The Real Estate Investment Network (REIN) released the 2013 edition of its Top British Columbia Investment Towns report.

 Why not sign up for our free home buyers e-book - CLICK HERE

The 110-page report analyzes the current and future prospects for real estate investment opportunities in the province over the next decade and has once again ranked Kamloops as a top investment community. However, the city’s ranking has dropped slightly, from third place in a previous edition of the report to fifth place in the most recent edition. The entire report is available for download free of charge at www.topbctowns.com.

While remaining a popular vacation destination for BC residents, Kamloops has also succeeded in attracting many non-tourism related

When I talk to real estate investors about the deals they’re doing, I’m surprised how often they choose to skip working with a real estate agent in favor of doing the deal themselves. From a dollars-and-cents perspective, I can understand that they are counting the cost of doing the work themselves versus paying a fee to an agent. And, it’s an unfortunate reality in the real estate industry, that there are many agents who are not “investor-savvy” and operating with the investing mindset that these types of investors need.

However, I can also tell you, as someone who invested in his first door at the age of 18 and then became a real estate agent in the 1980s, there are a group of us investing-savvy agents who are simply NOT being utilized to the degree

The biggest problem in Canada’s hottest housing markets today seems to be finding something available to buy.

The Canadian Real Estate Association offered up the explanation of a shortage of listings in Vancouver and Toronto for a 2.1 per cent seasonally adjusted decline in existing home sales from August to September.

“Although national sales activity was not as strong in September as it was earlier this year, a lack of supply in some parts of the country is likely keeping a lid on transactions,” said Gregory Klump, chief economist with CREA. “The greater Toronto area and Greater Vancouver made sizeable contributions to the monthly decline in national sales activity. They also rank among the tightest urban housing markets in the country due to a

The population profile of the provinces and territories could become increasingly different in the decades ahead, because of changing demographic trends.

A new article released today, titled "Recent changes in demographic trends in Canada," provides an analysis of these demographic trends at both the national and provincial–territorial levels.

From 2011 to 2014, Canada's population growth averaged 1.1% a year. However, this national average masks some major differences among the provinces and territories.

For example, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta had the strongest average population growth of all provinces during this period, for the first time since 1971.

While Alberta has had the strongest population growth in nearly all years

Analysts at BNP Paribas say the Bank of Canada will be forced into another interest rate cut - a negative move for the value of the CAD

Underlying U.S. dollar strength and weaker oil prices below $45 kept Canada’s commodity influenced currency near the three-week lows hit Friday.

Near-term, the loonie will take a fundamental cue in Friday monthly growth data, forecast to show the economy grew a third straight month in August, albeit barely with forecasts of 0.1 percent.

The soft growth data has not been enough to convince the Bank of Canada that rates should remain where they are.

Indeed the steady rates profile - arguably a positive for the CAD at this stage - come despite the BoC revising down growth projections for 2016 and 2017 while

High demand coupled with a lack of inventory. Sound familiar? That combination is not just the domain of the residential housing market, but also the multi-residential property market in Vancouver, as investors, big and small look to get a piece of the action.

According to Avison Young’s Fall 2015 BC Multi-Family Investment Report, demand for multi-residential properties in Metro Vancouver and throughout the province remained exceedingly strong in the first half of 2015. Private buyers – both local and foreign – and, to a lesser extent, institutional investors and REITs, were increasingly willing to accept record pricing and highly compressed capitalization rates as the cost of entry to British Columbia’s coveted multi-family real estate market.

Rising

Want to know which of he Kamloops communities had the most selling action in the 3rd quarter of 2015?

To see what for is for sale currently in the number 1 sub division of Brocklehurst CLICK HERE or to see all of Kamloops CLICK HERE

To see the full list of all Kamloops properties sold in the 3rd Quarter of 2015 CLICK HERE

To sign up for this information to be emailed to you CLICK HERE

© Kamloops and District Real Estate Association

Bank of Canada stands pat, keeps interest rate at 0.5%

The Bank of Canada is keeping its benchmark interest rate right where it currently sits, at 0.5 per cent.

The bank, led by Stephen Poloz, meets every six weeks to decide on monetary policy and has cut its trend-setting interest rate twice this year in a bid to stimulate Canada's economy. 

The central bank's interest rate influences the rates that borrowers and savers pay and earn for things like mortgages and savings accounts.

The consensus view among 27 economists polled by Bloomberg ahead of the bank's decision was for the bank to do exactly what it did — nothing.

In explaining its reasoning, the bank said it kept its rate as is based on the impact of previous changes.

The Canadian dollar’s slide came to a halt amid speculation the country can cope with the extra spending that may result from Justin Trudeau’s election victory.

The loonie rebounded after dropping to the lowest level in a week against its U.S. counterpart as Trudeau’s Liberal Party put an end to Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s decade-long rule by winning a surprise majority. The country’s new leader campaigned on a plan that included running C$25 billion ($19 billion) in deficits over three years to stimulate the economy with infrastructure spending, while increasing taxes on top earners and cutting them for the middle class.

“It was a little bit premature to say this was really that negative for the Canadian dollar,” said Thu Lan

The Liberals’ new majority gives them all the power they need to influence Canada’s mortgage market. Interest rates, mortgage policy and affordable housing initiatives will all be affected.

Here’s some of what the mortgage market can expect from Mr. Trudeau’s new government:

1. Higher bond yields: Balancing the budget is not a priority for the Liberals until 2019. Trudeau is expected to go on a spending spree and bond traders aren’t keen about it. It suggests a greater supply of government debt and potentially higher long-term yields to come. That, of course, could mean at least slightly higher fixed mortgage rates than we’d otherwise see.
2. A More Hawkish Poloz: The odds just dropped for a cut in prime rate. More spending by Ottawa puts less