Despite rising house prices, Canada’s housing affordability improved in the second quarter of 2005 as the dip in mortgage rates to multi-year lows offset the higher prices, says the latest Housing Affordability Index from RBC Economics.   “For the most part, affordability improved in the second quarter across Canada with Alberta, and to a lesser [...]

A new report by Royal LePage says first-time buyers are savvy when it comes to researching the real estate market, but that they need to focus more on long-term planning for their financial future.   New homebuyers and potential buyers were asked: “If you have a $150,000 mortgage and the interest rate increases from five [...]

Fred R. Lobb, broker/owner of Royal LePage Heartland Realty, has expanded his brokerage to Grand Bend, Ont. Royal LePage Heartland currently has offices in Goderich, Clinton, Exeter, Bayfield and Wingham. The Grand Bend office extends the company’s coverage of Ontario’s west coast region along the Lake Huron shore. The new Grand Bend office will also [...]

Local independent broker/owner Rob Thompson has joined the Century 21 system in Kemptville, Ont. The office, formerly known as Rob Thompson Realty, will now operate as Century 21 Rob Thompson Realty.   “Although we were a strong name in the area before joining Century 21, we were always competing with Royal LePage. What we needed [...]

Century 21 Premier Realty has opened a new branch in Keswick, Ont. Owners Mike and Monica Burrows, manager and broker respectively, purchased the main location for Century 21 Premier Realty in Jackson’s Point in 2003. Mike, who began his real estate career in 1979, says he saw opportunity in the fast growing communities north of [...]

Royal LePage Franchise Services Fund reported record operating results for the second quarter, the strongest in the fund’s history. Royalty revenue increased to $7.1 million, an increase of 12 per cent, and net earnings to $1.4 million, up 18 per cent over the second quarter. The company says the fund’s network of agents and sales [...]

The rise in housing prices over the past several years does not reflect a housing market bubble, says a new commentary by the BMO Financial Group Economics Department. The rise is indicative of strong underlying economic fundamentals, says BMO Financial.   Paul Ferley, assistant chief economist, BMO Financial Group, says rising house prices are “more [...]

The Cendant Real Estate Franchise Group says that its franchise sales efforts have yielded a 37 per cent year-over-year increase in the number of real estate brokerage offices under its Century 21, Coldwell Banker, Coldwell Banker Commercial, ERA and Sotheby’s International Realty franchise networks during the first six months of 2005.   “The success we’ve [...]

Coldwell Banker Canada’s network expanded in July with the addition of Coldwell Banker Classic Realty in Saint John. Formerly Ketchum Realty Group, the company is owned by Don and Mary Ann Ketchum. Don worked in the banking industry for 12 years and has been a Realtor for the past 16 years. Mary Ann is in [...]

Consumers who are shopping for a Realtor are most likely to use a company they dealt with previously, provided they had a good past experience with the agent they used. As a result, consumer loyalty lies more with the agent than in the company, says a survey by Realty Executives International.   The survey, which [...]