April’s Bank of Canada interest rate still 2.75 per cent
Posted on Apr 16, 2025
In these times of uncertainty, it was fairly certain that the Bank of Canada was going to put a hold on interest rates originally expected to continue their downward trend…and that’s what the Bank did.
In keeping its key policy rate at 2.75 per cent for the Bank’s scheduled April announcement, the press conference included this explanation from Bank...
More transparency about pending and closed sales
Posted on Apr 13, 2025
The Greater Vancouver Realtors is the largest, and only the third, real estate board in Canada to make sold listings available on Realtor.ca. In the interests of transparency, the GVR now shows: (1) sold listings that are searchable, (2) sold listings that include both “closed” and “pending” sales, and (3) sale prices, 30 days after the closing dat...
Reactions to Federal Reserve announcement
Posted on Mar 20, 2025
The announcement by the U.S. Federal Reserve that interest rates will not change was widely greeted by variations of the same message, which is that the Fed is waiting to get a read on the “new” economy that comes with a change in government, and whether it is headed towards inflation.
Here’s a sample of what is being said:
CNN Business: “[The decisi...
Another Bank of Canada rate cut coming this week?
Posted on Mar 11, 2025
It’s “interest rate day” again this week…
CTV News: “Most economists expect the central bank will deliver another quarter-point rate cut while it waits to see how long the dispute with Canada’s largest trading partner lasts.”
Financial Post: “The Bank of Canada is expected to cut its interest rate by 25 basis points on Wednesday, amid trade uncertain...
Housing start comparison statistics from January
Posted on Feb 19, 2025
The headline from Central Mortgage and Housing this month is that, among other things, housing starts in Vancouver were up 37 per cent in January, compared to the same month last year. To people who live or even drive around Vancouver, this is consistent with the visible construction, particularly with regards to multi-unit buildings in places wher...
Economists implying inflation stance change
Posted on Feb 10, 2025
With the threat of tariffs sometimes changing daily (or even hourly), Canadians are wondering what the impact is in the housing market. There is no finite answer, of course, but a story in The Financial Post implies that the Bank of Canada may have to change its direction.
“If a new round of tariffs ever comes into play,” it reads, "they could force...