CALGARY — Demand for suburban detached homes remains strong among Baby Boomers, says a survey released Tuesday by Royal LePage Real Estate.

The poll, by Leger Marketing, found that of the 40.6 per cent of Baby Boomers (born between 1947 and 1966), who do have plans to move to another primary residence, almost half (43.5 per cent) are looking to purchase another primary residence that is a similar size or larger than their current property. Of the total responses from Baby Boomers who intend to purchase their next primary residence, 66.8 per cent said they will do so in the next five years.

“Baby Boomers are the wealthiest generation in Canadian history. They live in large homes with ample space for their many possessions. They love their garages and their yards. This study clearly indicates that contrary to popular belief, most Boomers do not intend to downsize anytime soon,” said Phil Soper, chief executive of Royal LePage Real Estate in a statement.

Continue reading...

With the sovereign debt crisis in Europe and fiscal challenges in the U.S. casting a pall over the world, investors flocked to Canada as a safe haven last year.

“Money is coming to Canada and for good reason,” says Grant Berry, managing director and head of government finance at RBC Capital Markets. “Typically when international markets buckle a little bit, that’s when you see more participants come to Canada.”

Investment banks helped raise $125.4-billion for Canadian governments and their agencies in 2012. Investors were enticed by Canada’s Triple-A rating.

“The number of Triple-A and Double-A borrowers globally was further reduced last year, making Canada stand out even more,” said Jason Stewart, head of government finance at National Bank Financial. His bank was the leading underwriter of government debt transactions last year, accounting for $27-billion of the total. Of that, $12.3-billion or 45% was raised for the Quebec government, which turns to National Bank as its dealer of choice.

continue reading

British Columbia's real estate market could be recovering with a report predicting that housing starts will trend up this year.

The province's housing starts are expected to climb from 27,465 homes in 2012 to 28,800 this year, then to 30,100 in 2014, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) said in a news release on Friday.