Things We’re Thankful For
It’s Thanksgiving and while we sit around stuffing ourselves with turkey and well, stuffing, let’s look at some of the main things that we as Canadians have to be thankful for this year.
Read moreCanadian Home Prices at an All-Time High
Don’t worry about what the rest of the world is doing – if you’re Canadian and you’re selling your house right now, you’re likely to get top dollar for it, according to a recent report from the Teranet-National Bank Composite House Price Index. As of July 2011, resale home prices rose on the Index to 146.51, the highest it’s ever been. But what does that mean exactly?
Read moreWhy have Variable Rates Gone Up? Blame it on Bad Predictions
We’ve all seen it climb steadily for the past couple of weeks as first one bank, then another, then yet another started raising their variable interest rates on mortgages. Interestingly, the fixed rate has been getting a huge discount at the same time. But the fixed rate going down is just one reason why the variable has gone up. Another reason, a bigger reason, is due to the banks’ bad predictions about the prime rate in the first place.
Read moreCredit Cards, Student Loans & Your Mortgage
So you have some credit card debt. And you have that huge student loan hovering around you, too. But you also want a mortgage. The problem is, with all that debt, you don’t think you’re ever going to get one. But now is not the time to despair. That could just leave you giving up altogether and going into defaulted debt, which will only damage your chances of getting a mortgage even further. Instead have hope, and start understanding that debt you’re carrying around with you.
Read moreThe Timeshare, the Forgotten Option
As the leaves begin to fall and the air turns crisp, many of our thoughts start to turn towards that mid-winter vacation and just where we’ll go. Perhaps stay in one of the finest hotels in the tropics? Or head out on the open water on a cruise? Or what about that forgotten place, the home away from home – the timeshare?
Read moreCanadian Homes Sales Remain Strong Through August
Maybe it’s the rebounding economy. Maybe it’s the fact that the Bank of Canada’s interest rate is at a historical low. Or maybe it’s the fact that Canadians are reducing their unsecured debt, and starting to want to take on more good debt, like a mortgage. Whatever the reason, the upshot in sales the country saw in July continued through August. And not only did the market remain steady, but it was also the first time in 2011 that Canadian sales, as a whole, pulled ahead those of 2010.
Read moreWhy do we Pay More?
While it may have taken us awhile to get there, the Canadian dollar has been soaring past the American dollar for several years. And while that means that Canadians can enjoy things like great exchange rates at their bank, we still pay the same amount, if not more, on everything from our mortgages to our magazines.
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