2025 Real Estate Forecast: Economic and Population Growth Fuels Optimism

We attended the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton's annual Housing Forecast yesterday and returned home with lots of interesting information about what to expect in the coming year. The speakers included Economists, data analysts, CEOs and a Minister from the Government of Alberta. Every presenter was cautiously optimistic about Alberta's economy and the Greater Edmonton Housing market for the coming year.

What is causing all this optimism? Dale Nally, Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, pointed out that with 12% of Canada's population, Alberta has 25% of the jobs in this country. Provincial housing starts surged to a 10-year high in 2024, with 33,000 starts.…

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Have you heard the latest buzz from the Bank of Canada? They've recently lowered their key policy rate by 50 basis points to 3.75 percent. While we're still on the lookout for new rates from the banks, this drop might just bring some delightful savings your way if the banks decide to follow suit. Let’s crunch some numbers to see what this could mean for you.

Say, you have a mortgage of $400,000 for example: Under the old rate of 4.44%, on a 25-year mortgage with a 5-year term, you stood to pay approximately $2,200 in principal interest. If banks adjust their rates down to 3.94%, your principal interest would potentially decrease to about $2,091. This means not only less monthly expenditure but also a decrease in your final mortgage balance, allowing…

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Are you dreaming of owning your own home but struggling to navigate the challenging housing market? Well, we have some fantastic news for you! The Canadian government has recently announced some significant changes to mortgage policies that could make owning your dream home a whole lot easier. So, let's dive into what these updates are and what that means for you!

What Are the Key Updates?

Increased Price Cap for Insured Mortgages: The price cap for insured mortgages has been raised from $1 million to $1.5 million, effective December 15, 2024. This adjustment aims to reflect the current housing market realities and enable more Canadians to qualify for a mortgage with a down payment below 20 percent.

Expansion of Mortgage Amortizations: Starting…

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The Greater Edmonton real estate market has showed remarkable resilience and growth in May 2024. Sales increased by 18% compared to last year, with a total of 3,220 properties changing hands. This growth has outpaced the addition of new listings, which rose by 10%, leaving the inventory at a decreased level of 5,836 listings - a 17% reduction from the previous year. This has solidified Edmonton's status as a seller's market, with only 1.81 months of supply.

The Bank of Canada decreased interest rates by 0.25% yesterday, yet fixed mortgage rates are expected to remain stable for the near term.

Vigorous demand for housing has been caused by the level of interprovincial and international migration to Alberta. Last year, Alberta experienced…

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This morning, the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton hosted its Annual Housing Forecast, and I'm excited to bring you these insights. Specifically, we'll be diving into the presentation by Shaun Cathcart, Director & Senior Economist, Housing Data and Market Analysis at the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA).

Long story short, Mr. Cathcart predicts a booming real estate market for Edmonton in 2024. He started his presentation by discussing interest rates, sharing that many economists anticipate the Bank of Canada will begin lowering interest rates in the latter half of this year. While only 1 or 2 rate cuts for this year were predicted as recently as November, the current expectation now stands at 4-6 rate cuts by year-end, which would make a…

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We saw an impressive surge in sales in the Greater Edmonton Area in December compared to a year previous, with a staggering 23.5% increase. New listings also experienced a remarkable 24% increase, giving buyers a wider range of choices to explore. Even with the jump in new listings, end-of-month inventory dropped 8% year-over-year, which remained well below the historical norm.

With 3.76 months of inventory, we find ourselves just under the 4-month threshold for a balanced market. In other words, it's still a seller's market, providing those looking to sell their homes with an advantageous position.

Across the board, benchmark prices have seen a positive upward trend. Single-family homes experienced a steady 3.5% increase in benchmark prices, while…

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Buying a home is an exciting time and a significant milestone for many people, but it can also be an intimidating and costly process, particularly for first-time homebuyers. Fortunately, the Canadian government has introduced a new savings account to help prospective homebuyers save for their downpayment. Below, we will share what you need to know about the new First Home Savings Account and other downpayment options for first-time buyers.

What is the First Home Savings Account?

The First Home Savings Account is designed specifically for prospective first-time homebuyers. It's a savings account that offers tax incentives to help prospective home buyers save up for a down payment.

Eligibility Requirements

You need to be a Canadian resident, at…

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What is radon gas?

Radon is an invisible, odourless, cancer-causing, radioactive gas that comes from the ground. When inhaled, radon breaks down into radioactive particles, releasing bursts of radioactivity that can cause injury to lung tissue. Exposure to high levels of radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after tobacco smoking. Radon enters homes where the house comes into contact with the ground and can accumulate into high levels, posing health risks to the occupants. The health implications of radon exposure depend on both the level and length of exposure, and the risk of developing lung cancer is especially high for smokers. The only way to find out if your home has high radon levels is to have your home tested. A reading of 200…

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Here is our update on the Edmonton real estate market. (Previous week’s numbers are in brackets). For the past 7 days: New Listings: 679 (627, 672, 771) # Sales: 433 (376, 408, 492) Ratio: 64% (60%, 61%, 64%) # Price Changes: 484 (443, 445, 470) Expired/Off-Market Listings: 223 (380, 211, 186) Net loss/gain in listings this week: 23 (-129, 53, 93) Active single-family home listings: 3362 (3265, 3250, 3179) Active condo listings: 3024 (3010, 3108, 3121) Homes 4-week running average: $474 ($473, $469, $468) Condos 4-week running average: $242 ($239, $242, $232)    

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A friend of mine recently moved to a Vancouver suburb and I was shocked to hear how much it really costs to buy a home there. I think everyone has an idea how expensive homes are in and around Vancouver and Toronto right now, but many people aren't aware of the additional closing costs buyers face across the country. With so many people working remotely, we're starting to see people moving based on housing affordability, so I wanted to share what it actually costs to buy a typical single-family home in major Canadian cities, including the extra expenses buyers pay at closing that are not included in their mortgage. Since averages and medians can be misleading, I'm going to base these calculations on the MLS® Home Price Index. The HPI basically…

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