What a winter! I’m happy to write that as a positive, rather than in disbelief of the mountains of snow and Polar Vortexes. Granted, it was a green Christmas, but that gave us all an opportunity to explain to our families that this is what Christmas must be like in Beverly Hills. On an economic front, things haven’t been quite as green. The Canadian dollar has taken a pounding as oil prices plummet. The TSX has reacted with a corresponding downturn. New income tax rules came into effect, adding 4% to households with higher incomes, while increases in Hydro and Municipal services fees have effectively wiped out any gains made to middle income earners and their new tax reduction. Where does money flow in times of tougher stock market and investment returns? Real estate.
In this edition of SmartMoves, we’ll look at what new mortgage rules will mean to Buyers and Sellers this winter. We’ll take a look at how the real estate market in Toronto is doing relative to other investment options. And we’ll take a look at what the banks are doing with mortgage rates, and the results.