They say the news never sleeps, and that’s certainly the case for Canadian real estate; 2018 has been an especially eventful year. Not only did January kick off with one of the largest mortgage policy changes to hit Canadians – an affordability-reducing stress test for all new borrowers – but sales trends were akin to a roller coaster, as the market struggled with fewer buyers and tepid recovery in smaller markets.
Meanwhile, the Bank of Canada had everyone guessing with its interest rate announcements, keeping analysts busy with “will they or won’t they” commentary on interest rate hikes, and a Supreme Court ruling paved the way for unprecedented sold home data access for the public.
Here’s a look at some of our biggest headlines of the year:
National
New Stress Test Rules to Come in January
The Hike is Here: Bank of Canada Raises Rate to 0.75%
Top Buyers and Sellers’ Markets Across Canada
How Property Tax Differs Across Canada
How Land Transfer Tax Affects Home Affordability Across Canada
Ontario
Best and Worst Ontario Cities for Home Affordability
GTA Cities with the Highest Property Tax
Toronto Neighbourhoods Where Condos Appreciate More Than Houses
Supreme Court Rejects TREB’s Appeal to Keep Sold Data from Public
British Columbia
How Unaffordable is the Metro Vancouver Housing Market
Can You Afford a Home in These BC Housing Markets?
Alberta
Here’s How Much You’ll Need to Earn to Buy a Home in Alberta
Alberta Cities with the Highest and Lowest Property Tax Rates
