Today's good inflation news and weakening economic data suggest that the Bank of Canada will cut its overnight policy rate by another 25 bps on September 4. Additional monetary easing is also likely in October and December, continuing through much of next year, triggering a rebound in housing activity. View this email in your browser More Good News On The Cana... read more

Imagine walking into a room that contains a rectangular couch, rectangular end tables, rectangular artwork, and square-backed chairs. Now, imagine a different room that includes a curved couch, a round coffee table, and a wavy, pendant light fixture. You likely feel more comfortable in the second space, and science would back up that perception.  Researchers have found there is higher activity in the brain when people are in a room containing curvy items versus a room with sharp-edged or pointy objects (Inver... read more

Frozen water pipes, floods, fire, infestations, theft, roof damage, and injuries on snowy sidewalks are some of the unfortunate incidents that can take place when a home is left unoccupied during the winter. Snowbirds may return from their sunny holidays to discover thousands of dollars in damages and liabilities. Safeguard your home and belongings by taking precautions before you leave. Insurance Insurers typically require that you have someone check on your home every four to seven days while you are away. If t... read more

On August 17, 2023, when wildfire took hold in McDougall Creek near West Kelowna, exceptionally high winds sent embers flying across the lake to rain down on buildings in the Kelowna area. An amazed homeowner who lives six kilometers away from the fire shared a photo of a two-centimeter, burnt piece of bark in her yard. She was grateful it had not landed on her asphalt roof. By late August of the summer of 2023, wildfires had already burned 150,504 square kilometers or about four percent of the entire forest area ... read more

In 2023, a tornado with winds up to 275 km/h carved a swath of destruction through Carstairs, Alberta. Twelve homes were in its path: three were destroyed, four were left uninhabitable and the remaining five were damaged. Tornadoes and storms are expected to become more common in Canada and occur in areas previously unaffected (Western University 2023). Understandably, these extreme weather events are generating new interest in earth-sheltered homes.  Are you imagining a hobbit house from Lord of the Rings, ... read more