Author: homegoal.ca

Real estate investors have traditionally leaned heavily on a few key cities in Canada, such as Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and Montreal. The GTA in particular was popular, with its robust immigration inflows, thriving job market, and seemingly endless housing demand, which generated strong appreciation and reliable returns. However, more recently, prices in the GTA have escalated dramatically. As Paul D’Abruzzo, Investment Property Agent, notes, “With these soaring prices in Toronto, cash flow with a standard down payment is almost impossible to achieve. Adding to that, appreciation has levelled. Investors who stay confined to the core are taking on higher risk…

Following an unexpectedly frenzied spring housing market, some provinces will be spared from the impending economic slowdown. At least, for now.The “relative strength” of the rebound has led Marc Desormeaux and Hélène Bégin, Principal Economists at Desjardins, to alter their economic forecasts for some provinces and push the start of the downturn to 2024.After the Bank of Canada (BoC) temporarily paused interest rate hikes, most provinces experienced an uptick in sales activity. But in Ontario and British Columbia — where affordability is already stretched — the “robustness of gains…has been striking.”As such, the economic forecasts for the two housing-oriented provinces…

Canadian investors are trading in their loonies for shiny rocks—and it’s an ominous sign in plain sight. Statistics Canada (StatCan) data shows unwrought precious metal imports surged in August, driven by gold. It was the second-largest buying spree on record, so large it distorted national trade figures. Paired with the recent erosion in investment and record capital outflows, the volume suggests investors aren’t hedging—they’re bracing for impact.  Canadian Gold Demand Surges To 2nd Highest Level On Record Canadian unwrought gold, silver, and platinum metal monthly imports (primarily gold).  Source: StatCan; Better Dwelling. Canadians have developed an appetite for gold this…

As a young man growing up in Mississauga, Ont., Don Kottick had little interest in business.  While his parents urged him toward a conventional path, he veered toward studies in anthropology, psychology and geology — not the typical origin story of a corporate leader. Yet decades later, Kottick stands at the helm of Re/Max Canada, guiding the nation’s most recognized real estate brand at a high-stakes moment when the industry demands steady leadership. Born to parents in academia and engineering, Kottick graduated from the University of Toronto during an oil industry downturn, which forced a change in direction. After briefly…

Across Canada’s major metropolitan areas, housing construction is showing a clear split between homeowner-oriented projects, including single-family homes and condos, and purpose-built rentals. Construction on the first group is dropping to levels not seen since the Financial Crisis, while the latter is experiencing a surge of new activity. This divergence is reshaping the supply outlook for both ownership and rental markets, with very different implications for future resale inventory, rental vacancies, and overall housing balance. National Divergence in Construction Activity On a national level, the shift is striking. Over the past year, purpose-built rental starts reached 102,000 units, which is…

It’s no secret that the real estate industry has been historically slow to change with the times. But, with today’s evolving end-user expectations, change is inevitable. This is even more true when it comes to the modern tenant experience – especially in our current purpose-built rental boom. But on the flip side, there’s still something significant to be said about good old-fashioned customer service (and real human connection). This is why Holt Meadow Group fuses an accessible human touch with the best in contemporary technology, for a harmonious approach to property management. It’s a style that complements today’s modern daily…

Slower home construction, rising interest rates, higher home prices, and stagnant wage growth have created challenging conditions for the average American homeowner. As a result, fewer Americans can attain affordable housing.  As defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), housing is considered affordable if an occupant spends no more than 30% of their income on housing costs. But a large percentage of Americans are overspending.   A recent Zoocasa survey of over 1,000 American renters and homeowners found that over one in three respondents (39.7%) are spending over 30% of their household income on housing costs, including…

Don’t miss out—join us online for REM’s monthly market breakdown on Oct. 28 at 2 PM ET. REM, columnist Daniel Foch will analyze CREA’s latest stats, regional variations and what shifting sentiment means for Realtors—register here.   September’s housing data for the Greater Toronto Area released by the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) carried headlines that seemed to suggest improvement. Sales were up 8.5 per cent compared with a year earlier, and the Bank of Canada’s September rate cut provided a modest lift to affordability. More households stepped back into the market as mortgage payments inched closer to reach,…

Canada’s commercial real estate market is sending mixed signals in 2025, with some asset classes surging while others retreat. CBRE’s Canadian Investment Overview for Q2 2025, released in September, shows that total investment volumes continue to hold steady above the $10 billion mark for the third consecutive quarter. However, while overall investment volumes remain steady, the performance across individual asset classes is far from uniform. Quarterly and yearly percentage changes highlight which sectors are attracting capital and which are experiencing a pullback. National Investment Overview and Trends Canadian commercial real estate investment totalled $10.5 billion in the second quarter of…

As Toronto continues to make progress on the Gardiner Expressway’s rehabilitation, there is a groundswell of support for retrofitting the under-highway as well—including spaces like the Bentway that transform overlooked infrastructure into vital public space. While transformation of the Gardiner’s understory is a long-term ambition, it’s important to reflect on the concept itself, and where that concept has already found success.Miami’s The Underline is somewhat of a “sister project” to The Bentway, an ongoing effort to reimagine the 10-mile stretch of land beneath the city’s elevated Metrorail into a network of parks, trails, flexible programs, and public spaces.The Bentway takes…