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Toronto Home Sales Fall to Four-Month Low in October
<p>The Greater Toronto Area’s housing market continued to cool in October, with home sales dipping to a four-month low. Seasonally adjusted sales fell 2.3% from September, reflecting persistent buyer hesitation amid ongoing affordability challenges and elevated mortgage rates. Despite the slowdown, the home-price index saw a slight month-over-month uptick to C$976,600, suggesting minor resilience in certain segments of the market.</p><p></p><p>Realtors across the region report that listings are rising faster than demand, creating more balanced conditions after years of intense seller dominance. Many homeowners who entered the market earlier in the year are now reducing their asking prices to attract offers, while buyers remain selective. Detached and semi-detached homes in suburban areas have seen the sharpest declines in activity, as higher borrowing costs continue to limit affordability.</p><p></p><p>Market experts believe that the current stagnation could persist through the winter months unless monetary policy changes spark renewed confidence. Many potential buyers are closely watching the Bank of Canada for signals of an upcoming rate cut, which could lower borrowing costs and restore momentum. Until then, the Toronto market appears to be settling into a slower, more cautious rhythm heading into 2026.</p><p></p><p>Industry observers suggest that 2026 could become a pivotal year for Toronto’s housing recovery if rates start easing by spring. Lower borrowing costs, combined with ongoing population growth and strong immigration trends, could reignite buyer interest and stabilize prices. However, much will depend on wage growth and the pace at which the market absorbs current inventory levels.</p>
Docs Showing Letitia James' Residence Could Be Legal 'Problem' for AG
James, 66, has served as New York's attorney general since 2019. The Democrat is the first African American and first woman to be elected to that position in state history. She has gained notoriety in her various legal battles against President Donald Trump and his family, notably a New York judge's ruling in 2024 ordering then-former President Trump to pay a $454 million civil fraud judgment after James sued him for falsely inflating the value of his property. James, who was born in Brooklyn and is unmarried, filed the civil fraud lawsuit against Trump and the Trump Organization in October 2023. However, according to legal filings reviewed by Newsweek, about two months prior to that suit being filed, James had amended her own records as part of a real estate transaction.
Federal government’s ‘affordable housing’ strategy doomed without strong income growth
<p></p><p>In a recent media scrum, the Carney government’s new federal housing minister Gregor Robertson—former mayor of Vancouver—was asked: “Should home prices go down?” His response: “No, I think that we need to deliver more supply, make sure the market is stable. We need to be delivering more affordable housing.” Robertson’s response raises a follow-up question: what does the Carney government mean when it promises “affordable housing”?Rising house prices are nothing new. The sticker price for the average Canadian home has increased in most years, barring periods such as the 2008–09 Global Financial Crisis. And house prices aren’t expected to fall anytime soon; forecasts point to continued house price growth. But for homebuyers, the key issue isn’t that prices are increasing; it's whether they’re rising faster than incomes. By that measure, housing in Canada has become much less affordable in recent years. Consider Minister Robertson’s tenure as Vancouver mayor from 2008 to 2018. During that time, the price of a typical single- or semi-detached Vancouver home grew from $690,000 to $1,980,000—a 187 per cent increase. Meanwhile, the after-tax income of a typical Vancouver family rose by just 15 per cent. Today, the typical single- or semi-detached home in Vancouver costs $2,380,000. Vancouver’s housing market is somewhat unique, but strong price increases reflect a broader national trend: home prices have risen dramatically even as income growth has stagnated, largely because housing demand—driven by immigration-fuelled population growth—continues to far exceed new housing construction.!!</p>
Record rise in Ontario mortgage delinquencies stem from COVID-era interest rates
While many Canadians are having financial troubles, no where are they more acute than in Ontario, according to a new report from Equifax. The company, which monitors consumer credit, says Ontarios mortgage delinquency rate rose to 0.24 per cent in the first three months of 2025, a massive 71.5 per cent increase from that same time period in 2024. Kathy Catsiliras, vice president of analytical consulting at Equifax, said Wednesday Ontarians are paying the piper for the low rates that were seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. We had ultra-low interest rates which led to a very hot housing market and specifically, we saw a lot of folks going out again in many cases purchasing properties and taking on a mortgage, she explained.
Luxury home sales drop to decade low
Luxury home buyers stepped back from the market in April, driving pending sales down 9.9% compared to the same month last year—the steepest decline since August 2023 and the lowest April level since 2014. The pullback occurred despite luxury home prices reaching near-record levels. The typical luxury home sold for $1,348,065 in April, marking a 6.5% increase from the previous year, though slightly below March’s record high. Non-luxury homes, by comparison, saw more modest price growth of 4.1% to a median of $374,598.
How to Invest in Real Estate: 5 Simple Strategies
When the stock market gets volatile, many investors turn to other options — including investing in real estate. Done right, real estate investing can be lucrative, help diversify your existing investment portfolio and eventually provide a stream of passive income. But understandably, many investors — especially beginners to real estate — don't want the burden of being a landlord or maintaining a property. Thankfully, many of the best real estate investments don’t require showing up at a tenant’s every beck and call. Here are some of the best ways to make money in real estate, ranging from low maintenance to high.
Toronto's luxury home market records double-digit growth as wave of high-end buyers flex purchasing power amid more favourable outlook, says RE/MAX
<p></p><p>TORONTO, Jan. 8, 2025 /CNW/ -- The Greater Toronto Area's (GTA) luxury housing market shifted into high gear in the final quarter of 2024, with sales over $3 million climbing more than 40 per cent ahead of year-ago levels for the same period. Just over 360 freehold and condominium properties sold in Q4 2024, up from the 259 sales reported in Q4 2023, according to an analysis by RE/MAX Canada. "The impact of the first and second 50-basis-point rate cuts by the Bank of Canada radiated throughout the GTA in the fourth quarter, jumpstarting demand for high-end properties both within the city and suburbs," says RE/MAX Canada President Christopher Alexander. "We've been expecting a surge in top-tier sales activity as the economic climate and corresponding pause in buying intentions prompted a build-up in pent-up demand. The fourth quarter did not disappoint."yes</p>
Luxury resilience: Why high-end real estate defies market trends
Luxury real estate in Metro Atlanta is doing something few other asset classes can claim right now: appreciating in value amid a broader market slowdown. Despite a 5.4 percent drop in total home sales across the overall market, properties in the $1 million+ range are rising in price and are selling at a faster rate than the same time period during 2024 — evidence that the affluent continue to view real estate as a strategic hedge and lifestyle upgrade rolled into one. The future of the luxury segment is showing surprising strength — outperforming broader market trends and capturing the attention of high-net-worth buyers. Properties priced above $2 million are seeing meaningful price appreciation, tighter negotiation margins and a measurable uptick in closed transactions.
Northern Ontario real estate offers quirky finds along Highway 11
From Temiskaming Shores to Hearst, real estate along Northern Ontario’s Highway 11 corridor is anything but ordinary. A quick glance at current listings reveals everything from colourful homes and lakeside businesses, to a vacant lot where the only trace of the former house is its standing chimney. In Fauquier-Strickland, a vibrant home splashed in pink, turquoise, and lime green just hit the market for $199,900. Listed less than a week ago, the home comes with property taxes that are just over $1,500 a year. The Lakehouse on Sesekinika Lake is on the market for $849,000. With 430 feet of shoreline on 3.2 acres, this commercial-residential hybrid includes a restaurant, bar, event space, and four motel units. It’s been on the market for four days and comes with annual property taxes just under $1,000.
Re/Max Canada cuts ties with Calgary’s Re/Max Central
In a separate message to Re/Max Central associates, managing broker David Lem confirmed the termination and emphasized the brokerage remains licensed with Alberta’s real estate regulator. “This morning, we received official notification from Re/Max Canada that the franchise agreement for Re/Max Central has been formally terminated, effective immediately,” Lem wrote. “This does not affect our status as a brokerage registered with RECA, our trust or commission accounts and is still operating as a licensed brokerage.
Bank of Canada Interest Rate Cut More Likely in June After Jobs Shock
<p>A shocking fall in the latest job numbers and a higher-than-anticipated rise in the unemployment rate have significantly boosted the odds of an interest rate cut when the Bank of Canada makes its next decision in June. The economy added just 7,400 jobs in April, considerably undershooting the FactSet consensus estimate of 10,000. Meanwhile, the joblessness rate jumped 0.2% to 6.9%, topping the 6.8% estimate, according to Statistics Canada’s April Labor Force Survey. Outside the pandemic, this is the highest unemployment rate Canada has seen since January 2017. The tariff hit and growing fears of a recession underpin the labor market setback, as businesses cut jobs and implement hiring freezes to ride out the economic uncertainty. The bump in the joblessness rate coincides with weaker February GDP data, suggesting economic growth has been stalled by unresolved US tariffs on Canadian goods and retaliatory Canadian levies on US exports. Analysts say this has implications for the central bank, which decided to pause rate cuts at its last meeting in April. A deterioration in the economic data since then has added pressure on the Bank to deliver another cut to help stimulate business and consumer spending. The Bank has scaled back its policy rate at seven times of its last eight meetings, taking it from a peak of 5.00% last summer to its current 2.75%.</p><p></p><p><strong>Claire Fan, senior economist at Royal Bank of Canada </strong></p><p>“There are now clearer signs that the ongoing trade war is hitting Canadian labor market. Employment would have fallen by 30k in April had it not been a surge in public admin jobs thanks in part to temporary election hiring. Most of the decline outside of public administration can be traced back to manufacturing, where employment declined for a third straight month in April. “Going forward, slower population growth and reduced demand for Canadian exports due to disruptive US tariffs will remain headwinds to job growth in Canada. The economic outlook still remains highly contingent on the evolution of international trade risks, but job openings have continued to edge lower, signaling more softening in hiring in the pipeline. Overall, we expect slowing conditions will push the unemployment rate up to over 7% this year.”</p><p>source: https://www.morningstar.ca/ca/news/264732/bank-of-canada-interest-rate-cut-more-likely-in-june-after-jobs-shock-.aspx</p>