Ministers say feds working to stabilize immigration levels amid housing pressures – National

Ministers say feds working to stabilize immigration levels amid housing pressures – National

Housing Minister Sean Fraser and Immigration Minister Marc Miller say the federal government is working to stabilize the number of people entering the country every year as housing pressures mount. The Canadian Press reported Thursday on internal documents from 2022 showing Immigration Department employees warned their deputy minister that a major increase in immigration could … Read more

Converted 1860s church in Adelaide Hills sells for little more than $900,000

Converted 1860s church in Adelaide Hills sells for little more than 0,000

An almost 150-year-old chapel nestled in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia has been snapped up by a new owner for little more than $900,000. The 1860 church, which has been converted into a bed and breakfast and wedding venue, was sold on December 27 for $915,000. Located in the small township of Hay Valley, … Read more

Ottawa warned about impact of high immigration on housing in 2022: documents – National

Ottawa warned about impact of high immigration on housing in 2022: documents – National

Federal public servants warned the government two years ago that large increases to immigration could affect housing affordability and services, internal documents show. Documents obtained by The Canadian Press through an access-to-information request show Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada analyzed the potential effects immigration would have on the economy, housing and services, as it prepared … Read more

David ‘Kochie’ Koch blasts Australian boomers in warning to young home loan borrowers

David ‘Kochie’ Koch blasts Australian boomers in warning to young home loan borrowers

Former Sunrise host-turned Compare the Market economic director David “Kochie” Koch has crunched the numbers to expose a growing wealth gap in the housing market. He linked spending by those in the older generation to a boom in inflation, and explained how mature Australians have been shielded from rate rises, in a “tough pill for … Read more

Queensland landlords praised for sending tenants a Christmas card and gift

Queensland landlords praised for sending tenants a Christmas card and gift

A Queensland landlord’s kind act during the holiday season has been praised online, with many commending them for “being one of the good landlords out there”. Liz Elliot and her partner Daniel received a card from their landlords with a Visa gift card inside. The landlords thanked Liz and Daniel for “being so easy to … Read more

Home prices surge, Detroit gains beat Miami

Home prices surge, Detroit gains beat Miami

A for sale sign hangs outside a home on the west side of Detroit, Michigan. Fabrizio Costantini | Bloomberg | Getty Images Home prices are rising faster and faster each month, fueled by a decline in mortgage rates. On a national level, home prices jumped 5.2% in November compared with the same mont a year … Read more

Mortgage rate decline pulls buyers back into the housing market

Mortgage rate decline pulls buyers back into the housing market

A sharp drop in mortgage interest rates in December may have kickstarted this year’s spring housing market early. Rates are about a full percentage point lower than they were in October, and consumers expect they will fall even more. Optimism about mortgage rates increased sharply in December, according to a monthly consumer survey by Fannie … Read more

The 2023 U.S. economy, in charts

The 2023 U.S. economy, in charts

A pedestrian holds an umbrella as they walk along a street in the rain in Times Square, New York, on Sept. 26, 2023. Ed Jones | AFP | Getty Images The state of the U.S. economy may be a chief concern among Americans, but 2023 wound up as a pretty good year for the macroenvironment. … Read more

NatWest chair criticised for saying not that difficult to buy a home

NatWest chair criticised for saying not that difficult to buy a home

Howard Davies, chairman of Natwest Group Plc. Bloomberg | Getty Images The chair of one of Britain’s biggest banks faced a backlash Friday after saying it is not “that difficult” to get on the property ladder. NatWest chair Howard Davies told the BBC’s “Today” program that the current economic landscape — which has seen interest … Read more

Mortgage demand down 9.4% for final week of 2023, despite recent drop in interest rates

Mortgage rate decline pulls buyers back into the housing market

A “For Sale” sign sits in front of a new home May 27, 2004 in Miami, Florida. Joe Raedle | Getty Images Mortgage demand ended 2023 on a sour note, despite a sharp drop in mortgage interest rates during December. Total application volume was down 9.4% for the week ending December 29, compared with two … Read more