Oil Price & Mortgage Interest Rates

This is an easy way to see the relationship between oil prices and mortgage interest rates.

Mark Herman, Top Calgary Alberta mortgage broker.

The path between the price of oil and the cost of your mortgage may seem long and winding and hard to follow, but it does exist. Read More

What the B of C says about housing prices …

The Bank of Canada (BoC) and the Economist say that Canadian housing is over valued 10% – 20%

Just days after the BoC’s highly qualified pronouncements Moody’s Analytics – an organization that some people find less than credible than the BoC – said maybe current prices can be justified by ‘structural changes’ in the market. Read More

Retail Sales: Alberta spends the most

“More support of Calgary and Alberta home prices; the high-value jobs in Calgary pay more and the 40,000 people a year that move to Alberta are spending that money. The numbers are mind blowing.”

Mark Herman; Calgary, Alberta mortgage broker

 Jonathan Muma Nov 25, 2014 10:25:24 AM

Albertans love to shop.

That’s according to the latest report from Statistics Canada which shows retail sales are up $6.7-billion, or 7.4 % from a year ago through the first nine months of this year.

That’s the highest annual growth rate in the country. Read More

YYZ & YVR homes: more expensive than Rome, closing in on Paris!

This is some interesting data on the housing market in Vancouver and Toronto from one of the banks we deal with.

Mark Herman; Calgary, Alberta mortgage broker

Canadian home prices really are “world class”, at least in the country’s two hottest markets.

A survey shows the price for prime residential property Toronto and Vancouver has surpassed Rome and is closing in on Paris. Vancouver is at nearly $1,400 a square foot and Toronto is a little above $1,200. (Top spot is London at more than $3,600/sq. ft.) Read More

Downtown living the ‘new normal’

This is more support for central/ down town  condos in Calgary supporting their prices as more people move to the core to avoid the commute.

Mark Herman, Calgary Alberta mortgage broker

Downtown living the ‘new normal,’ report says

Employers move to urban cores to attract qualified workers, retail follows.

Homeowners choosing urban living over suburbia is a key trend in Canada’s real estate market and is helping drive both retail and commercial development in city cores, according to a report. … Read More