Sepehr Safaee YourOttawaRealEstate.com's blog

Real-estate markets all over the country are slumping, except Ottawa’s, a report from the Real Estate Investment Network says.

Major real-estate markets are in the beginning to the middle of a slump, says the organization that advises investors.

The mortgage stress test, extended to uninsured mortgages in January 2018, has generated a diversity of opinions. Its proponents argue that the stress test has introduced financial discipline while not hurting prospective homebuyers. The discontents believe that the stress test has eroded the affordability of first-time homebuyers, some of whom have been forced to rent for more extended periods.

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Your home reflects who you are, and you’re way more than a selection of tasteful paint and furniture. Why not celebrate your passions by incorporating them into your decorating? When your talents, skills, and hobbies are on display as a natural part of your decor, you feel more inspired and more at home.

The First-Time Home Buyer’s Incentive – the federal government’s much-debated mortgage equity sharing program – went into effect Sept. 2. It’s designed to reduce monthly mortgage costs by boosting qualified buyers’ down payments with an interest-free cash infusion from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC) (five per cent for resale homes and five per cent or 10 per cent for new builds).

For many, saving for a down payment is one of the biggest roadblocks to becoming a homeowner. In today’s economic climate, saving money is challenging to say the least. Every month we try to put something away despite our normal expenses and it still seems like there is always something that will pop up and eat into our savings. Many people believe, “Real estate prices are so high that I will never be able to save 20 per cent, so I will never own a home”.

For the first time since the government implemented new stress test rules on Canadian home loans, the bar has been lowered — meaning a would-be homebuyer could be approved for a bigger mortgage today than they would have yesterday.

Everything you need to know about buying a home — on one index card.

A home is often the biggest financial investment you’ll make in your lifetime. In fact, a recent Zillow analysisreports that the typical American homeowner has 40% of their wealth tied up in their home.