Should We Sell Before We Buy? + Do I Have to Pay Tax To Move into My Own Condo Rental? — ‘The Situation’ Consumer Q&A
It's time for your questions on our September consumer Q/A segment, ‘The Situation’.
It's time for your questions on our September consumer Q/A segment, ‘The Situation’.
In our latest Move Smartly ideas discussion, we assess whether the Liberal Federal Government's announced mortgage changes will help make housing more affordable as claimed.
Why wasn't opposition leader Pierre Poilievre, like so many other Canadian leaders, able to see the problem earlier?
What buyers and sellers do in September will set the tone for the rest of the season.
In our latest Move Smartly ideas discussion, I explore what lessons we can - and can't - learn from the drive to building mass affordable housing around this world.
Over 100,000 existing homes could be freed up to address the 3.5 million home gap needed to restore affordability - so why isn't Canada's leading housing agency acting on this?
The Greater Toronto Area has a record 11,079 condominium units available for sale, the highest number of units for any month in any year.
The number of condos available for sale in the Toronto area has reached another new record high — so will this surge ease our housing shortage?
It's time for your questions on our June consumer Q/A segment, ‘The Situation’.
While most media headlines regarding Toronto’s condo market have focused on the record number of units listed for sale, there is a bigger and more troubling risk that few have...
The outlook for Canada’s economy and housing market is challenging, with more difficulties likely before any improvement.
Some prominent real estate industry figures are predicting boom times will return to the Toronto housing market - what can home buyers and sellers really expect?
At the end of May, the Toronto area had 9,951 condominiums available for sale, the highest number of units for sale for any month in recent history.
Canada's population is experiencing rapid growth, but housing starts are plummeting, raising concerns for the future of Toronto's housing market. This article explores the...
Deciding on the most effective pricing strategy when selling your home can be a critical factor in achieving a successful sale. This post explores the two primary approaches to...
Normally the busiest time of the year, soft demand for houses and a spike in condo listings stand out in last month's market statistics.
It's time for your questions on our May consumer Q/A segment, ‘The Situation’.
While many in Canada argue yes, data and the experience of other economically liberal countries says otherwise.
Our fallen productivity is a "national emergency."
The latest stats are in for March 2024.
The latest in the Liberal federal government’s pre-budget policy offensive will do little to help renters.
It's time for our popular consumer Q/A segment, ‘The Situation’ on the latest Move Smartly show episode.
A major new announcement on a change to Canada's immigration targets will have a bigger impact on our housing affordability crisis than it may first appear.
Selling a tenanted property in Ontario to a buyer who wishes to occupy for own use sometimes requires more complicated negotiations.
Each month in this live session, I discuss the latest stats, on the ground realities and answer consumer questions about the Toronto area real estate market right now.
While Canada may have a massive housing shortage, it suddenly does not have a shortage of ideas to solve our housing crisis.
Latest data shows Toronto’s housing market remained competitive in February, but a significant increase in new listings is taking some heat out of the market.
In our latest monthly consumer Q&A, I respond to the detailed questions that real estate consumers across the GTA are asking now.
Is Toronto in a Housing Bubble That's About to Burst?
I look into the data to understand why Toronto area condo rents have been falling over the last 5 months.
There are many things home buyers and sellers need to know if they are considering buying or selling a tenanted property in Ontario.
The housing market in the Toronto area became far more competitive in January thanks to a rapid increase in the number of sales and moderate to no growth in the number of new...
In our latest monthly consumer Q&A, I respond to the detailed questions that real estate consumers across the GTA are asking now.
The federal government is now scrambling to reign in Canada's spiking foreign student numbers - how will this impact the housing market?
Each month in this live session, I discuss the latest stats, on the ground realities and answer consumer questions about the Toronto area real estate market right now.
Why did our federal government ignore the warnings if the impact of Canada’s high population growth on housing was so obvious?
The GTA’s housing market ended the year with the lowest number of home sales in over 20 years.
Is Toronto’s housing market turning another corner after being sluggish over the past few months?
In our monthly consumer Q&A, ‘‘The Situation’, Urmi asks and John responds to the detailed questions that real estate consumers across the GTA have sent in.
When a government fails to do the hard work of planning and investing the necessary capital required for such a big undertaking, it should be no surprise that the political...
A closer look at the data reveals that the market for low-rise houses and condos is performing unevenly across the Greater Toronto Area’s (GTA) five regions.
The current high interest rate cycle, which started in 2022, has continued to push home sales in the Greater Toronto Area to historic low levels.
An expert look at Canada’s economy to get some insight into how the broader macroeconomic trends might impact Canada’s housing market in the months ahead.
In our monthly consumer Q&A, ‘‘The Situation’, Urmi asks and John responds to the detailed questions that real estate consumers across the GTA have sent in.
For many at the federal level, it's convenient to blame cities for "gate-keeping" and "NIMBY" policies that prevent more housing from being built - is this fair?
Anecdotal evidence suggests that investors are starting to look to deleverage properties in the Toronto are - does the data suggest this is part of a larger trend?
We are finally starting to see some inventory build up as listings start to increase while sales slow heading into the fall market.
In our September episode of the consumer Q&A, ‘‘The Situation’, Urmi asks John to respond to the detailed questions that real estate consumers across the GTA are asking right now.
Toronto’s housing market continued to cool as we moved towards the end of the summer season.
It's always felt hard to be a renter in Toronto - but a dig into the numbers shows the problem has gotten much worse.
It's something that many agents don't like to discuss - here's why.
With over 60,000 real estate agents working in Toronto, how can you ensure your agent is working properly to best represent your interests?
A closer look at weekly, rather than monthly numbers, reflects the same market slowdown being seen on-the-ground in the Toronto area real estate market.
Just when and why a decent income stopped being enough to buy a home in the Toronto area - and just what is our ever expensive market running on instead?
Canada’s population grew by just over 1.2 million people during the second quarter of 2023.
In our new feature, "Move Smartly Ideas", I talk to Urmi about what I'm reading, writing and talking about right now.
A closer look at weekly, rather than monthly numbers, reflects the same market slowdown being seen on-the-ground in the Toronto area real estate market.
This was the first month since last June that saw house prices increase year-over-year.
In our regular Move Smartly feature, "The Situation," lead contributor John Pasalis responds to the questions that real estate consumers are asking right now.
Toronto City Council has just voted turn over the ban on fourplexes in the city's so called "yellow zone" of single family homes - so what does it all mean?
A 20-year low in the number of homes being listed for sale is causing Toronto area house prices to rise again, despite today's high interest rates.
In our regular Move Smartly feature, "The Situation," lead contributor John Pasalis responds to the questions that real estate consumers are asking right now.
Politicians and many media outlets appear to be confused about when home prices began spiralling out of control.
Amidst continuing historically low levels of home sales, the competition for houses is surprisingly intense in Greater Toronto Area (GTA) as demand outpaces listings.
Why Canadian banks are working with buyers to lower payments by extending amortization periods and more.
Watch my recent live market update chat where I share my report highlights and answer your questions on our Move Smartly YouTube channel.
In spite of historically low sales levels and high interest rates, the demand bottleneck typical of the first quarter is making its annual appearance.
This month, I respond to some of the bigger questions consumers and viewers are asking right now.
New statistics show high levels of local investor investment in Ontario's housing market.
Real-life tips from a Toronto legal firm that represents many parties in home buying and selling transactions that run into issues.
I respond to another round of consumers experiencing challenging real estate situations and decisions across the Toronto area right now.
Toronto area sales levels continue to hit historical lows, but low listing levels keep prices flat.
2022 home prices are up year-over-year, but this obscures a tumultuous year in which prices hit new highs at the start, fell sharply in the middle, and have stayed flat since.
Aside from a small dip during Covid, Toronto rents are ever higher for both condos and houses - as buying becomes more out of reach for many.
In our monthly feature, home owners and would be buyers and sellers ask questions about the complex real estate situations they are facing across the GTA.
Why this holiday season is unprecedented for reasons beyond this Christmas weekend's 'weather bomb.'
After long denying the role that foreign buyers play in Canada's housing market, the federal government and authorities are not targeting the real problem.
Most recent market numbers from November show that prices in the Toronto area market are plateauing - for now.
In our new series, home owners and would be buyers and sellers share the questions - and tricky situations - they are facing across the GTA.
Latest numbers continue to show a stalemate - for now.
The path forward is far from certain - I take a close look at the data to see what might happen next.
September market numbers are out - and I review how they stack up against on the ground realities now.
What economic research says about how real estate prices tend to move when the market changes suddenly.
Rising rents are keeping investors optimistic - for now.
With demand for real estate falling off dramatically, why aren't we seeing the build-up of homes on the market we'd expect?
August market numbers are out - and I review how they stack up against on the ground realities now.
The number of homes listed under the critical $1 million mark increases as the Toronto area real estate market continues to slow down.
Areas that rose the highest during the Covid-boom are falling the most.
Toronto is the first municipality in the GTA to return to pre-pandemic prices.
Average house price down to $1,285,222 in July, down 1% over last year, while average condo prices slid to $738,930, still 7% up over last year.
In this latest video in a special series, lead contributor, John Pasalis of Realosophy Realty, explains what you need to do to secure a better outcome in an uncertain time.
In the fourth of a special series, lead contributor, John Pasalis of Realosophy Realty, explains how buyers need to be thinking when making offers in a falling Toronto area market.
It's a question a lot of people are asking me - here's what buyers are really asking and how I respond.
Why things are different from the last time we saw a market downturn in 2017.
Latest market numbers show that Toronto's house and condo prices falling up to 20% from peaks earlier this year though staying slightly up year-over-year.
Since February 2022, condo sales and prices are declining far more rapidly in the suburbs than in the City of Toronto.
We haven't seen numbers like this since the height of the onset of Covid-19 pandemic.
Early signs of a slowdown on-the-ground now strongly showing in the latest market numbers.
How you need to adjust your strategy in a suddenly changing market.
Some areas that saw the fastest price gains during the pandemic are now coming down.
How consumer - and agent - anxiety is playing a role.
Over the last decade in the Toronto area, this increase has averaged 8% per year - but not this year.
The slowdown we were first seeing on the ground over the past two months is now showing in the numbers.
The big news in the housing market has been surging interest rates.
While March 2022 housing market numbers were well above those of 2021 and 2020, there are some signs of cooling as average prices fall slightly from February.
The numbers show that Canada's home prices standout amongst comparable countries.
The numbers for February continued to show a hot market.
Cold weather and snow storms in January did nothing to cool down Toronto’s red hot housing market.
How Canada's immigration rate affects home prices
As rising interest rates and other market cooling factors arise, will home prices necessarily fall?
A closer look at the more likely - though yet to be seen - factors.
Condo buyers were pulled eastward in the search for affordability.
Suburban area homes are hot in the search for affordability.
Record year of 119,532 home sales, surpassing the previous record of 112,288 in 2016.
A deeper dig into a new pitch from 'Key'.
Why a change who's behind the demand for homes makes all the difference.
Colder weather has had no effect on Toronto’s red hot housing market which continued to show signs of heating up last month.
Real buyer demand has explained home prices rises recently, but is a familiar old factor now the story?
The Bank of Canada indicates that rate hikes are likely to come soon. What does that mean for the market?
The Toronto Area real estate market once again posted strong numbers in October.
Ontario realtors are now joining experts and activists in calling for zoning rule changes to address Toronto's housing supply problem.
A deep data dive takes us past some familiar complaints to find the real reasons our supply of homes can't meet demand.
How seriously should we take the latest alarm from Canada's top housing authority?
Average house prices jump up after months of holding steady as new listings remain historically low and average condo prices rise slightly.
The Liberals have proposed many changes to Canadian housing policy - which of these are likely to happen and what will their impacts be?
A look back on how housing affordability became one of the hottest issues in today's Canada.
A 56% decline from inventory levels year-over-year as the fall market is expected to remain as competitive as it has been this summer.
Ahead of our fall election, all of Canada's political parties are full of ambitious housing policy pitches.
Following the pandemic-induced slowdown, the number of leased condo units has returned to a historically high level.
As Canada heads into an election this fall, here's a closer look at two policy areas that need to be better linked to tackle housing affordability.
July's market numbers show that new listing supply for houses is falling faster than for condos.
How differing beliefs about the housing market between buyers and investors leads to very different market outcomes.
Signs that the market is still moving quickly, but not as out-of-control as it was months ago.
The Toronto area market is still competitive and favouring sellers - but things are cooling down.
There are always some that will perennially argue that a lack of supply is the only problem behind high home prices in Toronto - but it's not that simple.
When thinking about what might trigger a decline in home prices, there are generally two broad categories — a fundamental trigger and a behavioural trigger.
Is it financially safe and worth making so many other sacrifices - like a long commute or living on a busy street - to get into the Toronto area housing market right now?
In the GTA's overheated market, even first-time buyers with good incomes are finding it nearly impossible to afford a home without long commutes to the city.
House sales of 7,825 in May are up 157% over last year - but this is due to the anomalies of the COVID-19 lockdown last year - and sales volumes have been trending down since...
Will a pullback in the market lead to lower average home prices in the coming months or will prices stay high throughout 2021? What would it take to bring down the average cost of...
Why only reporting upbeat and positive information is the domain of old school real estate brokerages.
As agents suggest that demand from investors for Toronto condos has likely exceeded pre-pandemic levels, we dig into the numbers to see.
The most important trend of note now is the start of a gradual cooling down in the market for houses across the Greater Toronto Area.
While the federal budget won't make homes more affordable in Canada, average buyers and sellers won't be impacted by policy-induced market shocks either.
Ahead of this Monday's Federal Budget, John Pasalis shares his views on what our politicians should do to make Canadian homes more affordable.
With 79% of houses and 63% of condos selling over the asking price in a pandemic no less, average home buyers are stressed - and confused.
A frank admission acknowledges what many have been saying - but does the government really care?
This month we explore low inventory levels and demand shock in Toronto's housing market.
What action should policy makers take to mitigate Canada's runaway home prices - and what are they most likely to do?
This month we explore the booming housing market in Toronto and across Canada and how new macro-prudential policies can be introduced to help cool the market.
Why mortgage rate increases are unlikely to dampen buyer enthusiasm, how the Bank of Canada is contributing to it and more.
This month we do a data dive on the City of Toronto’s volatile condo market over the past year.
'Excessive exuberance' on display in the Toronto area real estate market right now.
A closer look at some surprising real estate stories this week.
With some homes getting up to 30 offers in the Toronto area right now, how can you get ahead as a buyer?
Debt Free in 30's Doug Hoyes talks to John Pasalis about the pandemic lockdown, government policy, buyer fatigue and more.
This month we look at Toronto's emerging housing bubble in the suburbs, how it's different from 2017 and how it will end this time around.
Realosophy's John Pasalis talks to Yahoo Finance on the record highs in real estate and why work from home, low inventory, bidding wars, and the Bank of Canada raises housing...
In this post we look at the condominium neighbourhoods within the Toronto and GTA area that have performed well in terms of home price appreciation during 2020.
Given the year we’ve had and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s interesting to note which neighbourhoods within the Toronto and GTA area have performed well in terms of...
In this month's Move Smartly report, we look at key trends to keep an eye on in the Toronto real estate market during 2021.
In this month's Move Smartly report, we look back at 2020 and how COVID-19 impacted the Toronto real estate market.
Realosophy's John Pasalis talks to Yahoo Finance about why Toronto's real estate market broke records during what's usually a quiet holiday season.
Realosophy's John Pasalis talks to BNN's Greg Bonnell about record month in which sales surged 64.5 per cent year-over-year amidst double-digit gains in all property types.
This month's Move Smartly report discusses when Toronto's downtown condo market will return to normal and the many vulnerabilities it faces.
This month's Move Smartly report investigates the rapid acceleration in demand and house prices in Toronto's suburban markets.
With the Toronto condo market cooling, this month's Move Smartly report investigates which condos are to watch - and which to avoid.
Our lead story in this month's Move Smartly Report unpacks conflicting reports about the condo market.
As the gap widens between Toronto's hot market for houses and a cooling market for condos, it's more important than ever to put your moves in the right order.
This month, The Move Smartly Report digs into where Toronto's surge in condo rental supply is coming from.
Once again, is the real problem supply or demand?
Our Monthly Market Report looks at how well major forecasts for Toronto area home prices are holding up six months after the start of the Covid-19 crisis.
In spite of three months of economic free fall due to COVID-19, the Toronto real estate market seems to be returning to its pre-pandemic vigour.
Canada's top mortgage body just shared some pretty bleak expectations - should we take heed?
Why the widely reported drop in condo prices in last week's news was misleading.
The market is now more competitive than it was four weeks ago.
The Greater Toronto Area saw a record low 2,942 home sales in April 2020.
The average rent for a condo across the Toronto area is down, while units for rent climb.
An increase in months of inventory suggests buyers as slowly re-entering the market - but not all regions across the Toronto area are picking up at the same speed.
Home sales numbers continue to be down across Toronto and the GTA, but an equal drop in new homes for sale appears to be keeping prices stable.
The Greater Toronto Area saw a sharp decline in both sales and new listings as home buyers and sellers adjust to the reality of the Coronavirus crisis.
Some markets in the Greater Toronto Area are showing signs of the type of slowdown that requires buyers and sellers to act carefully.
Toronto real estate market sales have dropped sharply in the third week of Ontario's state of emergency due to Coronavirus pandemic.
While the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis is unprecedented, its impact on the real estate market can be seen in terms of demand and supply effects which tend to be more familiar.
This week, I talked to BNN Bloomberg about the questions you should be asking yourself before investing in a pre-construction condo.
John Pasalis, President of Realosophy Realty, joins BNN Bloomberg to discuss needed changes to Canada's mortgage stress tests - and why it is unlikely to make a big impact on the...
Condos in the Greater Toronto Area are fetching prices 15% higher than last year - but this time, it's not because of higher demand.
Realosophy's John Pasalis talks to BNN's Greg Bonnell about why sharply rising prices - particularly in Toronto's condo sector - might be a cause for concern.
Realosophy's John Pasalis chats with the team at BNN Bloomberg to review Toronto real estate in 2019 - and discuss what's ahead for 2020.
While many buyers simply hope for the best, others focus on finding a bargain - but all should instead focus on steering clear of the problem areas that bring an overall market...
One data trend emerges starkly amongst a litany of theories.
Pot's legal in Canada, but there are still good reasons to stay clear of a home that has been used a marijuana grow operation - here's how to do it.
The Toronto Area real estate market is heating up and getting competitive this winter as sales and prices rise and the number of new listings falls.
Why it's important to know whether a home has heritage designation before you buy - and how to check.
Why momentum is swinging back to the regions - and types of homes - that were hit hardest in last few years.
All Toronto area regions saw sales grow by double digits - except for Halton.
Why the returning Liberal Government's first-time buyer incentives are unlikely to make much of a difference - and what policy changes would.
In the City of Toronto, homes are currently being advertised for sale with front pad parking spots that need to be registered to be considered legal.
Toronto's fall real estate market opened with continued demand for detached homes throughout the Toronto area, with York Region leading the way.
Toronto's booming real estate market and our love of tv reno shows has made the "flip" - a quickly renovated home - part of our everyday vocabulary, but it poses unique risks for...
What are building permits - and how can they help you avoid buying homes with major problems?
Use the latest in data technology to avoid being surprised by these common but ‘invisible’ house problems.
I've seen many interesting things in Toronto's real estate market over the past twenty years, but recently came across one of the oddest things I've ever seen.
August home sales in the Greater Toronto (GTA) area were up 13% over the same month last year based on Realosophy Realty's analysis of sales through the Toronto Real Estate...
Toronto area detached home sales in continued to surge in last month - so why are prices falling?
Why are house prices sliding in the West of Canada, while the East returns to growth, with the Toronto Area's York Region leading the way?
Toronto area condo prices are now out of reach for many buyers, pushing sales down - so what's keeping prices up?
Strong demand continues with sales up 19% over the same month last year, but why aren't we seeing the bidding wars of previous years?
York Region detached homes were the hardest hit by a bubble in 2017 - so why are sales booming again?
Condos have helped to prop up a drooping real estate market in the Toronto area - but has demand for them started to cool?
Research shows that financial stress is among the top reasons couples get divorced. So why do we keep overspending on our homes?
What I advise home sellers to do when their home is not selling - and why it differs from the approach often taken by agents.
Launched this past fall, TheMindfulBroker.com aims to address a critical gap in our adult education - how to meet our basic need for housing successfully.
Toronto is doing better at the things that matter most and was less affected by negative factors.
The good, the bad and the ugly details that might impact Toronto’s housing market in the year ahead.
A soft landing in the housing market is a moderate and relatively balanced decline in house prices rather than a big 40-50% crash that some housing markets experience when bubbles...
After studying housing markets for two decades, I have learned that making better real estate decisions is not about luck, or timing, or wealth.
Special Report: Toronto’s twenty-year housing boom has resulted in a negative side effect that homeowners are starting to feel – very high debt levels.
Housing markets are notoriously difficult to predict - but data can help home buyers and sellers answer some critical questions.
Will the Toronto real estate market return to previously seen highs - or has a major new road block appeared?
When will innovative Toronto-area brokerages like Realosophy finally be able to share home sold prices with consumers online?
Why are so many homes sitting empty and why has the number increased over last year?
When we look at the number of properties that have been listed for sale in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) (including Toronto) since 2012, we see a very interesting trend.
The Canadian federal government introduced new mortgage rules in the fall of 2016 to combat rapidly increasing home prices - but have they driven up condo prices instead?
One of the questions I get often from buyers is how house prices can remain stable while sales are declining and inventory is increasing?
This time last year, nearly 1,000 Toronto home buyers and sellers suffered major financial losses - could they have done something differently or was it just bad timing?
With Toronto Areacondo sales down 26% in April 2018, many buyers are wondering why the condo market is still incredibly competitive and prices are still up.
Today we're releasing a new report featuring my analysis of last year's real estate bubble - why it happened and how it affected home buyers and sellers in Toronto and the Greater...
This time last year we published a report Freeholds on Fire: How Investor Demand for Houses is Driving Up Prices in the Greater Toronto Area which looked at how investors in the...
The headlines and the recent numbers about the Greater Toronto Area’s real estate market have not been great this spring. Average home prices are down 14% in March and sales are...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News, Condo Buying
Ryerson’s City Building Institute published an interesting paper this week that concluded that builders are not building...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Yesterday the Ontario provincial government announced plans to add more regulation to the practice of double...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
If you’re considering buying a home in the Greater Toronto Area, it’s really tough to make sense of what is really happening in the real...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News, Home Buying
In my last blog post (The GTA Neighbourhoods Home Buyers Should Avoid), I walked through a metric we use at Realosophy to...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News, Home Buying
I recently stopped by TVO’s The Agenda to discuss the latest market stats with the Toronto Star’s Tess Kalinowski, and host...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News, Home Buying
“Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful” - Warren Buffett
Acclaimed investor Warren Buffett...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
The province of Ontario just announced that 4.7% of the 18,282 homes purchased in the Greater Golden Horseshoe between April 24th and May...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News , Home Buying
If there is one part of the home buying process that all of Toronto hates – it’s when you have to compete for a home...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
On April 20th 2017 the Ontario government introduced their Fair Housing Plan which included a 15% tax on homes purchased by foreign...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
The first half of 2017 has been a roller coaster ride for Toronto’s real estate market.
The first 3 months of the year were the most...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
The Ontario government has responded to the rapid growth in house prices and rents in the Greater Toronto Area by releasing what they...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
The first week of April saw the number of new listings of freehold houses (detached, semi-detached and townhouses) surge 62% over last...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Toronto's real estate market continued to defy gravity in March when the average price for a home climbed to $922,757 in March 2017, a 33%...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Last year I wrote about a trend I had been noticing in the Toronto area real estate market - whether at our office or at dinner parties,...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
In the late 1980's economists Robert Shiller and Karl Case began to challenge the long standing assumption that all home buying decisions...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
The Greater Toronto Area's real estate market is off to a very hot start in 2017. The table below shows the average price for a detached...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Earlier this month the Toronto Real Estate Board announced that the average price of a detached home in the 905 region was up 29.4% year...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News, Home Buying
As I started my own home search a few months ago I found myself in an interesting position – for an owner of a real estate...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Torontonians have become so accustomed to hearing about how competitive the real estate market is and how quickly prices are rising that...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Readers of this blog know that I am not one to call bubbles lightly (or every month for the past few years, like some). Something may...
Many research focused home buyers looking to make a smart home buying decision will often invest a lot of their time studying the average price per...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
If you're a buyer looking for a home in Toronto right now, you probably know first hand how competitive the market is. You are probably...
No home buyer wants to be the sad buyer in our chart below who bought their house at the absolute peak of a real estate bubble, just before prices...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News, Home Buying
For decades, real estate agents have been helping home buyers with the art of buying a home. They have advised them on what...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Bubbles are always easy to call after the fact, but things are far less clear when you’re in one.
The fact that leading economists can’t...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
The Toronto Real Estate Board published the results of a survey of recent and intending home buyers which reveals some interesting...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Below are my top takeaways for Toronto’s real estate market in 2015.
Record Sales
The GTA saw a strong increase in the demand for homes in...
John Pasalis in Realosophy News
Really happy to be launching Realosophy Pro this week, our latest analytics product that shows past sale history, comparable sales and deep...
Purchasing power parity is an economic theory that helps us understand how overvalued or undervalued currencies are by comparing their currencies purchasing power for identical...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
The average price for a Toronto home increased by 5% in September over the same month last year to $427,329.
You can see all the monthly...
UPDATE - 12:18PM - Unfortunately, John's online chat with the Globe and Mail and consumers @ noon today was canceled due to technical difficulties at the Globe. But since...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
It was a relatively quiet August for Toronto’s real estate market with the number of sales for the month falling 22% over the same month...
John Pasalis in Five Questions, Toronto Real Estate News, Mortgages and Finance
Editor's Note: "Five Questions For" is a periodic series in which Move Smartly bloggers get answers...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Editor's Note: Due to spam and trolling issues, Move Smartly's comments have been disabled. But we still want to hear from you! Please...
John in Toronto Real Estate News
Toronto home sales continued to slide in June. The Toronto Real Estate Board reported 8,442 home sales in June, a 23% decline over the same month...
John in Toronto Real Estate News
In case you haven’t heard, we’re in a real estate bubble! Well, at least according to Toronto Life.
In their current Real Estate Issue, Toronto...
John in Toronto Real Estate News, Toronto Neighbourhoods
The slowdown in Toronto's real estate market continued in May with sales actually dropping by 1% over the same month last...
John in Toronto Real Estate News
For the average home buyer, making sense of Toronto’s real estate market is not easy. We often read conflicting media reports about the market...
John in Toronto Real Estate News
For the first time since 2008 the growth in new listings coming on the market in April exceeded the growth in sales. A significant turning point...
John in Toronto Real Estate News
From the Teranet National Bank House Price Index:
Canadian home prices in February were up 9.9% from a year earlier, according to the...
John in Toronto Real Estate News
From the Canadian Real Estate Association's Press Release:
Homebuyers have more choice heading into the busy spring buying season, with new...
John in Toronto Real Estate News
Since May 2009 the number of houses coming on the market for sale in Toronto has been on the decline while the demand from buyers measured by the...
John and Urmi in Toronto Real Estate News
Like many of you, we’ve been following the Competition Bureau’s decision to challenge the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA)’s MLS...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
It seems as though any time house prices are on the rise in Toronto, regardless of how modest the increase might be, Torontonians are...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Toronto and Vancouver have Canada’s hottest real estate market according to the Teranet-National Bank House Price figures released this...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
The average price for a Toronto home increased by 4% in 2009 to $395,460, the 13th straight year house values have increased in Toronto.
...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
The Toronto Real Estate Board’s November Market Watch report showed the first sign that some relief might be on the way for Toronto home...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News, Home Buying Tips
The Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO) recently published a brochure with some consumer focused information about...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News, Real Estate Trends
In case you missed the headlines earlier this week, after a two-year investigation into Canada’s real estate brokerage...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Toronto real estate prices increased by 9.4% in just four months according to the Teranet National Bank House Price Index.
The House...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
There are a lot of factors at play when it comes to the current shortage in housing supply that we are seeing in Toronto.
From...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
The Toronto Real Estate Board released their monthly Market Watch report yesterday and the numbers aren't very encouraging. We are...
John Pasalis in Home Buying Tips
My last post on multiple offers sparked reaction from agents and consumers alike. As a follow up, I’ll consider these comments and further clarify...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
The Toronto Real Estate Board released their monthly Market Watch report for August showing 8,035 home sales in August - a 27% increase...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
The Toronto Real Estate Board reported a record 9,967 resale home sales for July, a 28% increase over the same month last year. Average...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
When Toronto’s real estate market started to pick up in April it was encouraging to see that many Toronto home buyers were taking a very...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
The Toronto Real Estate Board reported 10,995 sales in June 2009, a 27% increase over the same month in the previous year and the highest...
John Pasalis in Home Buying Tips
When buyers decide to make an offer to purchase a home their real estate agent typically includes two conditions in the agreement of purchase and...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
From the Canadian Real Estate Association's Press Release:
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National...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Home sales in the Greater Toronto Area increased by almost 2% to 9,589 in May 2009, the first monthly increase since December 2007....
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News, Condo Buying Tips
Toronto’s condo market is on solid ground according to a recent research paper published by Scotiabank Economics....
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) recently released two new commercials as part of their "How Realtors Help" ad campaign. I ...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
February 2009 marked the sixth straight monthly decline for the Teranet National Bank House Price Index for Canada. Canadian home prices...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
The overall mood about the current state of Toronto’s real estate market typically depends on the two most commonly reported statistics in...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
The Toronto Real Estate Board released their March sales statistics yesterday and they appear to be encouraged by the fact that sales are...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Canadian home prices fell 2.4% in January 2009 led by declines in Calgary (-8.2%) and Vancouver (-4.2%). The Teranet-National Bank House...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
The Toronto Real Estate Board reported 2,565 transactions in the first half of March 2009, a 19% drop from the 3,183 transactions reported...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
The recent slowdown in Toronto’s real estate market has left many people wondering where the market is heading leading up to the busy...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Fellow real estate blogger Richard Silver has the inside scoop on TREB's February sales statistics.
The Toronto Real Estate Board recorded...
John Pasalis in Leslieville, Urban Issues
The Ontario Municipal Board has decided that big box stores anchored by a Wal-mart have no place in Leslieville. The board said that...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Canadian house prices in December 2008 were down just .6% from a year earlier, according to the Teranet-National Bank House Price Index....
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
In the past 18 months 700 Ontario homes have been insulated with a prohibited type of insulation called urea formaldehyde-based thermal...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Under normal circumstances, a 26% decline in real estate sales is not something to be excited about. But these are not normal...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Over the past couple of months the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO) has issued a freeze order, freezing the accounts of three...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
The Toronto Real Estate Board reported 3,433 condominium rentals in the Greater Toronto Area from September to December 2008, a 30%...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Canada's Home Renovation Tax Credit (HRTC) was introduced as part of the 2009 federal budget and was just one of several measures...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Toronto real estate sales declined by 50% during the first half of January 2009, continuing a sales slide that started in October 2008.
...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post about a new Canadian House Price Index launched by National Bank and Teranet. I thought I would...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Using a simple average to measure the change in real estate values can present a number of problems. I have covered these issues in ...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
RBC Economics says that Canada is experiencing a “Canadian-style” housing downturn but will avoid a US style housing market crash. The...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
The Toronto Real Estate Board recorded 3,640 sales in the Greater Toronto Area for November 2008, a 50% decline over the 7,313 recorded in...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
For the past couple of months I have been cautioning our readers against making any big conclusions about Toronto’s real estate market...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
For those who missed the headlines last week, the Toronto Real Estate Board announced their bleak sales figures for October 2008. The...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News, Condo Buying Tips
In May of this year the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) released an optimistic report on Toronto's...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
The average price for a home in the city of Toronto dropped by 15% during the first half of October, eclipsing the 6% decline we saw last...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News, Condo Buying Tips
The past ten years have been kind to home buyers and real estate speculators who invested in pre-construction...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
After a slight decline in new listings in August, we saw new listings climb 19% over 2007 levels in September and 6% over the volume we...
John Pasalis in Real Estate Trends
CEP News interviewed me several weeks ago for a story about a home buyer who decided to purchase a house with a rental unit as a way to spend a...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Toronto’s real estate bubble in the late 1980’s left a grave mark on the city. Those who didn’t lose money in the bubble probably knew...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Real estate sales in the Greater Toronto Area for the first half of September declined to 2,726 a 16% drop over the record set during the...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
In April of this year I indicated that my outlook for Toronto’s real estate market was neither bullish nor bearish. I said that Toronto...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
When I reported last month that real estate prices increased by just $298 in July 2008, I wondered when Toronto would see its first...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Many of our readers have been a bit concerned about the rise in inventory (homes available for sale) in Toronto’s real estate market. The...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
When economists see a significant and sustained deviation from recent trends in data, they try to find the factor(s) that may have...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Updated (3:49pm 8/14/2008) :The Toronto Real Estate Board’s Market Watch reports for May and December of 2007 incorrectly swapped the...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Some interesting numbers from the Toronto Real Estate Board this month.
The average sale price for a home in the City of Toronto last...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
A few months ago I did a live online Q&A on globeandmail.com where I had the opportunity to answer questions about Toronto’s real estate...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Last week we released our Q1 2008 Move Smartly Housing Report which offers a detailed summary of real estate sales by neighbourhood....
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
One of our reasons for launching realosophy.com was to educate consumers about some of the not so nice things that can go on in the real...
John Pasalis in Real Estate Trends
I am a pretty loyal user of Google Maps but over the past few months I have been using Microsoft’s Live Maps when I want to map houses or...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
The latest numbers from the Toronto Real Estate Board:
Download the Complete Market Watch Report
The trend toward more balanced market...
John Pasalis in Real Estate Trends
The Globe and Mail interviewed me for an article published this weekend about a local real estate site called Housing123.com that the Canadian...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
The story for Toronto’s real estate market continues to be consistent half way through June. Prices continue to rise and sales continue to...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
The Toronto Real Estate Board recorded 9,411 sales in the Greater Toronto Area in May 2008, a 16% decline over last year. Prices increased...
John Pasalis in Real Estate Trends
I just came across a Forbes article covering the world's first billion dollar home. The home is being built for Indian billionaire and fifth...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News, Condo Buying Tips
Last week I raised a couple of concerns about a recent Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) report that had...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
The Toronto Real Estate Board released their sales figures for the first half of May 2008 and the statistics continue to show a softer...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Two housing reports released this week have been making headlines across the country. The reports from Scotiabank and CMHC are forecasting...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Earlier this week Realosophy.com released their first Quarterly Move Smartly Housing Report to subscribers.
The Realosophy team is...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
The Toronto Real Estate Board released their sales for April 2008. It wasn't much of a surprise to see that sales declined 7% in April...
John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News
Last Friday I was invited to answer questions about Toronto’s real estate market in a live online discussion on globeandmail.com. I...
John Pasalis in Money, Home Buying Tips
Last week, the Toronto Star’s Ellen Roseman wrote an article titled 40-year Mortgage Comes with Hidden Hazards. On Move Smartly, we often...
John in Toronto Real Estate News
There were a couple of reports yesterday that are sure to make the average home buyers head spin.
While the Toronto Real Estate Board announced a...
John in Toronto Real Estate News
Here are the latest numbers from the Toronto Real Estate Board.
Low inventory levels kept the Greater Toronto Area resale housing market brisk but...
John in Home Buying, Home Selling Tips
Multiple Representation (also referred to as Dual Agency) can occur when one agent represents both the buyer and the seller in a real estate...
John in Toronto Real Estate News
The Toronto Real Estate Board released their statistics for the first half of March and it's no surprise to hear that sales in the GTA are down...
John in Toronto Real Estate News
Here's is the latest press release from the Toronto Real Estate Board:
Resale home transactions in the Greater Toronto Area continued at a...
John in Toronto Real Estate News
There’s a new book on the market that is sure to satisfy Toronto real estate bubble theorists. While I haven’t read it yet, recent media reports...
John in Condo Buying Tips, Legal
A couple of months ago, CBCs’ Marketplace had a great feature that highlighted many of the problems that buyers of new condominiums are faced...
John in Toronto Real Estate News
Real estate sales rebounded slightly in the second half of February according to the Toronto Real Estate Board. Resale sales were down 14% during...
John in Toronto Real Estate News
Urbancorp, the developer behind West Side Lofts and Bridge Condos, is Toronto’s first condo developer to leverage Facebook’s new advertising...
John in Toronto Real Estate News
Any time a realtor represents a family member in a real estate transaction, this relationship must be disclosed to all parties involved. Being...
After months of work, I’m excited that the Realosophy team has added some great updates to our site. One of our goals when we first started was to help...
John in HomeBuying, Money
With all the news about interest rate cuts recently, many home buyers are wondering if now is the right time to go with a variable rate mortgage. The...
John in Home Buying, Toronto Real Estate News
In a previous post I addressed the one question that’s on most first time buyers minds; is now the right time to buy my first home?...
John in HomeBuying, Toronto Real Estate News
It’s a tough time to be a first-time home buyer in Toronto. Toronto’s eleven year real estate boom has left many first time buyers...
John in Toronto Real Estate News
REM, a Canadian real estate industry publication, reports that discount brokerage Realtysellers is suing the Toronto Real Estate Board for $41...
John in Home Buying, Legal
Multiple offers on homes are a common occurrence in Toronto’s hot real estate market. For those unfamiliar with the dynamics of a multiple offer, go to
John in Home Buying, Media Roundup
Home Information Packs (HIPs) were introduced in the UK this past summer as a way to improve transparency in the HomeBuying process. HIPs...
John in Money, Media Roundup
Rob Carrick from the Globe and Mail had a great article last week that highlighted the effects the US subprime mortgage collapse is having on Canadian...
John in Condo Buying, Toronto Real Estate News
Now that the dust has settled on the insanity that was the 1 Bloor broker preview, we can start asking what the future holds for...
John in Home Buying
Real estate agents have a saying; a well-listed property is half-sold. The term ‘well-listed’ refers to the information the listing agent entered into the MLS...
John in Toronto Real Estate News, Home Buying
The victims of a phantom (or fake) multiple offer recently came forward to tell their story to Toronto Star reporter Gail Swainson....
John in Toronto Condos and Lofts
idea At a Glance
Neighbourhood: Long BranchTotal Suites: To be announcedExpected Occupancy: December 2009Developer: Queenscorp Residences...
John in HomeBuying, Money, Toronto Real Estate News, Real Insight
Ed note. Real Insight is a periodic feature decoding some of the many mysteries surrounding HomeBuying.
Some of...
John in HomeBuying, Money, Lifestyle, Real Life
Ed note. Real Life is a periodic feature detailing stories about the situations HomeBuyers encounter in the real world.
A reader...
John in Toronto Real Estate News
Here are the latest housing stats, in the words of the Toronto Real Estate Board:
September 20, 2007 -- With 3,236 sales so far this month,...
John in Realosophy News, HomeBuying
The absence of consumer protection in the real estate industry was one of the main reasons our team started Realosophy. HomeBuyers are the most...
John in Money, HomeBuying, Real Insight, In the News
Ed note. Real Insight is a periodic feature decoding some of the many mysteries surrounding HomeBuying.
Last weekend’s...
John in Toronto Real Estate News
Here are the latest housing stats, in the words of the Toronto Real Estate Board:
August 2007 became the fifth record-setting month in a row,...
John in HomeBuying, Toronto Real Estate News
Talk about real estate in Toronto usually centers on the city’s booming housing market. For the past seven years, we’ve been hearing...
John in Toronto Real Estate News, Legal
An article in the Globe and Mail this weekend tells the story of a handful of investors who pre-purchased condominium suites at the now...
John in Toronto Real Estate News
I came across a New York Times article this weekend that outlines the lending practices of one of the US's largest mortgage lenders, Countrywide...
Rezen is a new condominium project currently under construction at the corner of Frederick and Adelaide, just west of Sherbourne. This condo is a short walk from...
John in Toronto Real Estate News
The persistence of Toronto’s red hot real estate market has left many HomeBuyers wondering if things are ever going to slow down. The US real...
John in Real Insight, HomeBuying
Ed note. Real Insight is a periodic feature decoding some of the many mysteries surrounding HomeBuying.
A couple I know was recently given the...
Rumor has it that Boutique Condos will be adding an additional 16 floors on top of its Phase 2 condo at the corners of Nelson and Simcoe in Toronto's ...
John in Toronto Real Estate News
New stats reveal that Toronto’s red hot real estate market is showing no signs of slowing down. July’s 8,912 total sales is a 26 percent increase...
Five short years ago, the only reason most people were driving by the corner of Cherry and Mill streets was to get to a Toronto landmark, the Canary Restaurant. As...
John in HomeBuying, Toronto Real Estate News
An article in the Toronto Star this weekend highlights one HomeBuyer’s experience competing in four bidding wars (multiple offers)....
John in HomeBuying
Many HomeBuyers have a difficult time deciding on the type of home and neighbourhood they want to live in. Couples often have an even harder time because both...
John in Real Insight, Money, HomeBuying
Ed note. Real Insight is a periodic feature decoding some of the many mysteries surrounding HomeBuying.
Earlier this month, I came across a...
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