La déco quand il fait chaud : 5 façons de rafraîchir notre déco sans climatiseur

Avec la belle saison viennent les longues soirées passées dehors, les rayons de soleil ardents qui nous réveillent le matin de leurs pointes lumineuses et… la chaleur. Je vous entends déjà me dire que nous n’avons pas le droit de nous plaindre de la chaleur puisque nous l’avons attendue avec ferveur et impatience tout l’hiver. L’idée n’est pas ici de souhaiter la fin de l’été, mais de plutôt se donner les outils nécessaires pour profiter pleinement de la belle saison en adaptant notre déco, et ce, même sans climatiseur. Je vous propose donc 5 astuces pour rester au frais cet été.

Dans la chambre, pensez au lit

Nous avons notre « garde-robe d’été » et celle d’hiver. Choisir une literie plus légère vous aidera à garder votre matelas frais et contribuera grandement à la qualité de votre sommeil malgré la chaleur.
Une autre façon de rafraîchir votre chambre sans air conditionné est de choisir un matelas qui ne conserve pas la chaleur. Les matelas faits de mousse hybride viscoélastique ventilée, par exemple, permettent d’identifier les points de pression et de réduire la température du matelas. Ils sont parfaits les nuits chaudes d’été, car ils vous donneront fraîcheur et confort!

Fermez les portes

Si vous savez que vous n’utiliserez pas certaines pièces de votre appartement ou maison pendant la journée, gardez leurs portes fermées. Ces pièces ne seront pas en mesure de « voler » l’air frais d’ailleurs, ce qui vous aidera à garder vos autres pièces à une température plus agréable. À l’inverse, vous voudrez aussi profiter des heures de la nuit, plus fraîches, en ouvrant toutes les portes intérieures pour laisser l’air circuler librement dans votre maison et rafraîchir les pièces au passage.

Optez pour des textiles plus légers

Allégez votre déco en faisant une rotation entre les textiles plus lourds, et par conséquent chauds – tapis, jetés, coussins décoratifs en fourrure, rideaux en velours –, pour des options plus légères. Durant les saisons froides, nous aimons bien nous entourer de textures enveloppantes et de couleurs chaudes. À l’arrivée de l’été, remplacez les couleurs de terre par des couleurs plus vives, beaucoup de blanc et des tissus vaporeux. Ces couleurs claires absorbent moins la chaleur du soleil et les tissus vaporeux respirent mieux et ne conserveront pas l’humidité ambiante. Pour un visuel sans faille, vous n’avez qu’à visualiser les couleurs qu’arborent les maisons des îles grecques. Voyage sensoriel garanti!

Inversez votre ventilateur de plafond

Une petite astuce futée! Vous ne savez peut-être pas que votre ventilateur de plafond doit être ajusté en fonction des saisons. En été, inversez-le pour qu’il tourne dans le sens inverse des aiguilles d’une montre et faites-le tourner à une vitesse plus élevée. Ainsi le flux d’air du ventilateur créera un effet refroidisseur descendant qui vous permettra de vous sentir plus au frais. L’hiver, vous faites l’inverse pour faire descendre la chaleur vers le sol.

Passez aux fluocompactes

Si vous avez déjà eu besoin d’un agent motivateur pour passer aux ampoules fluocompactes, le voici. Les ampoules à incandescence gaspillent environ 90 % de leur énergie dans la chaleur qu’elles dégagent. Le simple fait de les remplacer aura alors pour effet de vous sauver des sous sur votre facture d’électricité et de diminuer la quantité de chaleur dans la maison. Deux pierres brillantes d’un coup!

J’espère que ces quelques astuces vous rafraîchissent simplement à les lire et que vous aurez tôt fait de les mettre en application afin de pouvoir continuer de profiter pleinement de l’été sans avoir trop chaud!

This ‘Justin Bieber House’ Is for Sale… And the Seller Wants Him to Stay on Display

Imagine buying a home, but the catch is Justin Bieber HAD to stay on display in the living room window?

Would you buy it? Would you be nodding your head yes when you wanna say no? Your mama probably won’t like it, and she likes everyone.

Well, one home for sale in Kingston, Ontario, comes with a famous neighbourhood feature… and its next owner may be asked to keep the popstar poster tradition going.

For roughly a decade (seriously, we went to Google Street View and confirmed this), a life-sized cutout of the iconic Canadian musician has watched over the neighbourhood from the front window of the corner lot home.

According to the listing now on REALTOR.ca, the home hit the market over the weekend and is already catching the attention of the community and local media.

Adam Candon, the listing agent and REALTOR®, went on Kingston’s 98.3 FLY FM recently to explain the cultural significance of this property, known to locals as “the Bieber House.”

“A few years ago when we first sold the property, the purcahser had called me and said, ‘I think I made a huge mistake. I took down the Justin Bieber poster and it seems like the community was a bit angry at us,” Candon says.

“Now that it’s going back up on the market, we’re putting a clause in to make sure the new purchaser does not take down or doesn’t even think about taking down the famous Justin Bieber (cutout poster).”

While he says the “clause” is more of a gesture than a legally binding agreement, the point remains: the community wants to Beliebe the poster will stay.

“The agreement basically states that the first purchaser shall not remove, relocate or obscure the poster whereby preserving the property’s distinctive character, humour and community recognition as the Justin Bieber house,” Candon says.

The listing itself calls the property one of the area’s most recognizable homes and a “true Kingston landmark.”

That might sound like a little Bieber Fever, but there’s history here.

The poster was taken down for a brief stint in 2024, and the reaction online, especially in the Kingston subreddit, was fierce. The post announcing that “The Biebs has left the building” attracted hundreds of upvotes, with commenters mourning the loss of their familiar neighbourhood landmark.

You could say residents were asking: What Do You Mean? Fortunately, it wasn’t too late to say Sorry.

The Justin Bieber poster eventually returned to his familiar place in the window, where he remains today.

And now that the home is for sale again, its owner apparently wants to make sure the next buyer doesn’t give Bieber another reason to sing Where Are Ü Now.

Would you buy a home with a beloved tradition attached?

Forget the Biebs for a second. Imagine finding a home you love, at a price that works, in the neighbourhood you want, but there’s a big catch.

Maybe the previous owners ask you to keep a beloved lawn ornament. Maybe there’s a mural neighbours adore. Maybe a decades-old holiday display has become a local tradition.

It’s a fun hypothetical, but there are also situations where buyers really can face limitations on what they can change. Heritage designations, condominium rules, easements and restrictive covenants can all potentially affect what you can do with a property.

That’s why buyers should understand whether something is simply a seller’s request, a beloved neighbourhood tradition or an actual restriction affecting the property. A REALTOR® and real estate lawyer can help clarify what you’re agreeing to before the keys change hands.

As for Kingston’s most famous window resident?

Baby, baby, baby, oh… he might actually just be part of the curb appeal.

What to know about Kingston, Ontario

Once Canada’s first capital and famously home to The Tragically Hip, Kingston carries many names: the Limestone City, #YGK, Ktown, and to locals, home.

With Queen’s University, Royal Military College, and St. Lawrence College, Kingston proudly stands as a hub of education and innovation. Its population is made up of students, public sector and military members, retirees, young professionals, families, new Canadians, artists, creatives, and so much more.

Whether you’re drawn to the historic heart of downtown with its amazing waterfront views and endless restaurant options, the family-friendly streets of the west end, the quiet green spaces of the north end, or the up-and-coming energy of the east end, there’s a corner of Kingston that feels just right for everyone. But me? I’ve got a soft spot for the West End and Sunnyside. They’re perfectly centrally into the middle of it all—close enough to the action, but with a laid-back feel that makes everyday living just right.

Learn more about Kingston, Ontario, in our Neighbourhood Guide written by resident and influencer, Rosalyn Gambhir.

This property was selected for coverage because of its connection to Justin Bieber and its cultural significance. REALTOR.ca did not receive compensation in connection with this article, and no preferential placement was provided. This article is intended for editorial and informational purposes only. Any references to the property or its listing are intended solely to provide context to the story. Listing information was current at the time of publication and may change without notice.

5 bonnes raisons de vivre à Joliette

Située à 45 minutes de Montréal, la ville de Joliette, capitale administrative de la région de Lanaudière, partage son pôle urbain avec les villes de Notre-Dame-des-Prairies et de Saint-Charles-Borromée. Bien connue pour son festival de musique classique, dont la notoriété dépasse les frontières, c’est une ville dynamique où nature et culture se côtoient à merveille. Entre une balade sur les berges de la rivière L’Assomption, une visite au musée ou une bouffe gastronomique au centre-ville, les plus de 20 000 Joliettains et Joliettaines jouissent d’une belle qualité de vie. La ville de Joliette s’est d’ailleurs classée, selon un sondage de la firme Léger de mai 2021, au 19e rang des villes québécoises où il fait bon vivre, et au premier rang pour la région de Lanaudière.

Cet article a été initialement publié le 18 avril 2022 et a été mis à jour pour garantir que les informations restent exactes et pertinentes.

Voici cinq bonnes raisons de s’y installer

Photo : Tourisme Lanaudière – Simon Laroche

Un centre-ville animé

Le centre-ville de Joliette s’articule autour de l’esplanade de la place Bourget, qui, l’été venu, accueille divers concerts en plein air comme les Vendredis acoustiques. Cet épicentre offre aussi une ambiance urbaine et branchée, car ses rues avoisinantes regroupent de nombreuses boutiques et bonnes adresses où se sustenter. On passe de belles soirées sur la terrasse de la Brasserie artisanale Albion, située sur le boulevard Manceau, sur lequel s’est développée une pléiade de petits bistrots et restaurants, dont plusieurs de fine gastronomie.

Photo : Tourisme Lanaudière – Jimmy Vigneux

Le Marché public de Joliette y prend place aussi tous les samedis, de juin à septembre. Une tradition de longue date puisque le premier y a été érigé en 1851. C’est l’occasion de faire le plein de produits frais de la région! D’ailleurs, à moins de 30 minutes du centre-ville, on peut s’approvisionner à même un verger, une ferme, ou une fromagerie. La région de Lanaudière ne manque pas de circuits gourmands! Les Fêtes gourmandes de Lanaudière, se déroulant au mois d’août, sont une autre occasion, à une dizaine de minutes en voiture de Joliette, de découvrir les spécialités lanaudoises.

Photo : Festival de Lanaudière et Christina Alonso

Une ville qui vibre à la musique

La musique a une place importante à Joliette, comme en témoigne sa devise ornée d’une clef de sol : « Joliette, Sol de musique ». Chaque été depuis 1978, la ville est l’hôte du Festival de Lanaudière, le plus important festival de musique classique au Canada accueillant des artistes de la scène nationale et internationale. L’Amphithéâtre Fernand-Lindsay, situé dans un parc, en est la salle de concert principale. La Maison de la musique René-Charette, dont l’inauguration est prévue en 2023, viendra renforcer le rayonnement de ce pôle musical.

Photo : Festival Mémoires et Racines – Guillaume Morin

Parmi les autres incontournables, on retrouve le Festival Blues de Joliette qui a lieu dans les bars et restaurants du centre-ville, et le Festival Mémoires et Racines, un grand festival de musique traditionnelle qui se déroule en plein air au parc Saint-Jean-Bosco et qui s’adresse à toute la famille avec des ateliers autour de la chanson, du conte, des percussions et de la danse traditionnelle. À cela s’ajoute le Centre Culturel de Joliette, qui vient tout juste d’être rénové et sa grande salle de spectacle dédiée aux comédies musicales. Y sera présenté, à l’été 2022, « La Corriveau – La soif des corbeaux », une pièce iconique québécoise.

Une offre culturelle variée

Il n’y a pas que la musique qui fait rayonner l’art à Joliette. Le magnifique bâtiment moderne du Musée d’art de Joliette abrite l’une des plus importantes collections d’œuvres d’art du Québec, soit 8 900 œuvres d’artistes canadiens et québécois, en plus de présenter des expositions et des activités culturelles variées de saisons en saisons. Il est le plus important musée d’art contemporain en dehors des grands centres urbains.

Le Festi-Glace, qui a lieu sur la rivière L’Assomption et qui propose une grande variété de spectacles avec des feux d’artifice et de la sculpture sur neige, anime la saison d’hiver. Mais c’est le très couru Marché de Noël de Joliette qui mène le bal tout le mois de décembre.

Photo : Tourisme Lanaudière – Christian Rouleau

Fondé en 1823 par Barthélemy Joliette, le village d’Industrie devient officiellement la ville de Joliette en 1864. Pour découvrir les événements marquants qui ont façonné son histoire, on se lance sur le Circuit historique de la ville de Joliette, formé de 27 panneaux d’interprétation répartis un peu partout à travers la ville.

Coins verdure à profusion

En été, on peut profiter pleinement de l’extérieur car plusieurs espaces verts, constitués d’arbres matures, se côtoient sur le territoire. La ville compte plus d’une vingtaine de parcs municipaux. Plusieurs sentiers se prêtent à d’agréables balades comme ceux de l’île Vessot, à 5 minutes du centre-ville, ou de la petite réserve naturelle Marie-France-Pelletier où l’on peut admirer la flore régionale. Une partie de la réserve est d’ailleurs en cours de revitalisation. La rivière qui serpente la ville en jolis méandres offre un parc riverain agréable et frais.

La Maison Antoine-Lacombe, du nom de l’agriculteur qui l’a construite en 1847, est un joyau du patrimoine de la ville. Entouré d’un côté par les figures géométriques des jardins français et de l’autre par des parterres de type jardin anglais, l’endroit est aussi un centre culturel où se déroulent des expositions temporaires.

Photo : Tourisme Lanaudière – Louis Coutu

Opportunités de plein air

Pour les plus sportifs, les activités de plein air ne manquent pas, en toutes saisons. En été, on peut faire du kayak ou de la planche à pagaie sur la rivière. Il y d’ailleurs 3 accès très abordables : les parcs des Champs-Élysées, Louis-Querbes et Saint-Jean-Bosco. En hiver, le cours d’eau devient une longue patinoire de neuf kilomètres. Le grand Joliette dispose d’un magnifique réseau cyclable d’une longueur totale de 175 km. Cette courtepointe de pistes alterne différents types de chaussées et de paysages à travers la ville, un champ ou un tronçon le long de la rivière parsemée de jolis ponts pour passer d’une berge à l’autre. Une occasion idéale pour découvrir la municipalité, faire de l’activité physique et profiter de la nature environnante.

Photo : Tourisme Lanaudière – Fabien-Proulx-Tremblay

Les amateurs de golf ont le choix de plusieurs terrains dans la grande région de Joliette, dont le Club de Golf de Joliette, le Club de Golf Base de Roc et le Club de Golf de Crabtree. Enfin, Joliette est à 20 minutes du parc régional des Chutes Monte-à-Peine-et-des-Dalles, offrant un réseau de sentiers pédestres bordé de chutes et de ruisseaux sur 21 km.

Vous pensez acheter une maison à Joliette?

Les maisons unifamiliales sont moins présentes sur le territoire que les immeubles de moins de 5 étages (duplex, triplex, quadruplex), soit 31%, versus 61 %. Selon les plus récentes statistiques, l’Association professionnelle des courtiers immobiliers du Québec (APCIQ) situe le prix médian de ce type de propriété à 400 000 $ pour février 2022, soit une croissance de 30 % comparativement à février 2021 (alors que le prix médian était à 307 100 $). On parle donc d’un marché en pleine croissance dans lequel on peut encore investir à un prix raisonnable. Pour ce qui est des plex et des copropriétés, on trouve sur le site de REALTOR.ca des duplex à Joliette à partir de 320 000 $ et des triplex pour seulement 249 000 $.

Energy Audits: Making Your Home More Efficient

So, you’re thinking about making your house comfier or more energy efficient? Great! Did you know you can get rebates for a lot of home improvements? Depending on where you live, there are cost-saving government initiatives to help you pay for things like new energy-efficient windows, insulation top-ups, and heat pumps (among other things).

Depending on the program, you may need to do an EnerGuide energy efficiency home evaluation (also known as an energy audit) to qualify. And we’re going to tell you how to get one.

Here’s what we’ll cover in this article:

What is an EnerGuide energy efficiency home evaluation and why should I get one?
What happens during an energy audit?
What rebates are available for getting an energy audit done?
Four key benefits of doing an energy assessment

This article was originally published October 25, 2023, and has been updated to ensure the information remains accurate and relevant.

The importance of energy audits: what and why are they important?

What is an EnerGuide energy efficiency home evaluation and why should I get one?

The EnerGuide energy efficiency home evaluation gives you a clear picture of how your home uses energy, identifies improvements that could make it more efficient, and may help you qualify for certain rebates.

You can have an audit done after you’ve bought a new place, when you’re planning a renovation, when your windows or furnace are nearing the end of their life, or if you simply want to make your home more comfortable.

“Audits are especially useful for older homes constructed when building codes weren’t as strict,” says Chris Barker, owner of Ontario-based ecostep Energy Services, specializing in home energy assessments. “My house is from 1929, and when I bought it 17 years ago, the attic insulation was R9. Today it’s R60, so upgrades can make a huge difference. Even homes that are 20 or 30 years old can benefit.”

To get an EnerGuide energy efficiency home evaluation, you’ll need to contact a service organization registered with Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) to schedule an evaluation with a registered energy advisor. You can find approved providers through the official Natural Resources Canada Service Organization Directory. If you need both a pre- and post-retrofit evaluation, NRCan says the combined cost averages between $600 and $1,000, though costs vary depending on the service provider and where you live.

A step-by-step guide to energy audits

What happens during an energy audit?

1️⃣ The pre-project assessment

A registered energy advisor does a top-down inspection of everything from the attic to the basement, and tests for airtightness. A calibrated fan is installed in a normally sealed opening, like an exterior door, and pulls air out of the house. That, in turn, causes outside air to enter the home through gaps and cracks, which highlights any leakages. The evaluation is based on the EnerGuide Rating System established by Natural Resources Canada.

Once the inspection is complete you’ll get three things:

a Homeowner Information Sheet, which outlines how the home is using energy;
a Renovation Upgrade Report, which lists suggested improvements specific to your home; and
an EnerGuide label with your home’s energy-use rating in gigajoules per year (GJ/year).

“The energy assessment was much more scientific than we expected,” says Kent Boniface, an Ontario homeowner who had an audit done on a home built in the late 1800s. “For the blower door test, they sealed our main doorway and placed a large fan there to force the inside air out. Their laptop recorded how hard the fan had to work and measured ‘air changes per hour’ to see how leaky our home was. The test depressurized the house so they could see where air was coming in through windows and gaps in the floorboards. We were shocked to learn just how inefficient [our home] was.”

Boniface said he used his report to identify upgrades that would have the biggest impact: insulation and a more efficient furnace. The difference was immediate—he said he saw his energy bills drop, and noticed a big change in how comfortable the house felt.

EnerGuide Home Evaluation Sheet — Image via Natural Resources Canada

2️⃣ The post-retrofit evaluation

If you make upgrades, you may want—or be required by a rebate program—to have the energy advisor come back for a post-retrofit evaluation. They’ll verify the work, do another blower door test, and provide updated EnerGuide information showing how your home’s energy performance has changed.

If the follow-up evaluation is part of a rebate program, it can also be used to verify that eligible upgrades were completed.

The rebate process varies by program, so make sure you check the eligibility requirements before starting any work.

Audits and rebates available for homes

What rebates are available for getting an energy audit done?

The rebate landscape has changed in recent years. The federal Canada Greener Homes Grant and Canada Greener Homes Loan are now closed. However, the Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program provides no-cost energy-efficiency retrofits for eligible low-to-median-income homeowners and tenants through participating provinces and territories.

There are also a wide variety of provincial, territorial, municipal and utility-based rebates, and whether you need an EnerGuide evaluation depends on the program and the upgrades you’re making.

In Ontario, for example, the Home Renovation Savings program offers rebates for upgrades including insulation, windows and doors, air sealing, heat pump water heaters, heat pumps, solar panels and battery storage. Some rebates require an initial and follow-up home energy assessment, while others don’t.

In British Columbia, the Better Homes programs offer rebates for a variety of energy-efficient upgrades. Some incentives, including the Home Energy Improvement Bonus, require pre- and post-upgrade EnerGuide evaluations.

Because programs, eligibility requirements and rebate amounts can change, it’s a good idea to check what’s currently available in your province or territory—and through your local utilities—before starting a project.

Here are four key benefits of doing an energy assessment

Four key benefits of doing an energy assessment

Comfort—your home can feel warmer in winter, cooler in summer. “Most people make upgrades because they’re tired of living in a freezing cold house,” says Barker. “Even just upgrading insulation can make such a difference.”
Cost savings—making your house work more efficiently means your furnace and air conditioning don’t have to work as hard. And that means more money in your pocket.
Greener operation—using less energy can help reduce your home’s environmental impact. Improving your home’s efficiency can also mean less energy is needed to keep it comfortable year-round.
Resale appeal—energy efficient features can be enticing to buyers and could potentially fetch you a higher price. “It’s simply going to be a better home to live in,” says Barker. “Just like a new kitchen or a great backyard, energy efficiency is a feature that amps up the appeal.”

Did you know? A REALTOR® can help you understand how energy-efficient features may factor into your buying or selling plans. If you’re curious about how a home energy audit could work for you, reach out to a REALTOR®.

Want to make your home—and your life—more sustainable? Read these articles:

Canadian Home Sales Rise for Fourth Consecutive Month in July

You see a headline boasting how Canadian home sales rose once again last month, and you may think that’s the same story across the entire country.

Not necessarily. As always, all real estate markets are local, so just because the number of home sales recorded in July was up another 0.5%—following a 0.5% increase in June—doesn’t mean that’s the case in, say, Regina or Halifax.

But there is an interesting national narrative being built here with the latest data from the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), released Wednesday.

Before we get into what the latest Canadian housing data means, here’s the latest on what you need to know:

National home sales edged up 0.5% month-over-month.
Actual (not seasonally adjusted) monthly activity came in 5.3% below July 2025.
The number of newly listed properties declined 1.6% on a month-over-month basis.
The MLS® Home Price Index (HPI)—a tool that tracks home price levels and trends in local neighborhoods—edged up 0.1% month-over-month, the first increase since November 2024.
The actual (not seasonally adjusted) national average sale price was up 0.2% on a year-over-year basis, reaching $674,819

Home sales increased in most provinces, helping create a national balance

It’s a similar story to June: national home sales increased, new listings decreased and prices remained stable.

“The more interesting story over the last few months has been below the surface of the headline national numbers, where markets across the country are generally moving back towards balance,” says CREA Senior Economist Shaun Cathcart.

He said places like the Prairies, Quebec and the East Coast have seen their sellers’ markets steadily cooling off over the past year, where British Columbia’s Lower Mainland and Ontario’s Greater Golden Horseshoe have shifted from buyers’ markets back into balanced territory.

“Sellers’ markets aren’t going to stay sellers’ markets forever, and Ontario is not going to stay at a 30-year low for sales forever,” Cathcart explains in this month’s CREA Housing Market Report (watch below).

“Earlier this year, hot markets did start to cool off before those cooler markets started to firm up, which is why the first bit of this year looked so weak,” Cathcart goes on to say.

Still, this summer hasn’t been as busy for Canadians on the move compared to previous years as July’s home sales are down 5.3% compared to the same time last year.

And CREA recently downgraded its 2026 forecast for home sales.

But while 2026 got off to a slower start than expected, four consecutive months of increasing sales suggest the market has started to regain some footing.

Canada’s housing market is getting closer to balanced

One number that helps tell that story is the sales-to-new listings ratio. In July, it tightened to 51.3%, up as sales edged higher and the number of newly listed properties fell 1.6% from June.

For context, CREA considers a sales-to-new listings ratio between roughly 45% and 65% to generally represent balanced housing market conditions. The long-term national average is 54.7%.

There were 205,388 properties listed for sale across Canadian MLS® Systems at the end of July, just 0.6% more than a year earlier and 1.5% above the long-term average for that time of year.

That worked out to 4.7 months of inventory nationally, which is the lowest level so far in 2026 and slightly below the long-term average of five months.

Again, though, the national number only tells part of the story.

Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador remained borderline sellers’ markets in July, according to CREA, while inventory levels in most other provinces have been moving closer to their respective long-term averages.

Ontario is perhaps one of the better examples of how quickly the picture can change. After sitting in buyers’ market territory through the first four months of 2026, the province’s months-of-inventory measure had moved considerably closer to average by July. In the spring, inventory levels sat at 5.5 months. A normal Ontario market, Cathcart says, is around 3.5 months. As of July, it’s back to about 4.5 months.

Home prices are also showing signs of stability

Then there are prices.

The seasonally adjusted National Composite MLS® HPI edged up 0.1% between June and July.

It’s nothing to write home about, but it was the first monthly increase in the national MLS® HPI since November 2024.

On a year-over-year basis, the HPI was still down 3.3%. However, those annual declines have been getting smaller since the beginning of the year, with July recording the smallest decrease since October 2025.

The actual national average sale price, meanwhile, came in at $674,819 in July, up 0.2% from the same month in 2025.

Average prices were lower year-over-year in British Columbia (-1.3%) and Ontario (-3%), while several other provinces recorded increases. Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island were both up more than 5%, Quebec was up just over 5%, and Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador also posted annual gains.

So, while the Canadian average price was virtually unchanged from last July, what buyers and sellers experienced locally could have looked quite different depending on which side of a provincial border they were on.

What does the Canadian housing data for July suggest?

There’s more evidence that housing markets across the country are gradually moving away from some of the more pronounced buyers’ and sellers’ market conditions we’ve seen over the past year and towards something a little more balanced.

For buyers, that can mean having more time to make decisions without quite as much pressure from competing offers in some markets. For sellers, it can mean adjusting expectations to a market where pricing and presentation matter that much more.

A REALTOR® who knows your local market can help you understand what’s happening where you actually plan to buy or sell and what the latest numbers mean for you.

Contact a REALTOR® today if you’re thinking about buying or selling a home.

You may also be interested in reading:

Acheter une maison ou un condo? Quels aspects faut-il considérer?

Acheter un condo ou une maison? La réponse peut être évidente pour certains, mais pour d’autres, elle l’est moins. Chaque option comporte des avantages et des inconvénients, comme l’emplacement, des commodités, la valeur de revente et l’espace.

Pour répondre à la question, il est important de commencer en déterminant vos objectifs, votre style de vie et votre budget. Un courtier ou agent membre de l’ACI vous aidera à examiner les différentes options qui s’offrent à vous sur le marché que vous préférez, notamment les facteurs dont vous devrez tenir compte pour choisir entre un condo ou une maison. Entamez vos recherches sur REALTOR.ca au moyen du filtre Type de propriétés et comparez toutes les options que vous offre votre quartier

Cet article a été initialement publié le 25 avril 2019 et a été mis à jour pour garantir que les informations restent exactes et pertinentes.

Types de condos

Il y a deux principaux types de condos sur le marché : les condominiums en propriété franche et les condominiums à bail. Les condominiums en propriété franche peuvent être des immeubles divisés en un certain nombre d’unités, de maisons en rangée ou même de maisons en rangée ou unifamiliales individuelles. Dans cette catégorie se trouvent les condominiums normaux – vous achetez votre unité et vous avez un intérêt dans les parties communes, mais vous n’êtes pas propriétaire du terrain – et les condominiums de parties communes – vous n’achetez pas une unité, mais une propriété et le terrain sur lequel elle se trouve. Les propriétaires de la communauté partagent la propriété des parties communes et financent conjointement leur entretien et réparation. Dans le cas des condominiums à bail, le terrain n’appartient pas à l’association condominiale, mais les acheteurs d’un bail achètent un intérêt commun dans une partie privative et dans les parties communes.

Prix

skyline of a city — Photo : Liao Je Wei sur Unsplash

Il y a une différence entre acheter un condo normal et acheter une maison, car vous achetez seulement une unité dans un immeuble, et non pas un terrain. (Ce n’est pas nécessairement le cas des autres types de condos.) Habituellement, un condo est plus abordable qu’une maison située dans le même quartier; toutefois, l’écart est plus important dans certains marchés plutôt que d’autres et dans le cas d’un condominium de parties communes, il n’y aura peut-être pas de différence. Dans des villes comme Vancouver et Toronto, si vous êtes prêt à vous éloigner du centre-ville afin d’obtenir un prix moins élevé, cela influencera grandement votre choix entre une maison et un condo.

Frais

A bell boy at a hotel ringing the bell using white gloves

Si vous choisissez le condo, vous devrez assumer des frais mensuels couvrant des services comme la sécurité, l’entretien et les commodités. Le montant de ces frais est habituellement déterminé par la taille de votre unité et le nombre d’unités dans l’immeuble. Certains condos offrent des commodités luxueuses, comme un service de concierge en tout temps, une piscine, un gym, un sauna, une salle de cinéma avec grand écran et même une allée de bowling. Il est important de noter que plus il y aura de commodités, plus les frais de condos seront élevés.

an outdoor condo pool — Photo : Casey Schackow sur Unsplash

De plus, les frais de condo couvrent généralement les coûts associés aux réparations à effectuer à l’intérieur de l’immeuble (mais pas à l’intérieur de votre unité). Les propriétaires d’une maison n’ont pas cette chance. Un toit qui coule ou des améliorations aux fenêtres ne sont que quelques dépenses importantes qu’ils devront assumer, particulièrement dans une résidence construite depuis un certain temps.

L’assurance habitation est une autre dépense qui varie en fonction du type de résidence choisie. Habituellement, les primes d’assurance sont moins élevées dans le cas d’un condo puisque les murs sont couverts par l’assurance de l’immeuble. Il en va de même pour les factures de chauffage et d’électricité qui sont habituellement plus élevées dans le cas d’une maison.

Entretien

a man shovelling snow off a driveway — Photo : Filip Mroz sur Unsplash

Si vous détestez tondre la pelouse, pelleter la neige ou nettoyer les gouttières, un condo est peut-être la solution idéale. Une maison exige beaucoup plus d’efforts et de travaux d’entretien physiques, ce qui signifie que le propriétaire doit investir plus de temps.

Emplacement et style de vie

a person taking the stairs down into a subway station — Photo : LinedPhoto sur Unsplash

Les condos sont habituellement situés dans des emplacements centraux et offrent aux propriétaires une facilité de déplacement et une accessibilité au transport en commun, en plus d’une proximité des boutiques et des restaurants. Les professionnels peuvent accorder une plus grande priorité à ces commodités urbaines plutôt qu’au fait de posséder une chambre à coucher supplémentaire ou une cour arrière. Bien que les maisons situées loin du centre-ville soient plus abordables, vous devrez sacrifier l’emplacement et d’autres commodités associées à la vie en condo. Pour trouver des quartiers qui correspondent à votre style de vie, débutez votre recherche en consultant les données locales sur REALTOR.ca.

Si vous avez des enfants ou prévoyez en avoir bientôt, vous voudrez examiner attentivement des éléments comme l’espace, le bruit et l’intimité. Bien que deux personnes puissent être heureuses dans un condo, une maison pourrait leur offrir davantage si leur famille s’agrandit. Un condo de deux ou trois chambres offrira généralement moins d’espace qu’une maison pour une progéniture en pleine croissance.

Liberté

a woman reading a book on the front porch of a house — Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash

Les syndicats de la copropriété fixent des règles que tous les propriétaires ou locataires doivent suivre. Ces règles peuvent limiter le nombre d’animaux domestiques permis, ou la taille de ceux-ci, interdire la consommation de tabac dans les espaces communs ou sur les balcons privés, restreindre le nombre de visiteurs dans les espaces communs (comme la piscine ou le gym), empêcher les propriétaires de louer leur unité (comme sur Airbnb), interdire l’utilisation de barbecues personnels sur les patios ou imposer des contraintes concernant, entre autres, l’installation de lumières de Noël ou même la couleur de vos rideaux.

Les avantages d’un condo

a low-rise condo building — Photo : Daniel DiNuzzo sur Unsplash

Vous ne serez pas responsable de la plupart des travaux de réparation ou d’entretien effectués à l’extérieur de votre unité.
Vous pourriez avoir accès à des commodités comme un gym, une piscine ou un service de concierge en tout temps.
Un condo offre une sécurité accrue.
Il est souvent plus facile de louer un condo à court terme.
Un condo sera plus souvent situé dans un endroit central ou stratégique.

Les inconvénients d’un condo

Vous avez généralement moins d’intimité.
L’espace extérieur est limité.
Vous devrez payer des frais d’entretien mensuels (en plus des versements hypothécaires et des taxes foncières).
Vous devrez peut-être payer pour des commodités dont vous ne profitez pas.
Vous devrez peut-être composer avec certaines restrictions en matière d’utilisation des aires communes, de stationnement, d’animaux de compagnie, de rénovations et de décorations.

Les avantages d’une maison

a dog on a backyard deck — Photo : Morgan Thompson sur Unsplash

Vous avez habituellement carte blanche en ce qui concerne la décoration et les travaux de rénovation.
Vous aurez plus de contrôle sur votre propre espace.
Vous aurez probablement plus d’espace à l’extérieur.

Les inconvénients d’une maison

a ladder in a room with a crack in the wall — Photo : Brina Blum sur Unsplash

Vous êtes responsable de tous les travaux d’entretien.
Vous êtes responsable de toutes les réparations.
Les factures des services publics sont généralement plus élevées que dans le cas d’un condo.

Répondez à notre questionnaire pour savoir lequel vous convient le mieux.

Pour vous aider à faire un choix, consultez un courtier ou agent immobilier détenteur du titre REALTOR®. Nos experts sont là pour vous aider à trouver la propriété qui convient le mieux à vos besoins.

Financial Programs Available to Help First-Time Home Buyers

If you’re like most Canadians, buying a home is probably one of the biggest investment you’ll ever make. But for first-time home buyers, just saving up enough money for the down payment can take years or even decades to accomplish.

Thankfully, Canada’s federal and provincial governments offer several different programs designed to support first-time home buyers by offsetting some of the costs associated with buying a home, and helping them purchase their first property.

This article offers an overview of some of the most popular of those programs, including:

The RRSP Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP)
First-Time Home Buyers’ Tax Credit (HBTC)
GST/HST new housing rebate
First Home Savings Accounts (FHSA)
Provincial and Territorial Programs

Down payment requirements for first-time buyers

For most first-time home buyers, one of the biggest hurdle is usually saving for the down payment.

In Canada, the required down payment amount is determined by the purchase price of the home as follows:

$500,000 or less

Minimum down payment equals 5% of the purchase price.

$500,000 to $1.5 million

Minimum down payment equals 5% of the first $500,000 and 10% for the portion of the purchase price above $500,000.

$1.5 million or more

Minimum down payment equals 20% of the purchase price.

Marc Figueiredo, a Mortgage Specialist with RBC, says “first-time home buyers naturally pour their energy into saving for a down payment. But the full cost of buying a home goes beyond that. Closing costs, land transfer taxes, legal fees, and other expenses, it can be a lot to absorb all at once. That’s where the financial programs available to first-time buyers can make a real difference. When you understand what’s out there and combine those programs strategically, you can often get into a home sooner than you think, with less saved up front than you expected.”

If your down payment is less than 20% of the price of your new home, you’ll also have to get an insured mortgage, which can add anywhere from another 0.6% to 4.5% to the purchase price.

The amount of money you put toward your down payment can also affect the type of mortgage you get, and the interest rate you’ll have to pay. In general, the larger your down payment, the less interest you’ll pay on your mortgage.

Once you have a clear picture of your down payment, your next step should be to get pre-approved for a mortgage. RBC’s online pre-approval can be completed in a few easy steps and will provide you with your mortgage amount and interest rate with no impact to your credit score or commitment to proceed. A pre-approval is helpful to have prior to house hunting as you can act quickly on a property you want to buy when you already know what you can afford.

Below are the various programs that can help first-time buyers establish a down payment.

The RRSP Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP)

The Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP) is a federal program that lets eligible buyers withdraw up to $60,000 from their Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) to put towards their down payment when they buy or build a home for themselves, or for a relative with a disability.

Anyone who’s never owned their primary residence before, or who hasn’t lived in a primary residence they (or their spouse or common-law partner) own in the last four calendar years, is eligible to take part in the program. Any amount you withdraw must be repaid within 15 years to remain tax-free.

Couples can also both take part in the HBP at the same time if they buy or build a home together. This allows married or common-law first-time buyers to access up to $120,000 as a down payment on their first property.

First-Time Home Buyers’ Tax Credit (HBTC)

The First-Time Home Buyers’ Tax Credit (HBTC) is a non-refundable credit that gives first-time buyers a rebate of up to $1,500 on their income taxes when they, or their spouse or common-law partner, buy a home in Canada.

Also known as the Home Buyers’ Amount (HBA), the HBTC can help offset the costs of buying a whole range of eligible property types, from new and existing single-family and semi-detached homes, to condos, apartments, townhouses, housing co-ops and mobile homes.

GST/HST new housing rebate

For new builds, the federal government also offers a rebate on the GST/HST for anyone who buys a newly built or substantially renovated home as their primary place of residence. The rebate also applies when buying shares in a co-op or hiring a contractor to substantially rebuild or renovate your existing home.

“The HST rebate on new homes is a program that can significantly improve a homebuyer’s cash flow, not just at the time of purchase, but for years to come,” adds Figueiredo. “By reducing the overall amount that needs to be financed, it lowers monthly mortgage payments and has a meaningful, lasting impact on a client’s financial well-being.”

Unfortunately, the GST/HST rebate only applies to homes with a fair-market value of $450,000 or less. But if your new home qualifies, you can receive a rebate of 36% of the GST charged on the home, up to a maximum of $6,300.

The GST/HST rebate only applies to the federal part of the HST paid on a new home. But some provinces also offer a similar rebate on the provincial portion of the tax.

As of March 2025, the GST on new builds for first-time home buyers has been eliminated. The full rebate, worth up to $50,000, applies to new builds valued at or under $1 million, with a partial, graduated rebate available on homes between $1 million and $1.5 million.

Buying a pre-construction home from a builder or building your own home comes with different financing options and processes that you can learn about here.

First Home Savings Accounts (FHSA)

The First Home Savings Account (FHSA) is a registered savings plan that lets first-time buyers save up to $8,000 a year, tax free, to buy or build a home. For the purposes of the program, “first-time buyers” include anyone who hasn’t lived in a primary residence they (or their spouse or common-law partner) own in the last four calendar years.

As a savings vehicle, the FHSA combines the benefits of both a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) and a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA).

Like an RRSP, contributions to your FHSA can be used as a deduction on your income taxes, to reduce the amount of tax you owe. But like a TFSA, the investments inside your FHSA also grow tax-free, so you won’t have to pay any tax when you withdraw the money to buy a property.

Once you open a FHSA, you can contribute the maximum annual amount for up to five years. This would allow a first-time buyer to save up to a lifetime maximum of $40,000 to put towards their down payment, or up to $80,000 in the case of a married or common-law couple.

You can also carry forward any unused contribution room, up to a maximum of $8,000, but only to the following year,; it doesn’t accumulate beyond that. And if you’re not quite ready to buy, you can keep your FHSA open for up to 15 years.

First-time buyers who take advantage of both an FHSA and the Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP) could withdraw $100,000 or more (in the event that their FHSA investments increase in value) from their registered savings for a down payment without any tax implications. For a couple, the total amount doubles to $200,000 or more.

Figueiredo adds, “a First Home Savings Account is a great way to grow your savings tax-free while also reducing your taxable income, stretching your savings further and getting you into you first home sooner. As a first-time homebuyer this program is essential to minimize the financial stress of buying your first home.”

Provincial and territorial programs

Several provinces, territories and municipalities also offer their own grants, rebates, tax credits and other programs to support home buyers, including first-time buyers. This includes programs like:

British Columbia: First-time home buyers’ program
Saskatchewan: First-Time Homebuyers’ Tax Credit
Ontario: Land Transfer Tax Refunds for First-Time Homebuyers
Quebec: Home Buyers’ Tax Credit
New Brunswick: Home Ownership Program
Nova Scotia: First-time Home Buyers’ Rebate Program
Prince Edward Island: Real Property Transfer Tax First-Time Home Buyers Exemption
Yukon: Home Owners Grant
Northwest Territories: Home Purchase Program
Nunavut: Nunavut Downpayment Assistance Program

To find out which assistance programs and incentives are available in your area, check the housing section of your provincial or territorial government website, and contact your local municipal office or connect with a Mortgage Specialist near you.

How the pros can help

For most first-time buyers, simply navigating your way through all these different programs can be a daunting prospect. So if there’s anything you’re not sure about, why not ask a REALTOR®?

In addition to answering your questions and pointing you towards the programs you may be eligible for, REALTOR® can walk you through each and every step of the home buying process, and help you find a home that perfectly fits your needs, your preferences—and budget.

An RBC Mortgage Specialist can complement that support by making sure you’re in the best possible financial position before you start looking. From walking you through pre-approval, so you know exactly how much you can afford and what rate you may qualify for, to identifying which programs you’re eligible for and how to combine them to maximum effect, they take the guesswork out of the financial side of buying a home.

Whether you’re just starting to save or ready to make an offer, an RBC Mortgage Specialist can build a personalized plan that makes the most of every program available to you and every dollar you’ve saved.

You may also be interested in reading…

This article is intended as general information only and is not to be relied upon as constituting legal, financial or other professional advice. A professional advisor should be consulted regarding your specific situation. The information presented is believed to be factual and up-to-date but we do not guarantee its accuracy and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. All expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the authors as of the date of publication and are subject to change. No endorsement of any third parties or their advice, opinions, information, products or services is expressly given or implied by Royal Bank of Canada or any of its affiliates.

Homeowners Share Small Home Upgrades That Make a Big Difference

Sometimes it’s not the complete kitchen renovation or the backyard makeover that changes how a home feels. It’s the little things. The ones you barely think about until you have them, and then wonder how you ever lived without them.

That’s exactly what sparked a popular home-related thread on Reddit.

In the r/Home community, one user posed a simple question: “What’s one small home upgrade that made a bigger difference than you expected?”

The posts poured in.

From motion-sensor lights to soft-close toilet seats, thousands of homeowners began sharing the inexpensive upgrades that made everyday life noticeably better.

Whether you’ve just picked up the keys to your first home or you’re looking to make your current space a little more comfortable, here are some of Reddit’s favourite upgrades.

Motion-sensor lighting

If there’s one suggestion that kept appearing, it was motion-sensor lighting.

Homeowners swear by lights tucked beneath kitchen cabinets, inside closets, along staircases and in hallways. Instead of fumbling for a switch in the middle of the night, the lights turn on when you walk by.

It’s a small convenience that quickly becomes one of those features you forget isn’t standard, until you’re somewhere without it.

Shop for motion-sensor lighting for indoor and outdoor use on Amazon.

Smart plugs that think for you

Another maybe-not-so surprisingly popular recommendation? Smart plugs.

They’re inexpensive, easy to install and can automate everything from lamps to coffee makers. Want your living room lights to switch on before you get home? Done. Prefer your holiday lights to turn off automatically? No problem.

For homeowners easing into smart-home technology, Redditors say it’s one of the simplest places to start.

Shop for smart plugs right on Amazon.

A bidet attachment

It may not be the most glamorous home upgrade, but it was easily one of the most passionately defended.

Comment after comment praised affordable bidet attachments for improving comfort while reducing toilet paper use. Several homeowners admitted they were skeptical at first, only to say they’d never willingly go back.

It’s proof that sometimes the upgrades you don’t expect end up being the most appreciated.

Shop for bidet attachments on Amazon.

Soft-close everything

Kitchen cabinets. Toilet seats. Drawers.

Reddit users couldn’t stop talking about soft-close hardware, describing it as one of those little luxuries that quietly improves everyday living.

No more accidental slamming. No more cupboards echoing through the house during a late-night snack run.

It’s a subtle change that makes a home feel just a little more polished.

Shop for soft-close kitchen cabinets hinges on Amazon.
Shop for soft-close toilet seats on Amazon.
Shop for soft-close drawer slides on Amazon.

Robot vacuums

A robot vacuum is like having a tiny cleaning assistant on call.

It can help keep everyday dust, crumbs, pet hair, and dirt under control without adding another chore to your list.

Set a schedule, let it do its thing, and come home to cleaner floors. While it won’t replace a deep clean, it can make regular upkeep a whole lot easier—giving you more time to enjoy your home instead of constantly cleaning it.

Check out our previous comparison guide on robot vacuums. or shop on Amazon for a robot vacuum.

Dimmer switches

Lighting can completely change the atmosphere of a room, and homeowners say dimmer switches are one of the easiest ways to make a space feel more inviting.

Bright lighting works well while cooking or cleaning, but being able to dial it back for movie night or a quiet evening instantly creates a different mood.

For a relatively inexpensive upgrade, the impact can feel surprisingly dramatic.

Shop for dimmer light switches on Amazon.

Better storage in unexpected places

Some of the most practical suggestions focused on organization rather than technology.

Pull-out pantry shelves. Hooks inside closets. Drawer dividers. Under-sink storage.

None of these upgrades are particularly exciting on their own, but together they help reduce clutter and make everyday routines feel just a little easier.

Sometimes improving a home isn’t about adding more space; it’s about making better use of the space you already have.

Shop small storage solutions on Amazon.

Why these home upgrade ideas resonate with homeowners

There’s something refreshingly honest about threads like this.

Unlike perfectly curated home tours on social media, these recommendations come from people sharing the upgrades they actually use every day. They’re practical, affordable and based on lived experience rather than trends.

Between higher renovation costs and ongoing affordability challenges, not every homeowner is looking for a major remodel. Small projects that improve comfort without breaking the budget can go a long way.

Judging by Reddit, some of the best home improvements aren’t the ones guests notice first; they’re the ones that quietly make life easier every single day.

Maybe that’s the real takeaway. A better home doesn’t always start with a huge, expensive renovation. Sometimes it starts with a motion-sensor light, a smart plug or a cabinet door that finally closes without a bang.

Une assurance vie hypothécaire en vaut-elle la peine?

Si vous êtes propriétaire, il y a de bonnes chances que la banque ou l’institution prêteuse vous ait offert une assurance vie hypothécaire. Mais que couvre-t-elle, et en quoi est-elle différente d’une police d’assurance vie? Plus important encore, en vaut-elle la peine?

Une assurance vie hypothécaire est liée à l’hypothèque, et offre une protection si vous ne pouvez faire vos paiements. En cas d’invalidité, de perte d’emploi, de maladie grave ou de décès, l’assurance hypothécaire peut aider votre famille à garder la propriété, en faisant les paiements hypothécaires pour vous.

« Nous voulons nous assurer que les gens sont protégés », précise Darrell Majdell, vice-président régional de Specialized Sales, spécialiste des prêts hypothécaires en Alberta, Manitoba et Saskatchewan, pour la Banque de Montréal BMO.

Cet article a été initialement publié le 27 avril 2019 et a été mis à jour pour garantir que les informations restent exactes et pertinentes.

A girl playing in a miniature car in the backyard of a home

Du point de vue du consommateur, l’assurance vie hypothécaire offre aux propriétaires une tranquillité d’esprit supplémentaire et un sentiment de sécurité. Les banques l’offriront toujours comme une option, mais il revient aux consommateurs de décider si elle en vaut le coût.

« Toutes les institutions financières offriront de l’information et des conseils sur leurs produits d’assurance, et la décision revient au consommateur », mentionne-t-il. « Certains d’entre eux peuvent s’en procurer une auprès d’autres fournisseurs, mais ils doivent décider si elle est suffisante. »

Bon nombre de propriétaires ne se rendent pas compte qu’une assurance vie protège techniquement la banque ‒ et non vous ni vos intérêts personnels. Pour une protection supplémentaire, en cas de décès de votre époux ou épouse, par exemple, vous pourriez aussi vouloir considérer une assurance vie personnelle.

Néanmoins, M. Majdell estime qu’entre 20 % et 30 % des gens en Alberta, par exemple, prennent une assurance vie hypothécaire. Cela a du sens pour ceux et celles qui ont l’impression que leur couverture est insuffisante et qui veulent s’assurer d’être protégés, au cas où il arriverait quelque chose.

« L’assurance vie hypothécaire, que vendent les banques et les prêteurs, semble être une excellente idée — mais lisez les petits caractères, car elle pourrait ne pas être la meilleure option », souligne Romana King, chroniqueuse en finances personnelles.

Il y a quelques caractéristiques dont les propriétaires, qui détiennent une telle assurance auprès d’une banque, devraient être au courant. Premièrement, cette assurance n’est pas transférable. « Si vous déménagez, l’assurance est annulée, et les primes payées sont perdues », prévient Mme King.

a woman standing on a back deck of a home, looking out at a body of water

Deuxièmement, les primes mensuelles demeurent les mêmes pendant tout le terme de la police, même si le dédommagement potentiel diminue. En effet, le solde dû de votre hypothèque décroît au fur et à mesure que vous le remboursez, de sorte que le dédommagement couvert par l’assurance diminue aussi avec le temps.

Les consommateurs devraient aussi noter qu’une assurance vie hypothécaire procède habituellement à la souscription médicale après la réclamation, c’est-à-dire qu’elle détermine si vous êtes admissible ou non à l’assurance après la demande de réclamation. Les banques peuvent donc refuser votre couverture des années après le paiement de vos primes. Peu de polices d’assurance offrent une évaluation médicale avec la souscription; les compagnies d’assurances peuvent donc refuser votre réclamation s’ils croient que votre souscription comportait une information trompeuse.

En 2008, l’émission Marketplace de CBC présentait un épisode intitulé Mortgage Insurance: In Denial (La face cachée de l’assurance hypothécaire) soulignant les risques d’une assurance vie hypothécaire. Une famille canadienne, qui payait ses primes depuis 9 ans, s’est vue refuser une réclamation après que les assureurs leur aient affirmé qu’ils n’auraient jamais dû se qualifier au départ, en raison des conditions médicales du mari.

Dans bon nombre de cas, précise Mme King, souscrire une assurance vie temporaire ou ordinaire est plus abordable, plus simple et plus souple. Bien que les primes d’une telle assurance demeurent aussi constantes, le dédommagement ne diminue pas avec le temps, et vous n’êtes pas limité au remboursement partiel ou total de votre hypothèque.

a man writing on a notepad while scrolling on a laptop

Évidemment, il y a toujours des exceptions. « Une assurance vie hypothécaire — et son approbation quasi instantanée — est logique si vous avez un handicap, une maladie ou un mode de vie qui rend difficile, voire impossible, l’obtention d’une autre assurance », déclare-t-elle.

Rappelez-vous que les banques et les prêteurs peuvent émettre une assurance vie hypothécaire, puis refuser la couverture des années plus tard. Alors, au besoin, exigez une assurance avec souscription médicale au moment de la demande.

Le présent article est diffusé à titre d’information seulement; il ne contient pas de conseils financiers ou juridiques et ne remplace pas un conseiller financier ou juridique.

6 Things First-Time Buyers Learned on Their Home Buying Journey

Making the leap into homeownership can be intimidating. There are many considerations that demand your attention as a first-time home buyer, and plenty of learning that happens before, during, and after the first purchase.

When navigating the market for the first time, you may not know what to expect. This uncertainty is all part of the process, but getting the right advice will help you prepare for these scenarios as best as possible. Of course, your REALTOR® will be there to answer all your questions, but sometimes it’s nice to hear from people who have recently gone through the same process to learn from their experiences.

Below are some lessons learned from some first-time home buyers that may help you in your own home search.

This article was originally published March 30, 2023, and has been edited to ensure the information remains accurate and relevant.

Here are some tips on choosing a realtor

1. Find a REALTOR® who’s a good fit

Lindsay Shaw purchased her first condo in the heart of downtown Victoria, British Columbia, in September 2021. She says finding a REALTOR® she connected with made the process much easier.

“It pays to find a REALTOR® willing to be hands-on and responsive to all your questions,” Shaw shares. “I was lucky to have someone in my corner willing to field calls at all hours and walk me through the nitty gritty pieces of first-time purchases.”

Finding a REALTOR® is very personal—just because someone was ideal for your neighbour or best friend doesn’t mean they will be for you. It’s OK to speak with multiple REALTORS® and ask them questions to find someone who aligns with your goals and needs.

2. Pay attention to the listing description and read all provided property documents

Shaw also shared how her REALTOR® encouraged her to look into specific details on stratified properties.

“I’m very thankful for how much attention I was encouraged to pay to legacy documents like strata minutes,” she tells us. “It’s tempting to skim them or chat with a friend who also lives in the building instead, but it was vital for me to read and understand what the building was all about and give it my two thumbs up, along with my REALTOR®. They also taught me about limited common property and how those spaces and rules fit into the transaction.”

Not to be confused with common property, limited common property is a designated space exclusively used by one or more strata lots. This can be something like a balcony or parking space. The document review is different for single-family detached homes, but the shopping process is quite the same.

The Things to Look for When Buying a House — Image via Radost Rychtera

3. Identify your must-haves by going to open houses

Radost Rychtera and her partner Rob Murray shared their tips after purchasing their first home in Esquimalt, British Columbia.

“There’s no better way to learn your non-negotiables than to view houses,” Murray says. “Looking online, you can pick up some vibes, but seeing the space in person helps you understand it better. Maybe it has a good lot size in a good neighbourhood, and the square footage is right, but the layout just doesn’t work for you when you get there.”

“Yes! We had a house just like that during our search,” Radost echoed. “On paper it was great, and we got excited and thought it might be the one, but then we saw it in person and it didn’t work. We thought we’d like some things more than we did. There’s no such thing as a perfect house. Lots of what we looked at were homes where we had to determine what we were willing to compromise on. It took a few houses to kind of realize what we [were willing to] compromise on until we found the one that ticked all of our most important boxes.”

Melissa Thimot, a REALTOR® in Langford, British Columbia, reinforces this theme.

“I love to do a window shop day with my first-time home buyers, even before setting them up in the search portal,” she shares. “We don’t pay attention to houses in our day-to-day lives the same way we do when shopping to purchase, so it’s important to see an array of options early on. This way, you can ensure you have a good sense of what you want when you are ready.”

She reminds home buyers of an important principle: “You’re buying a home, you’re not dating it. Although it’s an emotional process, and we need to be in tune with those emotions, we have to understand that putting our heart on the line before we’ve gotten [it] is setting ourselves up for heartbreak.”

She encourages buyers to have a balance between emotional investment and realistic long-term planning.

4. Be comfortable with your conditions when you’re a first-time home buyer

Radost says she and Murray wrote three different offers before buying their current home, and with each offer they learned something about their comfort level.

“Knowing what you’re comfortable with for your offer will make you faster at putting pen to paper and your offer stronger,” she says. “You’ll learn how to strengthen your offer at a risk level you can handle. Our risk tolerance changed throughout the offers and our REALTOR® was fantastic at walking us through our options.”

A guide to getting your finances in order before buying a home — Image via Kimberly MacLeod

5. Get the complete financial picture before buying your first home

Matt and Kimberly MacLeod, who purchased their first home in Saanich, British Columbia, sahred some advice when it comes to shopping around for a mortgage.

“Visit a mortgage broker before you start looking for a place,” Kimberly suggests. “They’ll help determine your budget, and if you can’t afford as much as you’d like, they can help you come up with a plan to get there. They also teach you about things like first-time home buying incentives and RRSP usage.”

The Government of Canada offers a program called the Home Buyers’ Plan, which is a program that allows you to withdraw from your registered retirement savings plans (RRSPs) to buy or build a qualifying home for yourself or for a specified disabled person. Currently, the plan’s withdrawal limit is $60,000.

There’s also the First Home Savings Account (FHSA), which allows eligible first-time home buyers to save to buy or build a qualifying first home tax-free (up to certain limits).

Your FHSA participation room in the first year you open your FHSA is $8,000. Contributions to an FHSA are generally deductible and can be used to reduce your tax. Transfers from your RRSPs to your FHSAs are not deductible.

Depending on where you live, your province may offer additional home buying incentives. For instance, in Ontario, enhanced housing rebates were introduced to provide relief of the 8% provincial part of the HST on certain new homes and new residential rental units.

The government’s web page states the Ontario ENHR provides the following:

a full rebate (100%) of the 8% provincial part of the HST paid on a new home valued up to $1 million;
a flat rebate of $80,000 for the provincial part of the HST paid on a new home valued between $1 million and $1.5 million;
a partial rebate for the provincial part of the HST paid on a new home valued between $1.5 million and $1.85 million.

For a new home valued at $1.85 million and above, the existing Ontario new housing rebate is available at a flat rate of $24,000.

Shaw also shared her experience with finances when buying her first home.

“Finding out what I was approved to borrow and budgeting to keep up my current lifestyle were two different conversations,” she says. “After crunching the numbers, my budget changed, and I had to shrink it up a bit to ensure I could maintain my lifestyle. This meant some give and take. I knew it was important to me to be downtown in a newer building, so that meant sacrificing square footage.”

Buying a home for the first time? Don't forget your closing costs!

6. Don’t forget the spending that comes after you close the purchase of the home

Matt and Kimberly both agreed buyers should have money set aside for initial updates and repairs; they’ll want to make their new place feel a bit more like their own home.

“You’ll likely need to make a few repairs to the home that you may not have anticipated when you purchased, or if you’re anything like us, you’ll want to do a couple of DIY renovations,” she points out. “These updates and repairs are a normal part of homeownership, but you can avoid the extra money stress by giving yourself a padded budget.”

Are you interested in starting your real estate journey? Find a REALTOR® near you to get the process started!