Highlights of B.C.'s 2012/2013 Budget
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HST to PST Information Bulletin - February 21, 2012
The province will transition back to the Provincial Sales Tax (PST), which will replace the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST), on April 1, 2013. Until then, the province has announced transitional rules for new homes which take effect April 1, 2012. ...Click Here...

Kevin Falcon announces HST transition rules for new homes.
British Columbia will return to the PST on April 1, 2013. ...Click Here...

BofA's King Says Canada May Boost Mortgage Insurance Cap
Feb. 3 (Bloomberg) - Canada may need to raise the federal housing agency's limit on mortgage insurance by 25 percent to $750 billion ($755 billion) in the next budget to meet demand, according to Bank of America Corp. ...Click Here...

Low interest rates may shield housing market from bubble
Rock-bottom mortgage rates have been the fuel behind Canada's house-price boom. Now, they may also be the shield keeping that boom from becoming a bubble. ...Click Here...

Get off the fence and save
No Excuses: RRSPs, TFSAs should be part of everyone's personal retirement strategy but the vast majority of Canadians still do not have registered retirement savings plans. There are many options available and all are preferable to stashing cash under the mattress. ...Click Here...

The winner of the NowICan contest is Vanessa Wright from Windsor, Ontario. Congratulations Vanessa!!
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No Bank of Canada Rate Change for 11th Consecutive Meeting
With weaker outlooks for Europe and the U.S., the Bank of Canada announced earlier today that it is keeping its key policy rate steady, exactly where it's been since September 2010, which makes this the longest recorded rate pause. ...Click Here...

Prepare Your Vehicle for Winter Weather
Winter weather is hard on your vehicle and its engine. Make sure it is up to the challenge. ...Click Here...

Credit hangover lifting
A survey by Bank of Montreal suggests Canadian households staying within budget limits over the holiday season. ...Click Here...

Canadian Housing Market To Stabilize in 2012
Housing starts are forcast to stabilize in 2012, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). "Despite continued uncertainty in the global economy, Canada's economic fundamentals remain positive, particularly with respect to interest rates, employment and immigration. These factors will continue to support Canada's housing sector in 2012," said Mathieu Laberge, Deputy Chief Economist for CMHC. ...Click Here...

Mark Carney holds fire as Europe hurtles toward recession.
Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney held his benchmark interest rate at 1 per cent Tuesday, citing heightened uncertainty over the global outlook and the European debt crisis, while hinting that he remains a long way off from even thinking about loosening the cost of borrowing. ...Click Here...

Retire that mortgage before you do
People who fail to pay off their mortgages by the time they hit their golden years are risking their dream of having a secure and fulfilling retirement, says Patricia Lovett-Reid, a senior vice-president at TD Waterhouse... ...Click Here...

Renewing and refinancing mortgages is saving Canadians big bucks
Canadians saved $2.7 billion in the past year renewing or refinancing their mortgages and the betting money among consumers seems to be that interest rates are not going up any time soon, according to a new survey by the Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals. ...Click Here...

Housing Market to Stabilize in 2012: CMHC
OTTAWA, November 4, 2011:Housing starts are forecast to stabilize into 2012, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's fourth quarter Housing Market Outlook, Canada Edition. ...Click Here...

Bank of Canada Keeps key Rate Steady
As expected by most economists, the Bank of Canada announced earlier today that it is keeping its key policy rate steady. ...Click Here...

Moving into a new home? Beware!
Most owners don't realize how costs can mount before they finally settle in. The Province. October 24, 2011. ...Click Here...

World facing 3 crises:
Expert TD Bank's chief economist lists how woes can be resolved...but wont. By Ray Turchansky, October 17, 2011. ...Click Here...

Six ways to make sure you buy the right house
Common mistake home buyers make is buying with their heart instead of their head... By Mark Weisleder ...Click Here...

10 ways to be a better saver and investor
By Alison Griffiths, October 2, 2011. ...Click Here...

Jay Bryan: Debt-ratio numbers are not so meaningful
Bejamin Tal at CIBC World Markets says 70+% of mortgagors are accelerating their payments & could absorb 1.2% higher rates by reverting to a normal payment. The Montreal Gazette, September 20, 2011. ...Click Here...

Take charge of credit card debt
60-70% of Canadians pay off credit cards in full each month, says FCAC. But "a large percentage of young people" make min. payments only. The Globe & Mail ...Click Here...

Bank of Canada Keeps Key Rate The Same
The Bank of Canada announced earlier today that it is keeping its key policy rate steady, a move that was widely anticipated in the markets. ...Click Here...

B.C.'s home sales, property values to slow as job growth ebbs: BCREA
The Vancouver Sun, August 25, 2011 ...Click Here...

U.S. mortgage tax break under fire from all sides
By Garry Marr. Financial Post August 4, 2011 ...Click Here...

Bank of Canada faces interest rate dilemma
Promise by US Federal Reserve to keep rates low may force Canada to follow. CBC News ...Click Here...

Lookng for a home you can afford? Compromise
Conference board senior economist suggests the situation facing homebuyers is 'less dire than at first glance.' The Vancouver Sun, July 28, 2011. ...Click Here...

Fraser Valley Real Estate Update - 2nd Quarter 2011
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Asian buying of Vancouver real estate underestimated: CIBC
While new data suggests that Asian foreign investment is not behind inflated home prices in Vancouver, a new report from CIBC World Markets Inc. Thursday argues that flaws in the numbers means foreign activity may actually be grossly underestimated. ...Click Here...

Why Vancouver is Canada's Hottest Real Estate Market-The Wall Street Journal
A fresh wave of Chinese buyers, coupled with Canada's already frothy home prices, has vaulted Vancouver into the ranks of the world's most unaffordable real-estate markets. ...Click Here...

Bank of Canada maintains overnight rate target at 1 per cent
Ottawa - May 31, 2011. ...Click Here...

A home in the sun - South of the Border
These are tempting times for cross-border shoppers, who can take advantage of crushed U.S. housing markets and a strong Canadian dollar to scoop up finds int he opportunity-rich Sun Belt. The Vancouver Sun, May, 28, 2011. ...Click Here...

Canadian mortgage borrowers exhibit confidence
Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals (CAAMP) Spring 2011 Survey Results. ...Click Here...

No new mortgage rule changes: Flaherty
The Calgary Harold, May 10, 2011 ...Click Here...

CREA Updates Resale Housing Forcast
Ottawa, May 9, 2011: A burst of activity- particularly in British Colombia, has caused CREA to adjust its forecast for 2011 and 2012. ...Click Here...

No telling when prices will level off
With our ever-increasing house prices, when will there be the day of reckoning for the Lower Mainland? Prices just can't go up forever! The Province, April 17, 2011 ...Click Here...

Brokers offer hand to hold and a brain to pick.
Specialists can guide novice buyers through the process of purchasing their first home. The Vancouver Sun, March 30, 2011 ...Click Here...

More Canadians purchasing US properties: BMO
According to a recent survey released by BMO, the many Canadians that been vacationing in the U.S. during recent Spring Breaks are doing more than just relaxing! ...Click Here...

Top 25 Grants and Rebates for Property Buyers and Owners
Homeowner Grants and Rebates to Consider. The Vancouver Sun, Feb. 25, 2011 ...Click Here...

Why buying U.S. real estate is still a gamble
Why buying U.S. real estate is still a gamble TARA PERKINS Globe and Mail Published Monday, Feb. 14, 2011 4:00PM EST ...Click Here...

3 ways to deal with rising mortgage rates - Feb 10, 2011
Online article from Moshe Milevsky on Moneyville web site. ...Click Here...

Canada's Economic Action Plan Continues to Create Jobs and Economic Growth - Feb 8, 2011
The Harper Government today released the Seventh Report to Canadians on the Implementation of the Economic Action Plan. The report was released by Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, who was joined by Julian Fantino, Minister of State (Seniors). ...Click Here...

Ottawa Tightens Mortgage Rules - Jan 17, 2011
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced a second tighening of mortgage rules in the past 12 months as Canadian household debt became a growing concern at the end of 2010 and historically low rates continued to persist. ...Click Here...

CAAMP says mortgage fears are exaggerated - Jan 17, 2011
A new study released by CAAMP concludes that very few Canadians face unaffordable increases in mortgage costs and Canadian lending criteria are alreaty tight. ...Click Here...

The rising cost of money
The Bank of Canada uses interest rates in an effort to keep the economy performing at optimal levels - with mixed results. By CBC News, December 7, 2010 ...Click Here...

Credit squeeze hits 40-year mortgages
The Vancouver Sun - October 8, 2008 Credit squeeze hits 40-year mortgages ...Click Here...

Investing in Canada
By Ozzie Jurock. Foreign purchaser can buy real estate here with confidence. WestCoast Homes & Design, February 2010. ...Click Here...