Category: News

Investors in a rush as bright-line tax change looms

The New Zealand property market is about to undergo a seismic shift.  From July 1, the bright-line tax rule for property investors and holiday homeowners will change from 10 years to just two years.  Any property (other than your primary residence) sold within two years of purchase will trigger a capital gains tax on the…
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Bright spots emerge as market awaits rate cuts

The Canadian housing market recorded mixed results at the end of the spring selling season. While some provinces saw record-breaking average home prices, others experienced a downward adjustment. Our market is stabilising with the number of sales and their prices levelling off in many areas. As an experienced local real estate agency, we believe the…
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Good news on inflation fuels hopes of rate cut soon

Annual consumer prices are continuing to fall, and that’s good news for property buyers and sellers hoping to see a cut in interest rates in the near future. Statistics Canada says the April annual inflation reading was 2.7%, down from 2.9% in March. A 1.4% drop in food prices helped achieve this positive result. However,…
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Bank offers property market fix list

The debate about the future of real estate in Canada often swings around to the topic of the housing shortage. The Royal Bank of Canada has voiced its opinion on the question of affordability, highlighting its estimate that a million households will not be able to afford a home by 2030. It also claims that…
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Budget pledge to help buyers enter market

New housing initiatives valued at $8.5 billion and designed to boost the real estate market were released in the recent Federal Budget. The Government’s biggest promise was a pledge to construct 3.87 million homes by 2031. Buyers will also be allowed to withdraw up to $60,000 via the Registered Retired Saving Plan (RRSP) Home Buyers’…
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CREA reveals prices up 60%

Anyone who doubts the value of real estate as an investment might want to consider the disparity between the average price of a home today and the cost in 2014. The price difference is almost 60%: an excellent result for homeowners and investors alike. It’s tough to hear for those who are seeking to enter…
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Rising debt tough for young homeowners

Canadians under the age of 35 are carrying greater financial debt than two years ago and face increasing challenges to achieving home ownership, according to the agency Statistics Canada. Young households had seen their mortgage burden increase over the past 12 months, and their accumulation of wealth was slowing. StatCan pointed to higher interest rates…
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Price rises predicted to boost summer sales

Hopes for a continued strong selling season have been boosted by data showing that real estate values across Canada have increased 3.5% year-on-year, taking the average home value to $685,809.  The provinces enjoying the most significant gains were New Brunswick, Alberta, and Newfoundland and Labrador, according to the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) figures for…
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Closing costs put under microscope

The compulsory purchase of insurance by a mortgage borrower to protect their lender from a loan default is under investigation, according to a report from the leading financial news agency, Bloomberg. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is questioning the validity of forcing borrowers as a condition of a loan to pay for insurance that…
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Tech icon and actors list luxury homes

Two big Hollywood names, along with the most famous of all the tech sector mega-rich, are headlining the real estate market at the moment. The Beverly Hills home of iconic sex symbol Raquel Welch, who died in February last year aged 83, has just been put on the market for $3.95 million.  It’s a beautiful…
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