Economist Predicts Housing Market Rebound - August 14, 2010
Calgary Herald writer Mario Toneguzzi reports on RBC Economics analyst, Robert Hogue's prediction that Alberta home prices are expected to continue rising for the balance of 2010 and 2011. Hogue believes the current weakening of market conditions does not reflect the current underlying strength of the Alberta economy, "Such weakness amid improving conditions in the provincial economy strikes us as being overdone".
Alberta Building Permits Rebound to pre-Boom Levels - August 6, 2010
Statistics Canada reports that Alberta has led the country in terms of rising buildings permits for 2010 compared to 2009, led by both residential and commercial / industrial permit activity.
RBC Cuts Fixed Mortgage Rates - August 4, 2010
Great news for Homebuyers (and builders, of course): The Royal Bank of Canada announced Tuesday that it’s cutting residential mortgage rates effective Thursday. Rates will be lowered on a number of mortgages, including the bank’s five-year fixed-rate offering, which will be lowered by 0.10 percentage points to 5.59 per cent. The cut comes on the heels of another 10-basispoint cut from RBC last week, which brought five-year rates to 5.69 per cent. The special five-year closed mortgage rate, meanwhile, fell 10 basis points to 4.19 per cent, after seeing a similar cut last week.
Economy Slowing Quickly, Central Bank Says - July 23, 2010
Ottawa-based Financial Post writer Paul Vieira reports on the Bank of Canada's July policy statements based on confirmed lower GDP growth rate for Q2 / 2010 and a reduced forecast (3.0% annualized) for the balance of the year.
Calgary on World's Radar - May 15, 2010
Calgary Herald writer Kathy McCormick reports on the views of Alberta real estate investor and author, Don Campbell, who believes that Calgary and Edmonton are the first and second best cities for investment in real estate due to their strong underlying economic fundamentals.
City Building Permits Surge 74% - April 8, 2010
Calgary Herald writer Lisa Scmidt reports that Calgary municipal building permits have increased by 74% over March 2009 according to Calgary's director of development and building approvals, Stan Schwartzenberger.
Sales On Upswing For Million $ Homes - February 23, 2010
Calgary Herald Business writer Mario Toneguzzi reports on the doubling of luxury home resale activity for early 2010 over 2009 with quotes from luxury home realtor, Rachelle Starnes and CMHC Calgary Senior Market Analyst, Richard Cho.
Global Real Estate Recovery Continues - January 11, 2010
Scotia Economics analyst Adrienne Warren's report compares residential housing market performance in 9 major countries including Canada, concluding that Canada's housing market continues to lead the pack in terms of growth in inflation-adjusted average home prices.
Housing Market Rebounds - January 6, 2010
Edmonton Journal business writer Bill Mah reports on the dramatic rise in Edmonton area housing resales culminating in the dramatic 56% surge in December 2009 over December 2008. Realtors Association of Edmonton president Charlie Ponde says his group's prediction of 15,550 residential sales in 2009 was exceeded in early October and suggests a shortage of listings could drive prices up.
Alberta Building Permits Surge - December 8, 2009
Edmonton Journal Business writer Bill Mah reports on Statistics Canada's recent release of building permit data for October which indicates a 62% increase for Edmonton and an 89% increase for Calgary. These were two of the strongest gains in the country and attributed largely to the educational and the single-family housing sectors.
Calgary Home Sales Gain Momentum - December 2, 2009
Local realtors and the president of the Calgary Real Estate Board comment on the dramatic spike in the city's MLS sales in November.
Housing Starts Hit Positive Trend - November 10, 2009
CMHC's senior market analyst for Calgary, Richard Cho, comments on the continuing surge in housing starts which began earlier in 2009.
Building A Recovery - November 10, 2009
Edmonton Journal writer Bill Mah reports on the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporations recent release of housing construction figures which confirm year over year increases for the past 4 consecutive months.
Housing Starts Hit 2009 High - November 9, 2009
Globe and Mail writer Tavia Grant reported today that the Canda Mortgage and Housing Corporation's analysis of Candian residential construction yielded a seasonally adjusted, annualized increase of 5.4% in October, suggesting recovery in Canada's residential construction market.
Housing Starts Hit 2009 High - November 9, 2009
Globe and Mail writer Tavia Grant reported today that the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's analysis of Canadian residential construction yielded a seasonally adjusted, annualized increase of 5.4% in October, suggesting recovery in Canada's residential construction market.
August Home Starts Up Sharply from 2008 - September 10, 2009
Edmonton Journal business writer Bill Mah reports that Edmonton's homebuilding industry, in which UBG's Greenboro Homes is a significant player, is in recovery mode with August housing starts up more than 32 percent versus a year ago. The recovery is largely driven by the single detached home segment which has seen August starts for 2009 more than double the number of starts in August 2008.
Alberta Mood Turning Bullish - August 28, 2009
The Conference Board of Canada released its latest consumer confidence survey results on August 27 revealing that consumer sentiment toward large purchases is increasing dramatically across Canada. Conference Board economist, Gregory Crawford and Alberta Treasury Branches chief economist Todd Hirsch are quoted extensively regarding the influence of media on public opinion and consumer confidence.
Home Sales Forecast Points to Rebound - August 28, 2009
The Canadian Real Estate Association has revised its forecast for home sales and prices in 2009 and 2010 due to faster than anticipated recovery in the resale housing market across Canada. CREA chief economist Gregory Klump commented that Alberta was one of the most significant upward revisions in terms of unit sales.
Calgary Single Family Construction Strengthening - August 22, 2009
Calgary Herald writer Marty Hope has gathered comments from a number of independent Calgary homebuilders regarding the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's recent report that July 2009 housing starts have risen to their highest level since November 2007.
Calgary's Home Sales Surge in Q2 - July 15, 2009
A Reuters News article quotes figures from the Canadian Real Estate Association which indicate that Calgary's sales of existing homes rose 66% in the 2nd quarter of 2009 over the 1st quarter. CREA figurse indicate the current 4.2 month supply of resale homes is the lowest since August 2007 and Scotia Capital economist Derek Holt commented on the importance of clearing existing inventory to a material recovery in the homebuilding sector.
StatsCan: New Home Prices Edge Lower - May 11, 2009
Globe and Mail writer Heather Scoffield reports on Statistics Canada's national new home pricving data for March, indicating that marginal pricing drops in Calgary and Edmonton are largely attributable to lower materials and labour costs rather than lower demand.
StatsCan: New Home Prices Edge Lower - May 11, 2009
Globe and Mail writer Heather Scoffield reports on Statistics Canada's national new home pricing data for March, indicating that marginal pricing drops in Calgary and Edmonton are largely attributable to lower materials and labour costs rather than lower demand.
Cranston Racks Up SAM Award Wins - April 25, 2009
Calgary Herald writer, Marty Hope, reports on the Canadian Homebuilders' Association - Calgary Region's recognition of Cranston as the 2009 Community of the Year at their Sales and Marketing (SAM) Awards recently. Now entering its 10th year of development, Cranston enjoys considerable industry and market momentum despite the general economic headwinds due to its balanced offering of housing solutions including Evolution By Greenboro's Origins at Cranston project.
ASC Investor Watch: Get the Facts Before Investing... - April 23, 2009
The Alberta Securities Commission and the BC Securities Commission have jointly issued a press release urging prospective investors in private real estate investments to "do their homework". It is clear the securities regulators in Western Canada are well aware that real estate investment companies vary widely in their practices and the risks they represent to investors. See our Resources section for direct links to both the Alberta and British Columbia Securities Commission websites.
Alberta Offers Best Port in Financial Storm: Scotia VP - April 16, 2009
Edmonton Journal writer Bill Mah reports on Scotiabank chief economist Warren Jestin's address to the Edmonton Real Estate Forum in which he concludes there is no better place in Canada to weather the current economic recession.
Housing Sales Rise 7% in March - April 15, 2009
Globe and Mail writer Virginia Galt concludes the Canadian housing market appears to be stabilizing based on information released by the Canadian Real Estate Association and comments by economists from both the Toronto Dominion Bank and the Bank of Montreal as well as the Canadian Rea Estate Association.
Conference Board Forecasts Positive 2009 Growth in 5 Cities - April 1, 2009
The Conference Board of Canada announced today the release of their latest economic forecast for 2009 which calls for positive growth in GDP for Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Quebec City and Ottawa-Gatineau. Calgary and Edmonton are forecast to contract by a mere 0.1% and 0.2% respectively this year. In spite of the current pressure on commodity prices and its immediate affect on business activity, the Board predicts that Alberta's major cities will regain their footing quickly and return to positve GDP growth before the end of the year.
Conference Board Forecasts Positive 2009 Growth in 5 Cities - April 1, 2009
The Conference Board of Canada announced today the release of their latest economic forecast for 2009 which calls for positive growth in GDP for Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Quebec City and Ottawa-Gatineau. Calgary and Edmonton are forecast to contract by a mere 0.1% and 0.2% respectively this year. In spite of the current pressure on commodity prices and its immediate affect on business activity, the Board predicts that Alberta's major cities will regain their footing quickly and return to positive GDP growth before the end of the year.
Calgary and Edmonton Real Estate Championed Nationally - March 18, 2009
George Stroumboulopoulos, host of CBC's national television news program "The Hour", featured Calgary-based real estate investment analyst, Don Campbell for a segment which Mr. Campbell concluded with strong recommendations to purchase housing in Edmonton or Calgary due to current low pricing, favourable mortgage rates and strong price appreciation potential based on 5- to 7-year economic growth prospects.
Optimism in Edmonton Market - March 7, 2009
Calgary Herald writer Marty Hope reports that CMHC's senior market analyst for Edmonton, Richard Goatcher, predicts 2009 single family housing starts will be stable to slightly above 2008 levels, along with continued positive net migration to the city and a moderate rebound in multi-family starts in 2010.
Time Seen As Right to Invest in Real Estate - March 7, 2009
A recent interview with Real Estate Investment Network president, Don Campbell reveals his bullishness on investing in Calgary real estate NOW.
Home Buying Mood Recovers - March 4, 2009
RBC study finds home purchasing intentions rebound in Alberta. Almost two-in-three Albertans say it's a buyer's market and 35% intend to purchase within the next 24 months.
Stability Forecast for housing prices - January 7, 2009
Calgary herald Business writer Dina O'Meara reports on Royal LePage Real Estate Services' 2009 Market Survey Forecast with quotes from CEO, Phil Soper.
2009 Calgary R/E Market Forecast: Stable - December 3, 2008
Calgary Herald Business writer Mario Toneguzzi reports on the release by Canada's top residential real estate brokerage, Re/Max, of their 2009 Housing Market Outlook which indicates that Calgary is better positioned than most major Canadian cities to weather the current economic storm.
Bloom's Not Entirely Off the Boom - November 25, 2008
Edmonton Sun columnist Graham Hicks presents some fact-based information supporting a more realistic, less panic-driven perspective on the current and near term propects for the Alberta Economy.
Bloom's Not Entirely Off the Boom - November 25, 2008
Edmonton Sun columnist Graham Hicks presents some fact-based information supporting a more realistic, less panic-driven perspective on the current and near term prospects for the Alberta Economy.
Unity Builders Group: Success By Efficiency - October 20, 2008
Calgary Herald Business columnist David Parker reports on his interview with UBG Chairman, Bob Friesen, Unity Investments VP, Jonathan Allen and Bellacore Homes President, Ashley Sage.
Unity Builders Group: Success By Efficiency - October 20, 2008
Calgary Herald Business columnist David Parker reports on his interview with UBG Chairman, Bob Friesen, Unity Investments VP, Jonathan Allen and Bellacor Homes President, Ashley Sage.
Housing Starts Set to Rebound in 2009 - May 15, 2008
The AltusClayton Housing Report predicts that Calgary housing starts will experience a modest increase in 2009 following a significant correction in 2008 from record highs in 2007.