Calgary lagged behind other majo ... Full Article...

posted in General at Mon, 30 Aug 2010 10:48:11 -0600

Tuesday, August 24, 2010 -

We continue to scratch our heads Buyers play waiting game By Marty Hope, Calgary Herald August 21, 2010 The head-scratching situation with the national economy is playing havoc with the housing sectors in this country. People just aren't all that comfortable buying, unsure of where the economy is going and how long it's going to be before stability returns. In the intervening time, they are willing to wait. All this uncertainty means number-crunchers have been forced to make some recalc ... Full Article...

posted in General at Tue, 24 Aug 2010 11:59:00 -0600

Tuesday, August 3, 2010 -

Summer Cool Down Continues in Calgary Housing Market Calgary, August 3, 2010 – The summer cool down in Calgary’s housing market continued in the month of July, according to figures released today by the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB®). The number of single family homes sold in July 2010 in the city of Calgary was down 42 per cent from the same time a year ago, and condominium sales saw a decrease of 44 per cent from the same time a year ago. July 2010 saw 915 single family homes ... Full Article...

posted in General at Tue, 03 Aug 2010 18:27:59 -0600

Friday, July 9, 2010 -

John Shmuel, Financial Post · Friday, Jul. 9, 2010 The Bank of Montreal announced Friday that it will lower its five year low-rate fixed mortgage from 4.15% to 3.99%, effective Saturday. The announcement came as numbers came out that Canada’s housing market had slowed last month. "Housing starts for June dropping by 3.1% shows the housing market is continuing to cool, and affordability is on the rise," said Michael Gregory, senior economist for BMO Capital Markets, in a release. "Lowe ... Full Article...

posted in General at Fri, 09 Jul 2010 22:04:10 -0600

Friday, July 9, 2010 -

June Housing Starts OTTAWA, July 9, 2010 — The seasonally adjusted annual rate1 of housing starts was 189,300 units in June, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). Seasonally adjusted annual rate estimates of housing start activity were also revised up for April and May2. This resulted in a month-over-month gain of 3.7 per cent in April (205,900 units), a 5.1 per cent decline in May (195,300 units), and a decrease of 3.1 per cent in June. “Housing starts decrea ... Full Article...

posted in General at Fri, 09 Jul 2010 08:17:49 -0600

Monday, July 5, 2010 -

Calgary, July 2, 2010 – Calgary home sales continued to show a marked year-over-year decline in the month of June, according to figures released today by the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB®). The number of single family homes sold in June 2010 in the city of Calgary was down 42 per cent from the same time a year ago, and condominium sales saw a decrease of 40 per cent from the same time a year ago. June 2010 saw 1,061 single family homes sold in the city of Calgary. This is a d ... Full Article...

posted in General at Mon, 05 Jul 2010 12:29:07 -0600

Saturday, June 5, 2010 -

CALGARY — Calgary is the best place in Canada to invest in the residential real estate market, according to a report released by an investors' group Mario Toneguzzi, Canwest News Service · Thursday, Jun. 3, 2010 The Real Estate Investment Network’s report said Calgary experienced one of its best economic and real estate periods in Canadian history a couple of years ago, but then entered a strong, and needed correction. “During the economic downturn, Calgary’s market is ... Full Article...

posted in General at Sat, 05 Jun 2010 07:51:13 -0600

Tuesday, June 1, 2010 -

May Brings Marked Decline in Home Sales Average price rises as move-up buyers enter market Calgary, June 1, 2010 – Calgary home sales showed a marked decline in the month of May, according to figures released today by the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB®). The number of single family homes sold in May 2010 in the city of Calgary was down 20 per cent from the same time a year ago, and condominium sales saw a decrease of 21 per cent from the same time a year ago. May 2010 saw 1,262 single ... Full Article...

posted in General at Tue, 01 Jun 2010 20:02:25 -0600

Wednesday, May 5, 2010 -

40% of Calgary buyers see condos as investment: TD poll CALGARY - The 4th TD Canada Trust Condo Poll released today says 40 per cent of condo buyers in Calgary are purchasing their real estate as an investment property — among the most likely in Canada to do that. And of those, 41 per cent who bought or would consider buying a condo see a condo as a long-term source of rental income, compared to 35 per cent nationally. The poll also said that while 26 per cent of Canadians plan on eventua ... Full Article...

posted in General at Wed, 05 May 2010 16:05:44 -0600

Monday, May 3, 2010 -

Calgary Housing Market to Simmer, not Sizzle Economic optimism, improved choice and price stability contribute to a balanced housing market Calgary, May 3, 2010 – Calgary’s housing market continues at a healthy and balanced pace, according to figures released today by the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB®). The number of single family homes sold in April 2010 in the city of Calgary was up 5 per cent from the same time a year ago, while condominium sales saw an increase of 10 per cen ... Full Article...

posted in General at Mon, 03 May 2010 15:01:23 -0600

Friday, April 2, 2010 - Early Rise in Mortgage Rates to Boost Calgary Housing Sales

Early Rise in Mortgage Rates to Boost Calgary Housing Sales Improved economic outlook and job prospects to be a bigger factor in the long-term Calgary, April 1, 2010 – Calgary’s housing market enjoyed a healthy boost in March as homebuyers anticipate an earlier than expected rise in interest rates, according to figures released today by the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB®). The number of single family homes sold in March 2010 in the city of Calgary was up 29 per cent from the same ... Full Article...

posted in General at Fri, 02 Apr 2010 09:36:36 -0600

Monday, March 22, 2010 -

Note: from a Mortgage Broker As many of you probably heard, on February 16, 2010 the Government of Canada announced new parameters regarding the qualification process of borrowers. Since then, there has been some confusion in the banking industry since the initial announcement and this week, the Government responded by issuing some further details. For your convenience I have outlined the changes below which are scheduled to take effective April 19, 2010: 1. Refinance -The maximum amount one ca ... Full Article...

posted in General at Mon, 22 Mar 2010 08:37:04 -0600

Monday, March 15, 2010 - Housing markets across the country are becoming more balanced

CALGARY - Housing markets across the country are becoming more balanced with average prices continuing to rise as well as new listings, says the Canadian Real Estate Association. The national association of realtors released today its February MLS numbers for Canada, showing sales up by 44 per cent from a year ago with new listings increasing by just over 10 per cent and the average sale price up 18.2 per cent to $335,655. “There are still a number of major markets where sales negotiation ... Full Article...

posted in General at Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:36:33 -0600

Thursday, March 4, 2010 -

Bank of Canada maintains overnight rate target at 1/4 per cent and reiterates conditional commitment to hold current policy rate until the end of the second quarter of 2010 OTTAWA — The Bank of Canada today announced that it is maintaining its target for the overnight rate at 1/4 per cent. The Bank Rate is unchanged at 1/2 per cent and the deposit rate is 1/4 per cent. The ongoing global economic recovery is being driven largely by strong domestic demand growth in many emerging-market eco ... Full Article...

posted in General at Thu, 04 Mar 2010 07:28:31 -0700

Monday, March 1, 2010 -

Calgary Housing Market Shows Signs of Balance, not Bubble An expected rise in interest rates to fuel an active spring market Calgary, March 1, 2010 – Calgary’s housing market continues to build stability and momentum in the second month of the year, according to figures released today by the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB®). The number of single family homes sold in February 2010 in the city of Calgary was up 25 per cent from the same time a year ago, while condominium sales saw a ... Full Article...

posted in General at Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:04:00 -0700

Tuesday, February 16, 2010 -

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty Tuesday announced tighter lending standards for mortgages, saying that while the housing market is “healthy” the moves are needed to “help prevent negative trends from developing.” Under the new rules, all borrowers will need to meet standards for 5-year fixed-rate mortgages regardless of whether they're seeking a loan with a lower rate and shorter term. Also, the government is lowering the maximum amount Canadians can withdraw when refinanc ... Full Article...

posted in General at Tue, 16 Feb 2010 08:01:44 -0700

Wednesday, February 3, 2010 -

Affordability Drives Calgary’s Housing Market With rising interest rates on the horizon buyers will see 2010 as the year to take advantage of low mortgage rates Calgary, February 1, 2010 – Affordability continues to drive a recovery in Calgary’s housing market according to figures released today by the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB®). The number of single family homes sold in January 2010 in the city of Calgary was up 39 per cent from the same time a year ago, while condomin ... Full Article...

posted in General at Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:06:40 -0700

Wednesday, January 6, 2010 -

Housing Recovery Continues with Active December Market Year-over-year sales increase for seventh consecutive month Calgary, January 5, 2010 – The Calgary housing market continues to show signs of a sustained recovery according to figures released today by the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB®). The number of single family homes sold in December 2009 in the city of Calgary was up 78 per cent from the same time a year ago, while condominiums sales saw an increase of 66 per cent from the sa ... Full Article...

posted in General at Wed, 06 Jan 2010 08:11:48 -0700

Wednesday, December 30, 2009 -

OTTAWA -- Resale prices for Canadian homes rose for a sixth consecutive month in October -- and were up on an annual basis for the first time in nearly a year -- as the country’s real estate market continued to recover from recessionary lows, according to a report released Wednesday. The Teranet-National Bank resale house price index of major markets increased 1.27% during the month from September. Year-over-year, prices were up 0.57% -- marking the first rise in 10 months. “Price ... Full Article...

posted in General at Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:36:19 -0700

Wednesday, December 9, 2009 -

Bank of Canada maintains overnight rate target at 1/4 per cent and reiterates conditional commitment to hold current policy rate until the end of the second quarter of 2010 OTTAWA – The Bank of Canada today announced that it is maintaining its target for the overnight rate at 1/4 per cent. The Bank Rate is unchanged at 1/2 per cent and the deposit rate is 1/4 per cent. While significant fragilities remain, global economic developments have been slightly more positive and the global outl ... Full Article...

posted in General at Wed, 09 Dec 2009 10:55:27 -0700

Wednesday, December 9, 2009 -

November Housing Starts OTTAWA, December 8, 2009 — The seasonally adjusted annual rate1 of housing starts reached 158,500 units in November. This is an increase from 157,400 units started in October, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). “The improvement in housing starts continued in November,” said Bob Dugan, Chief Economist at CMHC’s Market Analysis Centre. “Despite a small decline in November’s multiple home construction, overall ... Full Article...

posted in General at Wed, 09 Dec 2009 10:50:03 -0700

Wednesday, December 2, 2009 -

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation 6Housing Now - Canada - Date Released - November 2009 The Western Canada view As can be seen on Figures 4 to 7, Canada’s western provinces were the first to experience a decrease in demand for Existing homes. As existing homes sales decreased, the SLR quickly moved from a sellers’ to a buyers’ market, except for Manitoba, which has remained in sellers’ market territory since about 2001. The decrease in demand was due, in part, ... Full Article...

posted in General at Wed, 02 Dec 2009 08:36:47 -0700

Thursday, November 5, 2009 -

CALGARY - The Calgary census metropolitan area recorded one of the largest monthly increases across Canada in the value of building permits during September, said Statistics Canada. The federal agency reported today that building permit value in the Calgary region rose by 26 per cent from August to $307.3 million. Provincially, Alberta saw a 13.8 per cent monthly hike to $906.3 million. That included a 9.8 per cent increase in the residential sector to $587.4 million and a 22.0 per cent jump ... Full Article...

posted in General at Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:51:01 -0700

Monday, November 2, 2009 -

Real estate market in recovery: CMHC Housing starts have begun to recover and should improve in the second half of 2009, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. However, the CMHC also warned in its newly released report that the high level of activity in the first part of 2009 was the result of delayed transactions and would not likely continue at such a pace. In its fourth-quarter "Housing Market Outlook," CMHC forecast that starts would reach 141,900 for the year and 164 ... Full Article...

posted in General at Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:02:02 -0700

Thursday, October 15, 2009 -

CALGARY - Spurred by sales in Calgary, Vancouver and Toronton, national resale housing activity climbed to the highest level of any third quarter on record this year, says the Canadian Real Estate Association. The association said today that MLS home sales totalled 135,182 units in the third quarter of this year, the most ever for the period from July to September. The number of transactions was up 18 per cent from the third quarter of last year, which represented the biggest year-over-year in ... Full Article...

posted in General at Thu, 15 Oct 2009 08:31:10 -0600

Thursday, October 1, 2009 -

Calgary Home Prices Show Signs of Stability Recovery Continues in Calgary Housing Market Calgary, October 1, 2009 – Calgary home prices show signs of stability as recovery in the housing market begins to take hold. The average price of a single family Calgary metro home in September 2009 was $459,085, showing an increase of 1 per cent from August 2009, when the average price was $454,130, and showing an increase of 3 per cent from September 2008, when the average price was $444,048. The ... Full Article...

posted in General at Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:05:07 -0600

Thursday, October 1, 2009 -

Real estate markets on the mend Globe and Mail Update and The Associated Press Thursday, October 01, 2009 Real estate markets around the world are showing tentative signs of stability and this, in turn, will boost broader economic activity, Bank of Nova Scotia said Thursday. “Home ownership is a crucial sector of national economies and an important source of wealth for many households, influencing spending, saving and borrowing decisions,” Adrienne Warren, the bank's senior econom ... Full Article...

posted in General at Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:30:04 -0600

Thursday, September 3, 2009 -

Canadian housing on brink of rebound Globe and Mail Update Thursday, September 03, 2009 Toronto — Housing starts are expected to pick up in the second half of this year as buyers shake off some of their anxiety about the economy, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. said on Thursday. The housing agency said in a forecast that housing starts are expected to reach 141,900 this year and 150,000 next year. This marks an improvement, although the activity is still well down from the 211,056 s ... Full Article...

posted in General at Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:36:49 -0600

Thursday, September 3, 2009 -

By Shannon Montgomery, The Canadian Press CALGARY - Houses used for marijuana grow operations are usually an obvious mess, dingy and littered with burst pipes, broken walls and illegal wiring. But even after the rows of plants are hauled away and all visible traces of destruction cleaned up, hundreds of types of mould can linger in the walls and floors, sickening those who unwittingly live there next. A new University of Calgary study commissioned by the Alberta Real Estate Association calls ... Full Article...

posted in General at Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:36:01 -0600

Tuesday, July 14, 2009 -

Home sales strengthen in second quarter SUSAN KRASHINSKY Tuesday, July 14, 2009 The housing market is continuing to rebound, according to numbers released Tuesday by the Canadian Real Estate Association. Home sales were up 31.5 per cent from last quarter and up by 1.4 per cent year-over-year, the first annual increase since late 2007. The rise in sales was most marked in June, which showed the first annual increase in unit sales since November, 2007, with a jump of 17.9 per cent since la ... Full Article...

posted in General at Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:15:16 -0600

Monday, July 6, 2009 -

Calgary Home Sales Increase for Sixth Consecutive Month Calgary real estate shifts to a balanced market Calgary, July 2, 2009 – The number of single family homes and condos sold in June in Calgary metro are both up from the same time a year ago. MLS® sales activity of single family Calgary metro homes was 1,837 in the month of June 2009, showing an increase of 16 per cent from 1,584 sales in May 2009, according to figures released by the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB®). This is the si ... Full Article...

posted in General at Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:48:34 -0600

Thursday, June 4, 2009 -

Building permits up 30% in Calgary By Mario Toneguzzi, Calgary HeraldJune 4, 2009 8:01 CALGARY - The value of building permits in April in the Calgary census metropolitan area rose by 30 per cent on a monthly basis, according to Statistics Canada. The federal agency said today that building permit value in the Calgary region reached $310.3 million for the month, up from $238.4 million in March. In Alberta, total building permit value increased by 6.1 per cent to $742.9 million. The resident ... Full Article...

posted in General at Thu, 04 Jun 2009 08:22:20 -0600

Thursday, May 14, 2009 - Home sales jump in April

HEATHER SCOFFIELD Globe and Mail Update May 14, 2009 at 12:54 PM EDT OTTAWA — Home sales soared in April for the third month in a row, but the real estate market has not yet made up for all the lost momentum of the past year, the Canadian Real Estate Association says. Sales of homes in Canada, seasonally adjusted, jumped 11.2 per cent in April compared to March, the largest month-to-month increase in more than five years, CREA said. The gain compounds advances of 10.3 per cent in Februa ... Full Article...

posted in General at Thu, 14 May 2009 11:21:11 -0600

Tuesday, May 5, 2009 -

CALGARY - Canada’s housing market is showing signs of emerging from its winter hibernation, according to the latest Real Estate Trends report released today by Scotia Economics. Across Canada, home sales strengthened in both February and March, and preliminary reports suggest this firming trend continued in April, said the report by Adrienne Warren, senior economist and real estate market specialist with Scotia Economics. The report said a rise in demand combined with fewer new listings ... Full Article...

posted in General at Tue, 05 May 2009 08:06:43 -0600

Tuesday, April 21, 2009 -

Bank of Canada cuts key interest rate to 0.25% Last Updated: Tuesday, April 21, 2009 | 9:35 AM ET CBC News The Bank of Canada on Tuesday lowered a key lending rate again as the central bank reduced its economic outlook for 2009 and 2010. The bank reduced the overnight rate by one-quarter of a percentage point to 0.25 per cent, which the bank said is the lowest effective rate. The lending rate will remain at the level until the middle of 2010 — depending on inflation rates — as th ... Full Article...

posted in General at Tue, 21 Apr 2009 08:24:21 -0600

Thursday, April 16, 2009 -

Home sales activity up for 2nd straight month in Canada, Calgary By Mario Toneguzzi, Calgary HeraldApril 15, 2009 CALGARY - The residential resale market showed signs of life again in March both nationally and at a local level. Data released Wednesday by the Canadian Real Estate Association indicated existing MLS home sales activity increased for the second month in a row in March across the country. The association also said the number of new listings continued trending lower in March, whic ... Full Article...

posted in General at Thu, 16 Apr 2009 08:53:10 -0600

Saturday, April 4, 2009 -

Calgary housing market picks up as buyers tiptoe back into market March MLS sales, house prices up over February By Mario Toneguzzi, Calgary HeraldApril 2, 2009 Calgary's housing market picked up in March, with both MLS sales and average house prices for single-family homes and condominiums rising from the previous month's levels. With house prices stabilizing in the past few months, low mortgage rates and still a high selection of properties for sale, more homebuyers entered the resale hou ... Full Article...

posted in General at Sat, 04 Apr 2009 08:38:18 -0600

Monday, March 16, 2009 -

News from Reuters Canada home resales rise in February, prices drop 16/03/09 TORONTO (Reuters) - Sales of existing homes in Canada rose in February from January, the first month-on-month rise since September, but prices dropped sharply, the Canadian Real Estate Association said on Monday. Nationally, 28,669 homes were sold in February, up 8.6 percent from the month before on a seasonally adjusted basis. But the average home price fell 9.2 percent to $281,972 from $310,379 a year earlier. On ... Full Article...

posted in General at Mon, 16 Mar 2009 12:52:55 -0600

Wednesday, March 4, 2009 -

OTTAWA — In spite of the economic downturn, most Canadians still believe it is a homebuyer’s market, with more first timers planning on purchasing their own homes, according to a study released Wednesday by the Royal Bank of Canada. “The current economic environment does not appear to have dampened Canadians’ overall confidence in the housing market,” said Royal Bank spokeswoman Karen Leggett. “Canadians continue to have an overwhelming belief in the long-te ... Full Article...

posted in General at Wed, 04 Mar 2009 08:58:52 -0700

Tuesday, March 3, 2009 -

Tue, March 3, 2009 Increase in home sales brings hope By MARKUS ERMISCH, SUN MEDIA A bright ray of optimism has pierced the leaden clouds that were hanging over Calgary's real estate market early this year. Sales of single-family homes increased 50% to 825 units in February compared to January, show figures released yesterday by the Calgary Real Estate Board. Condominium sales rose 52% to 334 units during the same period. But despite the more brisk pace, activity and prices in Calgary's rea ... Full Article...

posted in General at Tue, 03 Mar 2009 14:59:22 -0700

Thursday, February 19, 2009 -

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation H o u s i n g M a r k e t I n f o r m a t i o n Prairies Housing Outlook The economic uncertainty and surplus of unoccupied new units will postpone Alberta's recovery in single-detached construction for another year. Following a nearly 50 per cent reduction in 2008, single-detached starts will slip further in 2009. Edmonton will be a notable exception due to the velocity of the downturn that occurred last year. Provincial starts should rebound in 2010, p ... Full Article...

posted in General at Thu, 19 Feb 2009 08:59:34 -0700

Wednesday, February 4, 2009 -

Calgary home prices remain stable By MARKUS ERMISCH, SUN MEDIA The average price of a single-family home in Calgary remained largely unchanged last month. The Calgary Real Estate Board said yesterday that in January, the average MLS price in that category totalled $414,466, which is less than 1% lower than the price the same home would have fetched in December. Sales of single-family homes, however, rose nearly 20% in January to 538 units, compared to 449 units sold in December last year. D ... Full Article...

posted in General at Wed, 04 Feb 2009 11:43:10 -0700

Thursday, January 22, 2009 -

Bank of Canada releases Monetary Policy Report Update OTTAWA – The Bank of Canada today released its January Monetary Policy Report Update, which discusses current economic and financial trends in the context of Canada's inflation-control strategy. In the Update, the Bank noted that the outlook for the global economy has deteriorated since the October Monetary Policy Report, with the intensifying financial crisis spilling over into real economic activity. Heightened uncertainty is under ... Full Article...

posted in General at Thu, 22 Jan 2009 09:21:45 -0700

Tuesday, January 20, 2009 -

Bank of Canada lowers overnight rate target by 1/2 percentage point to 1 per cent OTTAWA – The Bank of Canada today announced that it is lowering its target for the overnight rate by one-half of a percentage point to 1 per cent. The operating band for the overnight rate is correspondingly lowered, and the Bank Rate is now 1 1/4 per cent. The outlook for the global economy has deteriorated since the Bank's December interest rate announcement, with the intensifying financial crisis spilli ... Full Article...

posted in General at Tue, 20 Jan 2009 10:44:38 -0700

Tuesday, January 6, 2009 -

REAL ESTATE MARKET COOLS AS 2008 COMES TO A CLOSE Calgary, January 5, 2009 – MLS® sales activity slowed considerably at the end of 2008, according to fi gures released by the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB®). Single family Calgary metro sales for the month of December totaled 449, showing a decrease of 47 per cent from the 846 sales in December 2007 and showing a decrease of 33 per cent from November’s sales of 670. The year end number of Calgary metro single family sales was 13, ... Full Article...

posted in General at Tue, 06 Jan 2009 10:13:24 -0700

Monday, December 22, 2008 -

Canadian Mortgage Industry in the Media In recent weeks, there have been numerous articles in the national media on the state of the Canadian mortgage industry. Issues regarding the impact of longer amortizations and a perceived failure to anticipate the effects of various mortgage products have been at the forefront. All Canadians Should Be Aware Of The Following Important Facts 1. Arrears and default rates remain low in Canada particularly when compared to the U.S. Canadian mortgage holder ... Full Article...

posted in General at Mon, 22 Dec 2008 12:40:50 -0700

Tuesday, December 9, 2008 -

Bank of Canada lowers overnight rate target by 3/4 percentage point to 1 1/2 % OTTAWA – The Bank of Canada today announced that it is lowering its target for the overnight rate by three-quarters of a percentage point to 1 1/2 per cent. The operating band for the overnight rate is correspondingly lowered, and the Bank Rate is now 1 3/4 per cent. The outlook for the world economy has deteriorated significantly and the global recession will be broader and deeper than previously anticipated ... Full Article...

posted in General at Tue, 09 Dec 2008 08:52:55 -0700

Tuesday, December 2, 2008 -

Calgary Herald - Dec 2 2008 MLS SALES FALL BELOW PRE-BOOM LEVEL amid downturn Homes harder to sell as prices slide further By Mario ToneguzziDecember 2, 2008 It is becoming increasingly difficult to sell a home in the Calgary residential real estate market. Statistics released by the Calgary Real Estate Board on Monday show that MLS sales in November plunged compared to a year ago--and they've even dropped below levels prior to the real estate boom of the past two years. As well, average a ... Full Article...

posted in General at Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:10:07 -0700

Wednesday, November 26, 2008 - Mortgage Rate Cut

The Canadian Press Wednesday, November 26, 2008 TORONTO — Two of Canada's big banks are cutting mortgage rates on a variety of terms, reflecting a drop in borrowing costs in the bond market, where banks finance their mortgage lending. Royal Bank of Canada said Wednesday it is cutting rates effective immediately and introducing some new mortgage products. A three-year closed mortgage at Canada's biggest bank falls to 6.45 per cent, down a quarter point. A five-year term falls by the sa ... Full Article...

posted in General at Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:24:17 -0700

Monday, November 24, 2008 - October Calgary Stats

Calgary, November 3, 2008 – MLS® Sales activity slowed in Calgary during the month of October, but continued to present excellent buying opportunities, according to fi gures released by the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB®). Single family Calgary metro sales for the month of October came in at 820, showing a decrease of 26.3 per cent from the 1,113 sales in October 2007 and showing a decrease of 28.8 per cent from last month’s sales of 1,152. Condominium sales for the month of Octob ... Full Article...

posted in General at Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:44:00 -0700

Tuesday, August 26, 2008 - The New Website!

Today marks the first day of the new website. The new site offers a wealth of fresh industry information that's constantly being updated. Have a great time checking it out!

posted in General at Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:46:33 -0600

Saturday, April 14, 2012 - Oil boom finally hits Alberta housing starts

Tuesday, November 22, 2011 - Five Great Things about Homeownership

Wednesday, March 30, 2011 - Calgary ranks third on global prosperity score card: Toronto Board of Trade

Tuesday, February 8, 2011 - Alberta confidence highest in the country: Survey

Wednesday, January 5, 2011 -

Tuesday, December 7, 2010 -

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Friday, July 9, 2010 -

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Monday, July 5, 2010 -

Saturday, June 5, 2010 -

Tuesday, June 1, 2010 -

Wednesday, May 5, 2010 -

Monday, May 3, 2010 -

Friday, April 2, 2010 - Early Rise in Mortgage Rates to Boost Calgary Housing Sales

Monday, March 22, 2010 -

Monday, March 15, 2010 - Housing markets across the country are becoming more balanced

Thursday, March 4, 2010 -

Monday, March 1, 2010 -

Tuesday, February 16, 2010 -

Wednesday, February 3, 2010 -

Wednesday, January 6, 2010 -

Wednesday, December 30, 2009 -

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Thursday, November 5, 2009 -

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Tuesday, July 14, 2009 -

Monday, July 6, 2009 -

Thursday, June 4, 2009 -

Thursday, May 14, 2009 - Home sales jump in April

Tuesday, May 5, 2009 -

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Thursday, April 16, 2009 -

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Monday, March 16, 2009 -

Wednesday, March 4, 2009 -

Tuesday, March 3, 2009 -

Thursday, February 19, 2009 -

Wednesday, February 4, 2009 -

Thursday, January 22, 2009 -

Tuesday, January 20, 2009 -

Tuesday, January 6, 2009 -

Monday, December 22, 2008 -

Tuesday, December 9, 2008 -

Tuesday, December 2, 2008 -

Wednesday, November 26, 2008 - Mortgage Rate Cut

Monday, November 24, 2008 - October Calgary Stats

Tuesday, August 26, 2008 - The New Website!

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