We’re back with our October monthly Toronto-Vancouver real estate roundtable with Urmi, Steve and John!  This month, John and Steve report on slowing real estate markets in Toronto & Vancouver. We also discuss how high interest rates are impacting the market and consumer sentiment, why government measures from all levels to increase our supply to match our growing population needs don’t add up to much and how the Canada-India dispute over an alleged killing of a Canada citizen by Indian agents may impact foreign students - and our rental market. You can also watch this episode on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Feedback or Questions? Connect with us on Twitter:  Urmi Desai, Move Smartly Editor Twitter: @MoveSmartly  Email: [email protected] John Pasalis, Real Estate Analyst and President and Broker, Realosophy Realty, Toronto Twitter: @JohnPasalis Email: [email protected] Steve Saretsky, Real Estate Analyst and Realtor, Saretsky Group at Oakwyn Realty, Vancouver Twitter: @SteveSaretsky Email: [email protected]

This week, John and Urmi return with Move Smartly Ideas, a semi-regular sit down about the biggest ideas that John’s thinking, writing and talking to the media about this month.  Today, John is going to look at the policy and academic arguments that blame cities for housing shortages to assess how valid they are. If you enjoy listening to our show and find it informative, I’d like to ask you to take a moment to leave a five-star review on Apple podcasts. We know a lot of you are listening and we’d love to see this better reflected in our ratings - doing this helps to ensure that other listeners can find our show and that together, we can hopefully better the level of discourse we need to have in Toronto and Canada if we are to become better educated about housing as both consumers and citizens, and hopefully, start to see better housing outcomes for all. Follow John on Twitter @johnpasalis and email him at [email protected] You can watch this show on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel, follow us on Twitter @MoveSmartly for news or reach out to the show over email at [email protected] Additional links for today’s show:  New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/09/16/realestate/home-sales-north-carolina-wall-street.html About This Show The Move Smartly podcast is hosted by Urmi Desai, Move Smartly editor, and John Pasalis, Broker and President of Realosophy Realty in Toronto, Canada. MoveSmartly.com is powered by Realosophy Realty.

In our September episode of the consumer Q&A, ‘‘The Situation’, Urmi asks John to respond to the detailed questions that real estate consumers across the GTA are asking right now.  This month, a cooling market results in uncertainty amongst consumers — John responds to an investor who is having trouble selling off their money-losing condo, while would be-investors wonder if it’s a good time to get into the market as prices fall and a home buyer wonders if it’s safe to buy first and sell after. Email us about your own real estate situation to be addressed in a future episode at: [email protected]  To book a consultation with John and Realosophy: https://www.movesmartly.com/meetjohn Sign up for John’s Home Buyer Strategies webinar: https://www.movesmartly.com/top-10-home-buying-strategies You can watch this show on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel, follow us and send us your questions and feedback about the show via Twitter @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly, or email: [email protected]  About This Show The Move Smartly podcast is hosted by Urmi Desai, Move Smartly editor, and John Pasalis, Broker and President of Realosophy Realty in Toronto, Canada. MoveSmartly.com is powered by Realosophy Realty.

It’s time for our regular live monthly market update from John for September; John is once again joined by David Larock, a mortgage broker and analyst who blogs with us at Move Smartly. Along the way, Urmi moderates our live chat and asks your audience questions. You can participate in our live sessions or rewatch previous sessions on our Move Smartly YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Today's show links:  John's latest market report for Sept with latest data: https://www.movesmartly.com/monthly-report-2023-september Dave's latest blog post on mortgage rates on MoveSmartly.com: https://www.movesmartly.com/articles/has-the-bank-of-canadas-policy-rate-peaked *** Sign up for John’s monthly report/live market update email list: https://www.movesmartly.com/monthly-public-webinar Sign up for John’s Home Buyer Strategies webinar: https://www.movesmartly.com/top-10-home-buying-strategies To book a Home Buyer/Seller Consultation with John Pasalis and Realosophy Realty about your more detailed questions: https://www.movesmartly.com/meetjohn Follow John on Twitter @JohnPasalis and email him at: [email protected]  Follow us and send us your questions and feedback about the show via Twitter @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly, or email: [email protected]  About This Show The Move Smartly podcast is hosted by Urmi Desai, Move Smartly editor, and John Pasalis, Broker and President of Realosophy Realty in Toronto, Canada. MoveSmartly.com is powered by Realosophy Realty.

School’s back and it’s time for our monthly Toronto-Vancouver real estate roundtable for September with Urmi, Steve and John!  This month, John and Steve explain what the fall real estate market might look like in Toronto & Vancouver based on what’s happening now and next. Plus, we dig into how politicians at every level - federal, provincial and municipal - have led to markets in which $3 million dollars won’t get you a mansion in Toronto - or even a nice home in West Vancouver. Along the way, we assess the Bank of Canada’s latest mortgage rate moves, the latest political proposals from all federal parties, as the Progressive Conservatives, lead by Pierre Pollievre, are overtaking the current Liberal Government, lead by Justin Trudeau in popularity amongst Millenials, in large part due to housing concerns, Ontario’s Greenbelt scandal, Toronto’s potential ‘mansion’ tax — and more. You can also watch this episode on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Feedback or Questions? Connect with us on Twitter:  @MoveSmartly @JohnPasalis @SteveSaretsky Reach out to the show over email at [email protected]

John and Urmi are going to be taking a short summer break and will return with a new episode on September 12th. We are planning to speak to even more experts on all things Toronto and Canadian real estate including related issues such as how to build homes faster, immigration, employment and more. We’re also planning to do more national and international looks at how other markets have approached similar real estate policies and concerns. We’ve really appreciated hearing from all of you about how much you enjoy the show and your own excellent real estate insights and feedback - please keep it coming! Enjoy our show? Please leave us a five-star rating (and even better, a written review) so more listeners can find us. Thank you! Prefer to watch? You can watch this and all other episodes on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel Contact Us To contact John Pasalis, Broker and President of Realosophy Realty:  Book a free consult: https://www.movesmartly.com/meetjohn  Email: [email protected] Twitter: @JohnPasalis  To contact Urmi Desai, Editor of Move Smartly:  Email: [email protected] Twitter: @MoveSmartly About This Show Move Smartly is powered by Realosophy Realty Inc. Brokerage in Toronto, Ontario.

We’re back with our regular live monthly market update from John, who is joined by David Larock, a mortgage broker and analyst who blogs with us at Move Smartly. Along the way, Urmi moderates our live chat and asks your audience questions. You can participate in our live sessions or rewatch previous sessions on our Move Smartly YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Today's show links:  John's latest market report for Aug with latest data: https://www.movesmartly.com/monthly-report-august-2023 Dave's latest blog post on mortgage rates on MoveSmartly.com: https://www.movesmartly.com/articles/why-todays-job-losses-wont-change-the-bank-of-canadas-mind *** Sign up for John’s monthly report/live market update email list: https://www.movesmartly.com/monthly-public-webinar Sign up for John’s Home Buyer Strategies webinar: https://www.movesmartly.com/top-10-home-buying-strategies To book a Home Buyer/Seller Consultation with John Pasalis and Realosophy Realty about your more detailed questions: https://www.movesmartly.com/meetjohn Follow John on Twitter @JohnPasalis and email him at: [email protected]  Follow us and send us your questions and feedback about the show via Twitter @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly, or email: [email protected]    About This Show The Move Smartly podcast is hosted by Urmi Desai, Move Smartly editor, and John Pasalis, Broker and President of Realosophy Realty in Toronto, Canada. MoveSmartly.com is powered by Realosophy Realty.

It’s that time again - our August roundtable with Steve in Vancouver and John in Toronto This month we discuss the latest trends in both housing markets and some early signs of investors beginning to sell investments to deleverage. Justin Trudeau announced this month that housing is not a primary responsibility of the federal government; what does that mean for Canadians facing higher housing costs? We wrapped up this month’s roundtable with a Bull vs Bear debate on the outlook for Canadian Real Estate.  Enjoy our show? Please leave us a five-star rating (and even better, a written review) so more listeners can find us. Thank you! You can also watch this episode on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Feedback or Questions? Connect with us on Twitter:  @MoveSmartly @JohnPasalis @SteveSaretsky Reach out to the show over email at [email protected] About This Show Move Smartly is powered by Realosophy Realty Inc. Brokerage in Toronto, Ontario.

The second of our semi-regular sit downs about the big ideas John’s writing about now.  Another key component of Canada’s housing crisis is how unaffordable it is to buy a home, particularly in its larger markets like Toronto. John explains how the once reliable understanding of how our incomes relate to home prices has fallen apart, what is actually fuelling home prices well out of the reach of many and what it means. To see the charts John refers to, see this report in his Move Smartly report for July: https://www.movesmartly.com/monthly-report-july-2023#4 See also John’s stats on when housing crisis started in a previous monthly report: https://www.movesmartly.com/monthly-report-april-2023#3 Enjoy our show? Please leave us a five-star rating (and even better, a written review) so more listeners can find us. Thank you! Prefer to watch? You can watch this and all other episodes on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel Contact Us To contact John Pasalis, Broker and President of Realosophy Realty:  Book a free consult: https://www.movesmartly.com/meetjohn  Email: [email protected] Twitter: @JohnPasalis  To contact Urmi Desai, Editor of Move Smartly:  Email: [email protected] Twitter: @MoveSmartly About This Show Move Smartly is powered by Realosophy Realty Inc. Brokerage in Toronto, Ontario.

For our episode this week, John and Urmi are going to be doing something a bit new.  This will be the first of semi-regular sit downs where we will chat about the biggest ideas that John’s thinking, writing and talking to the media about this month.  Today, John is going to talk about how he has seen renters become ‘ground zero’ of our current housing unaffordability and unavailability crisis in the Toronto area. If you enjoy listening to our show and find it informative, I’d like to ask you to take a moment to leave a five-star review on Apple podcasts. We know a lot of you are listening and we’d love to see this better reflected in our ratings - doing this helps to ensure that other listeners can find our show and that together, we can hopefully better the level of discourse we need to have in Toronto and Canada if we are to become better educated about housing as both consumers and citizens, and hopefully, start to see better housing outcomes for all. Follow John on Twitter @johnpasalis and email him at [email protected] You can watch this show on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel, follow us on Twitter @MoveSmartly for news or reach out to the show over email at [email protected]

We’re back with our regular live monthly market update from John, who is joined by his fellow agent Gus Papaiaonnou at Realosophy Realty and David Larock, a mortgage broker and analyst. Along the way, Urmi presents the great questions you are asking in our live chat to get answers from John and guests. You can participate in our live sessions or rewatch previous sessions on our Move Smartly YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Today's show links:  John's latest market report for July with latest data: https://www.movesmartly.com/monthly-report-july-2023 Dave's latest blog post on mortgage rates on MoveSmartly.com: https://www.movesmartly.com/articles/mortgage-advice-the-best-of-todays-lousy-mortgage-rate-options Sign up for John’s monthly report/update email list: https://www.movesmartly.com/monthly-public-webinar To book a Home Buyer/Seller Consultation with John Pasalis and Realosophy Realty about your more detailed questions: https://www.movesmartly.com/meetjohn Follow us and send us your questions and feedback via Twitter @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly, or email: [email protected]  The Move Smartly podcast is hosted by Urmi Desai, Move Smartly editor, and John Pasalis, Broker and President of Realosophy Realty in Toronto, Canada. MoveSmartly.com is powered by Realosophy Realty.

It's time for our monthly roundtable - it's July and Urmi talks to Steve in Vancouver and John in Toronto! This month, the weather is hot but the market is cooling and the first uptick in listings is finally showing up in the data - is this the start of the great listings surge that’s been long anticipated as high interest rates continue to hit market? Also, the federal government welcomes in newcomers at a record pace, resulting in a new population high - even though all levels of government struggle to magic up more housing supply. Plus, why aren’t the majority of Canadians more worried about our housing crisis? and more. You can also watch this episode on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Feedback or Questions? Connect with us on Twitter:  @MoveSmartly @JohnPasalis @SteveSaretsky Reach out to the show over email at [email protected]

Co-hosts Urmi and John are back with our monthly consumer Q&A, ‘‘The Situation.’ As usual, John responds to the detailed questions that real estate consumers across the GTA have sent in to us. This month, John responds to a would be home buyer who worries about the unsustainable, bubble-like prices we are seeing in the Toronto area, a happy condo renter who is not as sure if she should buy and invest in a condo as opposed to a house and more. Email us about your own real estate situation to be addressed in a future episode at: [email protected]  You can watch this show on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel, follow us on Twitter @MoveSmartly for news or reach out to the show over email at [email protected].

Urmi talks to Eric Lombardi in the third interview in our series on the supply-side zoning, planning, social and political issues that are cited as being one of the key drivers of the Toronto Area’s housing affordability crisis. As a young professional who works in a non-housing industry or related capacity in the financial sector in Toronto, Eric is a passionate citizen about housing issues, and importantly, part of the very generation that many worry are being squeezed out of market housing due to lack of affordability.  As a key leader in Toronto’s YIMBY (the “Yes, in My Backyard”) movement and the “More Neighbours Toronto” volunteer organization, Eric is very knowledgeable and thoughtful about how things need to change if we are to build the number of homes experts say are required to make a dent in easing our housing availability and affordability crisis in all sectors — market, affordable and shelter, a view embodied by the ‘More Neighbours Toronto’ call to action that “Every Level of Government Can Do More.”  Eric and Urmi talk about what needs to be done at all levels of government, what solutions Eric thinks are most promising and how he responds to criticisms of these approaches.  Follow Eric on Twitter: @EricDLombardi More Neighbours Toronto: https://www.moreneighbours.ca You can also watch this interview on our Move Smartly YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Follow us and send us your questions and feedback via Twitter @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly, or email: [email protected]  And if you find this show useful, please rate and, even better, leave us a written review on Apple podcasts, so that more people can benefit from this information. It’s very much appreciated!

Today’s episode is our live monthly market update from John. As usual, John shares his latest Toronto Area Real Estate Market Report for June, sharing the latest data and highlighting the key stories you should know. And again this month, John is once again joined by our Move Smartly mortgage expert and broker, David Larock, who explains why the Bank of Canada surprisingly raised rates last week and what it means for the markets and consumers. As always, Urmi moderates the great questions you are asking in our live chat. Today's show links:  John's latest market report for June with latest data: https://www.movesmartly.com/monthly-r... BMO Canada market report: https://economics.bmo.com/en/publicat... Dave's latest blog post on mortgage rates on MoveSmartly.com: https://www.movesmartly.com/articles/the-reinvigorated-real-estate-sector-compelled-the-bank-of-canada-to-hike *** You can participate in our live sessions or rewatch previous sessions on our Move Smartly YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Sign up for John’s monthly report/update email list: https://www.movesmartly.com/monthly-public-webinar To book a Home Buyer/Seller Consultation with John Pasalis and Realosophy Realty about your more detailed questions: https://www.movesmartly.com/meetjohn To send John your own question, email [email protected]  Follow us and send us your questions and feedback via Twitter @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly, or email: [email protected]

It’s that time again - our June roundtable with Steve in Vancouver and John in Toronto. This month, we talk about the latest numbers for both housing markets and how buyer frustration is building as low levels of listings continue. And, after the pausing of interest rates and even talk of potential cuts, how will the Bank of Canada’s unexpected rate increase impact the market? Also, why building more density is unlikely to solve housing unaffordability problems and a closer look as just who is investing in real estate in Canada.  You can also watch this episode on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Feedback or Questions? Connect with us on Twitter:  @MoveSmartly @JohnPasalis @SteveSaretsky Reach out to the show over email at [email protected]

Today’s show is a ‘can’t miss’ for anyone buying or considering buying a home in the Toronto area. As the Toronto area real estate market enters a new phase of complexity, with home buyers facing more competition from other buyers amidst high home prices and high interest rates, John shares key tips that you should be following to ensure that you are making smart home buying decisions.This episode highlights John’s unique approach to educating residential home buyers as he launches a new, free 1-hour webinar series for home buyers. You can register for John’s free 1-hour on-demand webinar Top 10 Home Buying Strategies to Give You an Edge: https://www.movesmartly.com/top-10-home-buying-strategies Follow John on Twitter @JohnPasalis or email John at [email protected] Follow Move Smartly on Twitter @MoveSmartly for news or email Move Smartly Editor Urmi Desai at [email protected].

In today’s episode, co-hosts Urmi and John are back with our monthly consumer Q&A, ‘‘The Situation.’ As usual, John responds to the detailed questions that real estate consumers across the GTA have sent in.  This month, John responds to home buyers who wonder if it’s the right time to downsize and another who wonders if they can upsize and hold onto their current property as an investment. And a frustrated renter asks whether it makes more sense to pull together a downpayment buy a condo right now as rents continue to rise. Email us about your own real estate situation to be addressed in a future episode at: [email protected]  You can watch this show on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel, follow us on Twitter @MoveSmartly for news or reach out to the show over email at [email protected].

As the second part of our look into zoning battles and density debates in Toronto and Ontario, I think you'll find John's interview with urban planning expert Sean Galbraith extremely useful.  Sean is an urban planner who assists clients in procuring planning permissions as President of Sean Galbraith & Associates Urban Planning Services in Toronto. Toronto City Council has recently voted to allow for the building of fourplexes across Toronto, opening up the so-called 'yellow belt' to allow for more housing density. John talks to Sean about what's involved in building a fourplex, what impact the recent policy change will have on this process and how much this change will actually help Toronto deal with its overall housing affordability crisis. You can also watch this video on our Move Smartly YouTube channel (see the link in our show notes). And if you find this show useful, please rate and, even better, leave us a written review on Apple podcasts, so that more people can benefit from this information. It's very much appreciated! And now, onto our episode! Follow Sean on Twitter: @PlannerSean You can also watch this interview on our Move Smartly YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Follow us and send us your questions and feedback via Twitter @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly, or email: [email protected]  And if you find this show useful, please rate and, even better, leave us a written review on Apple podcasts, so that more people can benefit from this information. It's very much appreciated!

Our episode today is our live monthly market update from John who presents his latest Toronto Area Real Estate Market Report for May, sharing the latest data and highlighting the key market insights. And this month, John is once again joined by our Move Smartly mortgage expert and broker, David Larock, who explains how US central bank decisions impact us here in Canada. As always, Urmi moderates the great questions we get in our live chat or John and David. Today's show links: John's market report for May 2023: https://www.movesmartly.com/monthly-report-may-2023 David Larock's latest post with his contact info: https://www.movesmartly.com/articles/what-the-us-fed-pause-will-mean-for-canadian-mortgage-rates Bank of Canada financial vulnerability indicators: https://www.bankofcanada.ca/rates/indicators/indicators-of-financial-vulnerabilities/ *** You can participate in our live sessions or rewatch previous sessions on our Move Smartly YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Sign up for John’s monthly report/update email list: https://www.movesmartly.com/monthly-public-webinar To book a Home Buyer/Seller Consultation with John Pasalis and Realosophy Realty about your more detailed questions: https://www.movesmartly.com/meetjohn To send John your own question, email [email protected]  Follow us and send us your questions and feedback via Twitter @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly, or email: [email protected] 

It’s May roundtable time with Steve in Vancouver and John in Toronto! This month, we briefly talk about irrational beliefs about our favourite hockey teams during playoff time — but mostly about the irrational beliefs that seem to fuel the Toronto & Vancouver real estate markets as I ask Steve and John whether we are in fact seeing the beginning of another bull run as buyer demand picks up in both cities.  Steve and John also respond to your questions about who is still buying at these high interest rates, why new home for sale listing levels continue to be so low, advice for first-time buyers right now and more. You can also watch this episode on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Feedback or Questions? Connect with us on Twitter:  @MoveSmartly @JohnPasalis @SteveSaretsky Reach out to the show over email at [email protected]

Right now, Toronto is seeing a massive shift in housing zoning policies both at the municipal and provincial level. Today’s guest, land use and environment lawyer, Phil Pothen, talks to Urmi about these developments and his analysis of potential impacts.  Phil Pothen, J.D., M.L.A., leads policy research and advocacy regarding land-use planning, natural heritage, habitat protection, and transportation as head of the Ontario Environment Program at Environmental Defence.  We discuss the latest City of Toronto staff proposal to allow multiplexes to built in Toronto’s so-called ‘Yellow belt’ which currently only allows detached and semi-detached homes, how the Ontario government’s “Build More Homes Faster” Act (Bill 23) is opening more of the Greenbelt to development and more.  Follow Phil on Twitter: @pothen  Environmental Defense website: https://environmentaldefence.ca/ Link to City of Toronto Chief Planner - Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods: Multiplex Study: https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2023.PH3.16 Link to Build Homes Faster Act (Bill 23): https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1002423/ontario-taking-bold-action-to-build-more-homes You can also watch this interview on our Move Smartly YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Follow us and send us your questions and feedback via Twitter @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly, or email: [email protected]  And if you find this show useful, please rate and, even better, leave us a written review on Apple podcasts, so that more people can benefit from this information. It’s very much appreciated!

Hi, Urmi Desai, editor of Move Smartly, and lead contributor, John Pasalis of Realosophy Realty, are back with our monthly consumer Q&A, ‘‘The Situation.’  In some parts of Toronto, home prices are now holding, but that doesn’t mean the recent rapid price drops we’ve seen across the GTA haven’t caught out some new home buyers. This month, John responds to home buyers who fear they’ve bought pre-construction and re-sale homes at the peak, and now worry about the financial hardships they face if banks are unwilling to appraise at their bought value for mortgage approvals and wonder what their best options are. Email us about your own real estate situation to be addressed in a future episode at: [email protected]  You can watch this show on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel, follow us on Twitter @MoveSmartly for news or reach out to the show over email at [email protected].

In this live online session, John presents his April Toronto Area Real Estate Market Report, sharing the latest data, highlighting the key market insights and answering viewers Qs along the way!  Once again, Move Smartly mortgage expert and broker, David Larock, joins to explain why the Bank of Canada has decided to hold on rates for the second time since the latest rate hike and what they are likely to do next. You can participate live or rewatch previous sessions on our Move Smartly YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Sign up for John’s monthly report/update email list: https://www.movesmartly.com/monthly-public-webinar To book a Home Buyer/Seller Consultation with John Pasalis and Realosophy Realty about your more detailed questions: https://www.movesmartly.com/meetjohn To send John your own question, email [email protected]  Follow us and send us your questions and feedback via Twitter @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly, or email: [email protected] 

It’s finally April, and once again, time for our real estate roundtable!  As usual, I talk to John and Steve about all things residential real estate in Toronto and Vancouver, Canada, and beyond.  Since April is often the cruelest month, full of fools and false springs, it seems fitting that our talk turns to an unexpected bump in real estate market competition - including bidding wars - amidst continuing low historical levels of sales, surprise interest rate drops - amidst continuing economic uncertainty - and more. You can also watch this episode on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Feedback or Questions? Connect with us on Twitter:  @MoveSmartly @JohnPasalis @SteveSaretsky Reach out to the show over email at [email protected]

A lot has changed in just one month! Two major banks have failed, bond markets are expecting interest rates to drop this year and the federal government is helping to save the housing market. John's guest today is going to help us unpack all of these latest economic trends. Robert Kavcic is Senior Economist and Director Economics at Bank of Montreal and specializes in analyzing real estate trends. You can also watch this interview on our Move Smartly YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly   Follow John on Twitter @JohnPasalis or email at: [email protected] Follow us and send us your questions and feedback on this show via Twitter @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly, or email: [email protected] And if you find our show useful, please rate and write us a review on Apple podcasts - it’s very much appreciated!

With so many financial headlines dominating the news, my guest today is the perfect person to make sense of all the data. Rob McLister is an interest rate analyst, mortgage planner and contributing writer for The Globe and Mail. A former equities trader and finance graduate at the University of Michigan, Rob dissects mortgage rates and writes about issues impacting mortgage consumers.  Subscribe to Rob’s newsletter: https://www.mortgagelogic.news Follow Rob on Twitter: @RobMcLister You can also watch this interview on our Move Smartly YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Follow us and send us your questions and feedback via Twitter @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly, or email: [email protected]  And if you find our show useful, please rate and write us a review on Apple podcasts - it’s very much appreciated!

This month, John presents the highlights of his most recent monthly Move Smartly Toronto Area Real Estate Market report for March 2023 and answers viewer questions about his top stories this month, including why data trends actually matter to what's happening on the ground in Toronto for home buyers and sellers. John also speaks to David Larock, our Move Smartly mortgage expert, to explain what a bank collapse in the US and global knock-on effects mean for our mortgages in Canada and whether high interest rates are resulting in the distressed home sellers we'd expect to see. Plus, Realosophy Sales Representative Peter Karlos, joins John to describe the challenges his renter and landlord clients are seeing right now as Toronto rents reach new highs. You can participate live or rewatch previous sessions on our Move Smartly YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Sign up for John’s monthly report/update email list: https://www.movesmartly.com/monthly-public-webinar To book a Home Buyer/Seller Consultation with John Pasalis and Realosophy Realty about your more detailed questions: https://www.movesmartly.com/meetjohn To send John your own question, email [email protected]  Follow us and send us your questions and feedback via Twitter @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly, or email: [email protected]

It’s March so it’s time for another Toronto-Van City Real Estate Roundtable with Urmi, John and Steve! This month, we talk about whether our current market rebound is just a bull trap, who is actually buying at these high interest rates and where the distressed sellers are. Also given that we’re seeing housing booms now busting around the world, is it unfair to suggest that Canadian policy makers could have really prevented the same happening here?  You can also watch this episode on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Feedback or Questions? Connect with us on Twitter:  @MoveSmartly @JohnPasalis @SteveSaretsky Reach out to the show over email at [email protected] If you find this show useful, please leave us a five-star rating or, even better, a positive written review so that more people can benefit from this information. It’s very much appreciated!

For today’s episode, we’re back with our monthly consumer Q&A ‘The Situation’, but this time we’re doing something a bit different.  Instead of the usual in-depth review of specific real estate questions that consumers have across the GTA, I ask my co-host, John Pasalis, President and Broker at Realosophy Realty, to respond to some of the bigger questions that consumers have asked us, including some pointed questions about whether John might be missing some key factors in his market assessments, including the impact of the decline of the baby boomer age group, and whether factors like jobs and income levels are being overlooked as potential risks to the market.  We’ll be returning to our usual format responding to your specific questions about your buying, selling, investing and renting decisions in Toronto so email us about your own real estate situations to be addressed in a future episode at [email protected]  You can watch this show on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel, follow us on Twitter @MoveSmartly for news or reach out to the show over email at [email protected]

This week, John talks to Sam and Evan Presvelos, of the law firm Presvelos Law LLP, a firm that represents many parties in real estate disputes which arise due to home buying and selling transactions that run into issues. Topics covered included the importance of how the agreement of purchase and sale is drafted, insufficient financing that puts buyer deposits at risk, misrepresented or misunderstood zoning permissions, rights and easements, why home surveys are not always readily available and what your agents should be looking out for, the limits of title insurance and more.  Email John at: [email protected]  You can watch this interview on our Move Smartly YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Follow us and send us your questions and feedback via Twitter @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly, or email: [email protected] 

It’s monthly report time! John shares the highlights of his latest Move Smartly report including the latest numbers and the top stories that are emerging now.  This month, the Toronto area market is hotter than many expected, while optimism around mortgage rates cools. John is joined by his colleague, Gus Papaioannou, from Realosophy Realty, and regular Move Smartly contributor, David Larock, Mortgage Broker at Integrated Mortgage Planners. As usual, Urmi shares your audience questions & comments from our lively online chat along the way. You can participate live or rewatch previous sessions on our Move Smartly YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Sign up for John’s monthly report/update email list: https://www.movesmartly.com/monthly-public-webinar To book a Home Buyer/Seller Consultation with John Pasalis and Realosophy Realty about your more detailed questions: https://www.movesmartly.com/meetjohn Follow us and send us your questions and feedback via Twitter @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly, or email: [email protected] 

It’s February and Urmi, John and Steve are back with this month’s TO-Van City RE roundtable! This month, we discuss a surprising uptick in buyer activity in both cities and discuss whether this is just a seasonal trend or something more, whether Canada tracks housing inflation ion the best way, why one of us thinks interest rates needs to stay high for awhile (the ‘who’ might be a surprise!) and more.  You can also watch this episode on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Feedback or Questions? Connect with us on Twitter:  @MoveSmartly @JohnPasalis @SteveSaretsky Reach out to the show over email at [email protected]

In this episode, Urmi and John are back with our monthly consumer Q&A ‘The Situation.’ Each month, John, who is President and Broker at Realosophy Realty, provides in-depth responses to the many questions we receive from consumers across the Toronto area. This month, we hear from, among others, pre-construction buyers who are now worried about their condos being worth less than they bought them for once the condos are completed and from a Toronto family at wit’s end trying to make the right real estate moves to be able to afford a roomier family home. Email us about your own real estate situation to be addressed in a future episode at [email protected]  You can watch this show on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel, follow us on Twitter @MoveSmartly for news or reach out to the show over email at [email protected]

Urmi and John talk to Ben Rabidoux, a housing analyst at Edge Realty Analytics, a firm that provides data and insights on Canadian housing and economic trends as well as more in-depth reporting on major metro-level trends in Vancouver and Toronto. Many real estate professionals consider Ben’s monthly research reports to be a can’t-miss read for good reason.  What is the latest data suggesting about where home prices will go next in the context of record interest rate rises that may now be levelling off? What does the bond market tell us about what might happen now and why does it matter to housing? How does the recent sales slowdown and price declines we’re seeing now compare to previous declines in 2020, 2008 and the late 1990s? And will we see the market bounce back this spring? You can watch this interview on our Move Smartly YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Follow us and send us your questions and feedback via Twitter @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly, or email: [email protected] 

Urmi interviews Toronto area mortgage broker Ron Butler, who is very active on social media and frequently appears on media educating consumers about the latest developments in the mortgage market.  Last year saw the sharpest increase in interest rates on record as the Bank of Canada scrambled to cool an overheating market - how did we get to this crisis point after almost 15 years of low interest rates? Which types of mortgage borrowers are reporting the most distress right now - and which ones are likely to start feeling the pain next? And how have mortgage sector policy makers themselves contributed to the overall housing affordability crisis as well as the sudden housing market downturns, like the one we’re seeing right now, that hurt the most vulnerable mortgage borrowers? You can watch this interview on our Move Smartly YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Follow us and send us your questions and feedback via Twitter @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly, or email: [email protected] 

As John releases his latest Move Smartly market report for January, he presents his key data and trends in the Toronto area housing market right now and what’s in store for 2023. For this month’s update, John invites David Larock, Mortgage Broker at Integrated Mortgage Planner and regular Move Smartly contributor, to share his thoughts on the year ahead. As usual, Urmi Desai, editor at MoveSmartly.com, shares your audience questions & comments from our lively online chat along the way. Key topics this month: Are anecdotal stories about home buyer/owner distress due to rapidly rising interest rates being seen in the data yet? Will interest rates keep rising in 2023? Are Canada’s mortgage authorities likely to tighten or loosen mortgage qualification rules? What’s the best way to sell multiple-unit properties in a slowing market?  You can participate live or rewatch previous sessions on our Move Smartly YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Sign up for John’s monthly report/update email list: https://www.movesmartly.com/monthly-public-webinar To book a Home Buyer/Seller Consultation with John Pasalis and Realosophy Realty about your more detailed questions: https://www.movesmartly.com/meetjohn Follow us and send us your questions and feedback via Twitter @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly, or email: [email protected] 

New Year! More great Canadian real estate chat as Urmi asks John in Toronto (Realosophy Realty) and Steve Saretsky in Vancouver (Oakwyn Realty) about just when all the effects of ‘The Great Reset’ environment of higher interest rates will be fully felt, why Urmi’s dream of snagging a TO condo at meltdown prices may be out of reach and the policy changes new and old, including BC’s new buyer ‘cooling off period’, Canada’s foreign buyer ban and record levels of immigration will have on the market. And as always, your great audience questions! You can watch this episode on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel Feedback or Questions? Connect with us on Twitter:  @MoveSmartly @JohnPasalis @SteveSaretsky Reach out to the show over email at [email protected]

Hi, Urmi Desai, editor of Move Smartly, and lead contributor, John Pasalis of Realosophy Realty, are back with the second installment of our monthly consumer Q&A we’re calling ‘The Situation.’  The idea is for us to share the more detailed questions John gets from consumers with the more specific real estate situations they are dealing with. This month, we hear from mortgage borrowers under stress and buyers wondering how much they should count on the market rebounding in a few years: Is this the right time to try to sell a tenanted property? Is it wise to put money down on a pre-construction home now? And what happens if your bank wants you to pay more for your mortgage and you can’t afford it? Email us about your own real estate situation to be addressed in a future episode at: [email protected]  You can watch this show on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel, follow us on Twitter @MoveSmartly for news or reach out to the show over email at [email protected].

With the launch of his December market report for Move Smartly, it’s time for John to present his key data and trends for the month and to have our audience join along for what is always a lively online discussion during this live online session.  The top stories this month include: Why it’s so hard to determine a fair price for homes on the market right now? How some buyers are getting caught up in a pre-construction market meltdown and Canadians in general are feeling financial stress as interest rates have hiked. Will Canada’s upcoming foreign buyer ban make a difference? You can participate live or rewatch previous sessions on our Move Smartly YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Sign up for John’s monthly report/update email list: https://www.movesmartly.com/monthly-public-webinar Book Personalized Home Buyer/Seller Consultation with John Pasalis about your more detailed questions: https://www.movesmartly.com/meetjohn Follow us and send us your questions and feedback via Twitter @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly, or email: [email protected]

Last roundtable of the year! Urmi asks John in Toronto (Realosophy Realty) and Steve Saretsky in Vancouver (Oakwyn Realty) how Canadian real estate is closing out the year and what’s next. We talk about the financial stress Canadians are expecting amidst rocketing mortgage interest rates, what we should expect to see in the new year and the spectre of unwise Central Bank pronouncements of the past. You can watch this episode on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel Feedback or Questions? Connect with us on Twitter:  @MoveSmartly @JohnPasalis @SteveSaretsky Reach out to the show over email at [email protected]

Today, John continues the show’s mini-theme from last week of digging deeper into the ‘shortage supply’ explanation for increasing housing unaffordability. Given the similarities between Canada and Australia housing markets, John interviews Cameron Murray, an Australian economist at the University of Sydney, well known for challenging the housing supply narratives that dominate the debate about high house prices in Australia. In contrast to last week’s episode, which focussed on the argument that building more homes is key to solving Canada’s housing affordability crisis, Cameron discusses how the data he tracks in Australia doesn’t always support the ‘supply shortage’ argument we ‘feel’ is happening on the ground. What can the banana market tell us about the housing market? Will increasing housing density really make homes more affordable? And can we look to other countries like Singapore for better policy ideas? You can watch this interview on our Move Smartly YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Follow us and send us your questions and feedback via Twitter @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly, or email: [email protected]

Today, Urmi interviews Mike Moffatt who is the Senior Director of Policy and Innovation at the Smart Prosperity Institute at the University of Ottawa, and Assistant Professor at the Ivey School of Business at Western University, and a leader in housing policy, industry and advocacy circles for many years.  He and his team have projected and analyzed other projections of home building needs, most recently finding that Ontario currently needs 1.5 million homes to be built over the next 10 years to meet current gaps and projected demand.  How likely is it that Ontario can meet this target? What are the biggest challenges to generating this supply? Will ever higher immigration targets keep supply goals permanently out of reach? And could Canada be becoming a new type of economy facing specific pitfalls? You can watch this interview on our Move Smartly YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Follow us and send us your questions and feedback via Twitter @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly, or email: [email protected] 

It’s already November and time for John to share his latest monthly data and insights — and for our viewers to join in the discussion live! This week’s podcast episode is an audio recording of this live update, which we host on our Move Smartly YouTube channel. The top stories this month include: How long will prices hold due to a stalemate between sales and listing levels? What red flags are showing up for pre-construction condos? How does the federal government hope immigration policy will come to the rescue and a look back at how consumer moods had the biggest impact on the market during the Covid pandemic. Viewer questions and comments throughout add to the discussion.  You can participate live or rewatch previous sessions on our Move Smartly YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly Sign up for John’s monthly report/update email list: https://www.movesmartly.com/monthly-public-webinar Book Personalized Home Buyer/Seller Consultation with John Pasalis about your more detailed questions: https://www.movesmartly.com/meetjohn Follow us and send us your questions and feedback via Twitter @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly, or email: [email protected] 

A new monthly feature on our podcast! Urmi sits down with John at Realosophy Realty HQ to discuss the detailed real estate issues and concerns you’ve reached out to him about via email at [email protected]. This month, the stress of a downturning housing market is a recurring theme for home buyers/sellers/owners across the GTA: What can be done when the home you’ve bought at home at the peak of the market earlier this year is already worth less today and you may need to move soon? If you’re struggling with rising mortgage rate payments that don’t cover your investment property expenses? And when you’re due to take possession of a pre-construction home that you bought in very different financial circumstances than today?  Email us about your own real estate situation to be addressed in a future episode at: [email protected]  You can watch this show on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel, follow us on Twitter @MoveSmartly for news or reach out to the show over email at [email protected].

New month, new roundtable! Urmi is back with John in Toronto (Realosophy Realty) and Steve Saretsky in Vancouver (Oakwin Realty) discussing the latest Canada and world real estate headlines and data. This is a busy one covering a lot of ground including The Economist magazine's list of scariest housing markets (a list Canada unenviably tops), the "P" word (as in ‘Are we seeing an interest rate pivot?’), a massive collapse in new construction sales, your great audience questions and more.  Watch this episode on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel, follow us on Twitter @MoveSmartly or reach out to the show over email at [email protected].

In this week’s episode, John interviews economist Randall Bartlett of The Desjardins Group to hear an expert take on what is proving to be a very unusual time for the economy and housing market in Canada and abroad. John and Randall’s discussion is eye-opening and informative, covering some key issues we’d like to understand better — Why were inflation risks not anticipated ahead of time? What is the economic outlook going forward? And how will Canada’s housing market be impacted? Watch this episode on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel, follow us on Twitter @MoveSmartly or reach out to the show over email at [email protected].

As markets at home and abroad continue to undergo historic pressures, John's monthly market update for October features a deep data dive into key factors to see what might be next. Join John and Urmi as they discuss the numbers and on-the-ground observations and answer astute viewer questions. Why are prices plateauing for now — and when might this change? Which proportion of Toronto sellers may become distressed? What about a recession?  Watch this episode on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel, follow us on Twitter @MoveSmartly or reach out to the show over email at [email protected].