16 Sep

Canadians fall deeper in debt

General

Posted by: Steven Brouwer

OTTAWA — Canadian household debt continued to rise in the second quarter as individuals took out more mortgages at historically low rates and obtained consumer loans, Statistics Canada said on Tuesday. The ratio of household credit market debt, which includes mortgages, consumer credit and loans, to disposable income rose to 149% from 147% in the […]

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16 Sep

Wealthy Barber is back in business

General

Posted by: Steven Brouwer

More than 22 years after finding bestselling success with The Wealthy Barber, financial guru David Chilton is back with a non-fiction follow-up. The Wealthy Barber Returns is arguably the best financial planning book since, well, since The Wealthy Barber. The lifelong Kitchener, Ont., resident has departed from the fictional setting of the original, maintaining what […]

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16 Sep

The Bank of Canada’s changing language

General

Posted by: Steven Brouwer

Watching the Bank of Canada’s language on the economy change over the past year is like seeing a healthy, upbeat person gradually come around to the idea that a serious illness is overtaking them. A year ago, the central bank was continuing the slow process of raising its key interest rate toward familiar levels, as […]

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16 Sep

B.C.’s home sales, property values to slow as job growth ebbs: BCREA

General

Posted by: Steven Brouwer

VANCOUVER – Slower job growth in British Columbia’s economy will mean slower increases in home sales and property values through to 2012, the B.C. Real Estate Association said Thursday. And by the end of 2012, the association expects the high-flying prices in some of B.C.’s bigger markets to show small declines. Home sales through the […]

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25 Aug

Canadians Moving and Upgrading Housing More Often: TD .

General

Posted by: Steven Brouwer

A new report from TD bank suggests that Canadians are upgrading their homes- more quickly and more often then they intended. The TD Canada Trust Repeat Home Buyers Report found that seven-in-ten Canadian repeat buyers were moving before they had planned (42%) or had no stated plans of moving are now looking (27%).  Further, the […]

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25 Aug

Carney and Flaherty Urge Calm .

General

Posted by: Steven Brouwer

Calm and caution were the key messages delivered by Mark Carney and Jim Flaherty to Parliament in response to the recent turmoil in world markets. To combat swirling rumours of a looming recession, the two men together addressed Parliament.  Neither man expects to see a global contraction. In terms of financial stimulus as well, both […]

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25 Aug

Fall Home Renovation Projects

General

Posted by: Steven Brouwer

After summer holidays are over and the heat and humidity subsides, it’s a good time to start home renovation and preparation projects before the cold weather sets in. Flower beds can be cut down, lawns fertilized for the last time and windows washed. Here are five projects that are perfect for cool fall days. Winterize […]

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11 Aug

Canada rates seen lower for longer; cuts unlikely

General

Posted by: Steven Brouwer

(Reuters) – A dovish U.S. Federal Reserve will likely force the Bank of Canada to keep its interest rates lower for longer, but market bets on a Canadian rate cut by year-end are unlikely to pay off. Analysts said a rate cut would send all the wrong signals for an economy that is growing, albeit […]

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