Mark Carney, the current Governor of the Bank of Canada, has raised warning flags about the impact of higher interest rates on those Canadians who are already stretching to carry their mortgages.
There’s been coverage of the dispute between the Competition Bureau and the real estate industry over proposals that would allow greater price competition among real estate agents.
And there have been suggestions from within the real estate industry that there needs to be increased professionalism among real estate agents.
For many Canadians, none of these is the central issue when it comes to real estate. Rather, the key question comes down to the appreciation they can expect on the investment in their home.
After all, the past decade has been a great period for homeowners. Expecting this to continue, some Canadians have stretched to buy larger houses now, before prices get away from them. Research firm Investor Economics points out that residential mortgages are at a record level, approaching $1-trillion.
