Stability in real estate market provides safe haven for savers facing volatile capital markets

Sector remains a federal election priority for major parties and voters

TORONTO, October 14, 2015 – In the third quarter of 2015, home prices showed moderate to strong year-over-year increases in most markets in Canada, according to the Royal LePage House Price Survey¹ released today.  While the effects of the crude oil shock are still filtering through the economy, the country’s non-energy sectors are beginning to regain momentum as a lower Canadian dollar stimulates sharply higher exports, particularly to the U.S., supporting overall consumer confidence and the strength of Canada’s real estate markets.

According to the report and newly introduced

Have you ever read a description on a house and thought wow that sounds great? Well here is a dictionary to decode those dreamy adjectives on all those webistes..

1 car garage: Sure, you can drive your saloon into the garage but there is no room to open the door.

Advertisement: A tool used by business to get money out of people that don't have it for something that they don't really need.

And much, much more: Truthfully, nothing else comes to mind. But, we can't tell you that.

Bank: Loan shark.

Beachfront property: No hurricane insurance available at any price.

Bedroom in basement: The basement has a 1' by 2' window you might be able to squeeze yourself through as an alternative to burning to death in a structure fire.

Bright and sunny: No window

With Stephen Harper promising 700,000 new Canadian home owners by 2020 if the Conservatives win, the pressure is on the other leading parties in the upcoming federal election to show how they will help the average Canadian with housing and renovations. Here’s a round-up of the election promises.

Conservative

The incumbent Conservative party has been the most vocal on the subject of home ownership, and on September 29, Harper announced that his party is setting a target of creating 700,000 new homeowners by 2020.

Promises to give Canadians more tools to buy and improve homes are enshrined in the Conservative platform, and leader Stephen Harper has bragged about Canada’s high home ownership rate, calling it a sign of a strong economy, despite

The B.C. Real Estate Association will be making a fresh appeal next Tuesday for the provincial government to lower the Property Transfer Tax.

The association, representing the province’s 18,500 realtors, will make its case during pre-budget consultations by a government committee.

This will be the fifth consecutive time the BCREA is making such a plea. And it appears this may be the year the advice is heeded.

The push for a lower PTT comes amid rising frustration in Vancouver over prohibitive house prices and mounting evidence of tax avoidance and evasion by foreign property buyers.

Locals have every reason to be apoplectic at the high taxes they are asked to pay in relation to home ownership when it is so obvious that a sizable and

Real estate agents say anecdotal resurgence of American buyers

American buyers enticed by the low Canadian dollar are scooping up B.C. properties, according to several luxury market real estate agents. 

Jonathan Cooper, vice-president of operations for the Macdonald   Realty Group, says he has anecdotally seen a resurgence of Americans interested in Vancouver homes. 

"There was activity from all nationalities around the Olympics, but especially because of our proximity to Washington state, a lot of Americans were here at that time... talked to agents, went to open houses," he says. 

"They're high net-worth families who have heard about Vancouver, love how beautiful it is ... and yeah, it's a second home for vacation purposes."

And now

Outdoor Features that Help Sell Houses

Whether it’s a deck, landscaping or a pool, the features in your outdoor space make a big difference when selling a home – even in winter.

Effortless is Best

People lead busy lives, and Barbara says this is reflected in how most house hunters perceive outdoor features. A stunning outdoor space that requires a lot of effort to maintain can be a tough sell. “We all admire large, beautiful gardens, but how many people want to dedicate the time and money to maintaining them?” The same applies to outdoor features that incur high maintenance costs. “A lot of people see a swimming pool as a liability more than an asset,” Barbara explains.

On the other hand, ready to go, practical features such as a