Mortgage Industry Market Watch

By Jamie Henry | 14 Jul 2014 Font size : Tighter rules on lending in recent years mean that getting a mortgage is tough for some Canadians. Real estate experts say that for the self-employed, those living in rural areas or those with poor credit history, mortgages are available but at a high price.

By Jamie Henry | 14 Jul 2014 Font size : Real estate advisory firm Altus say they are working with two major banks to help them assess their risk from real estate following concerns by regulators of the frothy market.

By Jamie Henry | 14 Jul 2014 Font size : It's a phrase that fills Canadians and those of us involved in the housing market with dread, but could a market crash actually create benefits? Portfolio manager David Kaufman suggests that, with the exception of older homeowners looking to downsize, most people would be better off following a correction of the market.

By Jamie Henry | 11 Jul 2014 Font size : A poll of economists shows that they do not expect to see a change in interest rates until the second half of next year. The analysts say that the economy is recovering but is still 'fragile' so any rise in rates is unlikely until the third quarter of next year.

By Jamie Henry | 11 Jul 2014 Font size : South of the border mortgage rates are on the rise, as job creation boosts the economy. The average 30 year loan in the US is now at 4.15 per cent, up from 4.12 per cent.

By Jamie Henry | 10 Jul 2014 Font size : New stats released by the Canada Housing and Mortgage Corporation show that were 185,939 new home starts in June compared to 184,019 in May. The trend is a six-month moving average of the monthly seasonally adjusted annual rates of housing starts.

By Jamie Henry | 10 Jul 2014 Font size : If you have the kind of money that buys you a multi-million dollar home many would be surprised to find you seeking a mortgage. However millionaires frequently do have a home loan as their wealth is tied up elsewhere.

By Jamie Henry | 10 Jul 2014 Font size : In our major cities the market is red hot, with demand outstripping supply and sending prices sky high. Elsewhere though it's generally a different story. The latest Home Price Survey from Royal LePage shows the average price hike is around 5 per cent in a year, but that is largely driven by the hot markets.

By Jamie Henry | 09 Jul 2014 Font size : As cottage property sales have shown, many Canadians are choosing to buy a second home here rather than across the border but we are still the biggest foreign buyers of US property.

By Jamie Henry | 09 Jul 2014 Font size : A former real estate assessor has been showing off his dream home in Rhode Island. He's got cherry-wood floors, cathedral ceilings and stained-glass windows; the only thing he doesn't have, is space.