Author: homegoal.ca
Recently, I asked ChatGPT a simple question: “Who’s the best real estate agent in Newmarket?” It gave me a list of names. Only one of them I recognized and I’ve been around long enough to know the serious players where I live. That moment stuck with me. Not because the results were wrong, but because I started asking: Why those agents? What signals is AI actually using to recommend people? And could those signals be influenced? So I started testing. I ran prompt variations across different cities. I researched how AI language models pull answers. I studied which reviews, platforms,…
Less than a week after releasing its second-quarter earnings, which showed that revenues from its appraisals and development advisory services are down, Toronto-based provider of real estate analytics Altus Group has revealed that it is in a period of review that could culminate in a sale. “Altus Group periodically undertakes a strategic review to maximize stakeholder value. The Company is in the process of a review, which includes but is not limited to acquisitions, divestitures, and a sale or merger of the Company,” a Wednesday morning statement said. “The Company’s board of directors is committed to acting in the best…
The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) is getting ready to welcome real estate leaders from around the globe to the third annual International MLS Forum. The two-day event will spotlight “cross-border collaboration, MLS innovation, and the sharing of ideas,” said TRREB. It’s happening Sept. 25-26 at the Westin Harbour Castle. “After attending the inaugural International MLS Forum in Paris two years ago, I knew the global conversation needed to continue here in Toronto. I’m proud Toronto is this year’s host city and part of the international movement shaping the future of real estate worldwide,” said John DiMichele, CEO of…
As Vancouver continues to push for more hotels, developers are answering the call. The City continues to receive a steady stream of rezoning applications for new hotels, the latest of which was published this week.The subject site of the proposal is 888 W 8th Avenue, about midway between Laurel Street and Willow Street, and two blocks north of Vancouver General Hospital. The property is currently occupied by a low-rise office building originally constructed in 1973.BC Assessment values the property, in an assessment dated to July 1, 2024, at $16,836,100 and the property is beneficially owned by Value Property Group through…
A recent B.C. Supreme Court decision stacks Indigenous land claims against private property rights, and Vancouver lawyer Thomas Isaac lawyer says the ruling could have real implications for private property owners in that province. A decision was delivered on Aug. 7 following the longest trial in Canadian history, awarding Aboriginal title over a swath of land in Richmond, B.C. to the Cowichan Nation, as well as fishing rights in the Fraser River. The land at the centre of the decision is owned by the federal Crown, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, the City of Richmond, and private third parties. Owners…
Earlier this week, the Government of Canada quietly launched public engagement on Build Canada Homes (BCH), the new federal housing entity that Mark Carney and the Liberals pledged to create during the election campaign as a way to “get the government back in the business of building.”From what was announced at the time, Build Canada Homes has drawn mixed reactions, with some saying it is long overdue for the feds to get back into homebuilding and others arguing that the federal government should support private developers rather than compete with them. This week, the Government of Canada published a “Market…
Bare trusts are more common in Canadian real estate than most people realize. And thanks to new CRA bare trust rules, more Canadians are discovering they’ve been part of one without even knowing. If you’ve ever had someone else’s name on a title—or yours—this legal structure may apply to you. So, what is a bare trust, and why should real estate buyers, homeowners, or investors care in 2025? Let’s break it down. What Is a Bare Trust? A bare trust is a legal arrangement in which one person (the trustee) holds the legal title to property solely on behalf of…
Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO) has announced that Mississauga-based iPro Realty Ltd., one of the province’s largest brokerages, will permanently close all 17 of its locations effective Aug. 19. The closure follows the discovery of a $10 million shortfall in the company’s consumer deposit and commission trust accounts during a scheduled inspection. The amount has since declined to less than $8 million, RECO confirmed. RECO’s registrar Joseph Richer told Real Estate Magazine that the council has not yet confirmed the number of consumers or agents affected. RECO says it has finalized an undertaking with iPro to wind down operations.…
Sometimes the approval process takes so long that the development landscape changes and developers have to revise their projects. The latest example of this happening is a project by Vancouver-based Reliance Properties, who recently submitted a new rezoning application for a project they had applied for back in November 2023.The subject site of the project is 904-920 Davie Street, at the intersection with Hornby Street, and is immediately east of Reliance’s multi-tower Burrard Place project, meaning Reliance controls the entire block of Hornby Street between Davie Street and Drake Street. The 904-920 Davie Street site, which Reliance together refers to…
Canadian real estate markets showed a minor sign of improvement—but it may just be noise. Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) data shows composite home sales improved in July, hitting a 4-year high for the month. Despite rising sales, a wall of inventory helped to push prices down sharply last month. Home prices fell to the lowest level in over 4 years, as monthly drops accelerated. Canadian Real Estate Prices Fall To 4-Year Low After The Sharpest Monthly Drop Since October 2024 CREA composite benchmark price: The unadjusted price of a typical home across Canada. Source: CREA; Better Dwelling. Canadian real…