Canada’s recreational property market hasn’t seen an influx of listings and is unlikely to at all this year, according to Re/Max Canada’s 2024 Cottage Trends Report. The country’s cottage owners (64 per cent) are holding on to their properties rather than selling, despite affordability issues and higher interest rates of late. The trend is likely influenced by the desirable quality of life and prospect of future returns that recreational property ownership offers. This year, Re/Max expects an increase in recreational prices by 6.8 per cent, with number of sales to be up in over 60 per cent o ..read more

Recently, real estate firm Royal LePage described the country’s recreational real estate market in 2023 as going through a “gold rush fever.” The demand has continued into 2024 with a strong market forecast for the rest of the year in key recreational areas across the country.   Canmore, Alta.: Lots of interest from broader pool of buyers   Brad Hawker, associate broker, Royal LePage Solutions in the mountain resort of Canmore, Alberta, says the higher end of the market has been relatively strong.  “There’s a lot of interest. It’s not typically affected by (elevated) interest ..read more

Join us for the largest real estate conference in Western Canada, the Banff Western Connection Conference, taking place on January 23-25, 2025, at the breathtaking Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Canadian Rockies, this premier event promises unparalleled networking opportunities, cutting-edge insights and a lineup of powerhouse speakers that will leave you motivated and ready to conquer new heights.   A stellar speaker lineup   Our conference boasts a lineup of renowned speakers who are leaders in their respective fields: Jay Leno. Iconic come ..read more

If I asked you how you feel about your personal finances, would you respond empowered, excited and confident? If so, congratulations! You can skip the rest of this article. However, if you don’t feel this way but want to, please read on.  As a financial educator with 15 years of experience, I want everyone to have healthy financial habits that enable them to live their life on their terms. I understand the unique challenges and uncertainty that real estate professionals, in particular, face due to the irregular nature of their income. Real estate is a dynamic industry characterized by u ..read more

Join Ben Oosterveld on his exclusive Real Estate Reboot Cross Canada Tour. Drawing from his exceptional journey of building a real estate investment company encompassing 61 properties across four cities and leading a top-tier real estate team to multi-million-dollar success, Ben is on a mission to revolutionize your business and life.   Why Ben’s approach is a game-changer   Personalized strategies: Uncover your unique professional identity and unlock your true desires. Ben’s approach goes beyond the basics — it’s about crafting a career that resonates with who you are. Life beyon ..read more

It’s been a big month for industry awards from Greater Vancouver Realtors (GVR).   Ray Harris: ‘A fine example of what excellence in real estate looks like’   At an industry event earlier this month, GVR awarded Port Coquitlam realtor Ray Harris the Professional Excellence Award. The award honours those in the industry whose careers have consistently exemplified integrity, knowledge, ethics, leadership, community service and mentorship. Harris, of Generations Real Estate Partners, has mentored hundreds of colleagues throughout his 38-year career and has volunteered with the GVR, th ..read more

Canada’s housing supply is at a breaking point, and it’s time for an innovator’s mindset to overcome the barriers hindering progress. The business-as-usual approach is no longer working. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has stated that Canada needs to build 5.11 million new homes between 2022 and 2030 to restore affordability to the market. To put that into perspective, Canada has never built more than two million homes in any eight-year period. There has been a lot of discussion about the bottlenecks preventing our country from meeting the housing supply challenge — but the bi ..read more

The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) released its 2024 Second Quarter Housing Forecast yesterday. This year, sales in the province are forecast to increase by 7.8 per cent to 78,130 units, while the association expects sales in 2025 to rise to 86,480 units.   “After a slow start for the housing market in 2024, all eyes are on the Bank of Canada. Although fixed mortgages are down significantly, it appears that buyer confidence is hinging on seeing the Bank lower its policy rate,” says the BCREA’s chief economist, Brendon Ogmundson. ”Given weak economic growth, a slowing ..read more

As political parties jockey for position in advance of the next federal election (taking place in October 2025, at the latest), the housing supply in Canada continues to be a major topic in the public discourse. Since the last election, the Liberal Government launched several major housing-related initiatives. These include a $4 billion Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), and more recently a $6 billion Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF), intended, among other goals, to provide Provinces and Municipalities with alternate sources of funding to the infrastructure-related charges often imposed on hou ..read more

The majority of Canadians (76 per cent) who don’t own property feel that entering the housing market is out of reach, according to a recent CIBC poll. However, over half (56 per cent) of this group are still optimistic and hold on to the homeownership dream — though just 28 per cent are currently saving up for a down payment.   Overpriced markets: largest barrier for non-homeowners   Not saving for a down payment seems mostly caused by an inability rather than unwillingness, as this inability was cited as one of the main barriers to homeownership (63 per cent). The largest barrier ..read more