Market Update

• Lower Mainland CRE sales down from record high, values up by Steve Randall

  Commercial real estate sales in the Lower Mainland were down 10.4% in 2017 compared to the record highs of 2016, but with 2,591 recorded activity remained above long-term averages

• Winnipeg sales "disappointing" in February say Realtors by Steve Randall

  Sales of homes in the Winnipeg area were down 11% in February compared to a year earlier and there’s no clear reason why

• Canadians owe $1.8 trillion but appear to be coping by Steve Randall

  Household debt including mortgages reached $1.821 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2017, but bankruptcies and delinquencies declined

• Condos, rental apartments lead home construction by Steve Randall

  The multi-family sector was the driver of increased permits issued by Canadian municipalities in January

• Housing demand to slow says BCREA by Steve Randall

  Home sales in British Columbia are set to tumble 8.6% this year, after declining 7.5% in 2017

• CSA wants to change syndicated mortgages regime by Steve Randall

  The Canadian Securities Administrators are proposing changes to the regulatory framework for syndicated mortgages

• There's a large spike in Canadians choosing FRMs this year by Steve Randall

  The number of Canadians opting for fixed-rate mortgages has seen a substantial rise since the start of 2018 according to a new report

• BoC will hold rates until late 2018 says BCREA by Steve Randall

  The Bank of Canada's decision not to hike interest rates in March will likely continue for much of this year

• Almost every Vancouverite met empty homes tax deadline by Steve Randall

  For homeowners in Vancouver, March 5 was the deadline for filing their Empty Homes Tax declaration – and most did it on time

• Stress test effect is showing nationwide says RBC by Steve Randall

  The impact of the tightened mortgage rules introduced at the start of the year appears to be rising