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Aerial view of Coquitlam homes at dusk with the Fraser River behind.

Metro Vancouver Property Tax by City: What $1M Pays

A $1,000,000 assessed home pays $3,281.95 in 2026 property tax in the District of North Vancouver and $4,793.12 in New Westminster. Here are nine cities' rates and why they differ.

Hamidreza EtebarianNovember 6, 2026

Buyers reviewing paperwork with their agent in a Toronto kitchen.

Real Estate Commission in Ontario: Rates, HST and Who Pays

No commission rate is standard in Ontario, and HST adds 13 per cent on top. We work out the bill at real Toronto and Ottawa asking prices and explain who pays the buyer's agent under TRESA.

Hamidreza EtebarianNovember 4, 2026

Young couple measuring a window in a Surrey townhouse they are renting to own.

Rent to Own in BC: Option Fees, Rent Credits and Risks

A rent-to-own deal in BC fixes a price today and lets you buy later. Here is how option fees, rent credits, property transfer tax and tenancy rules really work.

Hamidreza EtebarianNovember 3, 2026

Aerial view of downtown Kingston, Ontario on the Lake Ontario waterfront in summer.

Best Places to Live in Ontario: 8 Cities and What They Cost

Eight Ontario cities, each matched to the buyer it suits best, from Barrie commuters to Niagara-on-the-Lake retirees, with live asking prices for every one.

Hamidreza EtebarianNovember 2, 2026

For sale signs on a suburban Metro Vancouver street in October 2026.

BC Housing Market October 2026: Sellers Pull Back, Sales Pick Up

Greater Vancouver closed October 2026 with 14,815 active listings at a $1,130,000 median and 53 days on market. Fraser Valley: 7,447 listings, $949,900. New listings fell 23 percent and sales rose 18 percent on the month, but sale prices are still down year over year and price cuts are back above a quarter of all listings.

Hamidreza EtebarianNovember 1, 2026

Townhouses and detached homes on a suburban street in Barrhaven, Ottawa, Ontario in autumn.

Ottawa Housing Market: What Is Actually For Sale

Ottawa has 3,775 active residential listings at a median ask of $649,000. A supply-side read of what is for sale by type, area, price band and time on market.

Hamidreza EtebarianOctober 31, 2026

Vancouver Special house with brick lower level, stucco upper level and front balcony on an East Vancouver street, BC

Vancouver Special Homes: Problems, Prices and Lot Potential

Vancouver Specials are the boxy 1965 to 1985 houses that fill East Van streets. Here is what they cost now, what inspectors find, and what BC's multiplex rules let you build on the lot.

Hamidreza EtebarianOctober 30, 2026

Older wooden cottage with a dock on a granite shoreline in Muskoka, Ontario.

Buying a Muskoka Cottage: Prices, Septic, Water Access

Muskoka cottage asking prices in six towns, plus the checks city buyers miss: septic re-inspections, well tests, winter roads and shore road allowances.

Hamidreza EtebarianOctober 29, 2026

New side by side half duplex next to a row of townhouses on a tree lined East Vancouver street with mountains behind.

Duplex vs Townhouse in BC: Ownership, Fees and Price Gap

A Metro Vancouver half duplex costs about $651,000 more than a townhouse. Here is what that buys, from ownership and strata fees to GST, warranty and the roof you split two ways.

Hamidreza EtebarianOctober 28, 2026

Young couple walking past brick semi detached houses on an autumn street in Ontario.

First-Time Home Buyer Ontario: Every Rebate and Program, Added Up

Seven programs, one Ontario buyer. We add up the land transfer tax rebates, FHSA, Home Buyers' Plan and new home HST rebates at real Toronto and Windsor asking prices.

Hamidreza EtebarianOctober 27, 2026

For sale sign outside a mid-rise condo building in Metro Vancouver with the North Shore mountains behind.

Vancouver Condo Market: How Many Recent Buyers Are Underwater

More than half of the condos bought since 2021 and listed today are asking less than the owner paid. Here is what that number measures, where the gaps are deepest, and what it means for a mortgage.

Hamidreza EtebarianOctober 26, 2026

One storey garden suite in the backyard of a brick semi detached house in Toronto on an overcast autumn day.

Garden Suites in Toronto: What Your Lot Allows

Toronto lots can now hold up to four units plus a garden or laneway suite. Here are the size limits, permits, development charge breaks and real build costs.

Hamidreza EtebarianOctober 23, 2026