Life at Home
NewYou’re Moving In Together. Does Splitting Rent 50/50 Make Sense?
Splitting rent 50/50 can leave partners with very different budgets. Compare equal and income-based shares, and what each leaves for the rest of life.
· 8 min read
The Read
Worth a Read
All our published stories, in one place. Pick a housing question that has been on your mind.
All Stories
Rent
NewYou’ve Paid Rent for Years. Why Can’t You Prove a Rental History?
Paid rent through a partner or roommate? Here’s how Canadian renters can document their housing history honestly, with less paperwork and more privacy.
· 8 min read
Money
NewShould You Open an FHSA If You’re Not Sure You’ll Ever Buy?
Unsure whether buying a home is in your future? See how an FHSA’s tax benefits, 15-year clock and retirement fallback fit an uncertain housing plan.
· 7 min read
Where We Live
NewCan Winnipeg Still Give You Big-City Life Without Big-City Housing Costs?
Could moving from Toronto to Winnipeg lower your costs without shrinking your life? Compare rent, transport and everyday trade-offs with a practical workbook.
· 8 min read
Rent
NewRenting in Alberta? Don’t Assume Your Lease Becomes Month-to-Month
An Alberta fixed-term lease can end without notice. Learn how renewal differs from Ontario and BC, and what to check before your lease expires.
· 5 min read
Market
NewAre Home Prices Up or Down? Both Headlines Can Be True.
Conflicting housing headlines can both be right. Learn how averages, benchmarks and sales mix differ, and what to check for your own home search.
· 6 min read
Life at Home
NewWhat Is a Second Bedroom Actually Worth?
Is a second bedroom worth the extra cost? Explore how renting or buying more space changes your budget, daily life and room for future plans.
· 7 min read
Buy
NewThe Lowest Rate Isn't the Cheapest Mortgage
Compare insured and uninsured mortgages in Canada: how a lower rate can cost more once insurance premiums, tax and five-year interest are included.
· 9 min read
Rent
NewRenting in a Newer Building? Ontario's Rent Cap Doesn't Come With the Unit
Is your Ontario apartment rent controlled? Check the November 2018 exemption, notice rules and what a rent cap could be worth before you sign.
· 9 min read
Buy
NewThe Real Cost of Buying a Home in Canada (It's Not the Price, and It's Not the Rate)
What does a $500,000 home really cost? Compare down payment, closing costs by province, monthly bills and five-year cash paid versus equity.
· 14 min read
Buy
NewWhy Falling Home Prices Don't Always Lower Your Payment
Why can a lower home price still mean a high monthly payment? Compare mortgage rates, condo fees and 2026 Vancouver, Ottawa and Edmonton markets.
· 6 min read
Rent
NewThousands of Homes Are Supposed to Be Coming to Halifax. Will That Actually Make It Easier to Rent There?
Halifax is adding rental homes. What could more choice, new-building incentives and the terms of your current lease mean for your next move?
· 8 min read
Life at Home
NewThe Landlord Text You Dread: What to Do Next
Landlord wants to enter, raise rent, sell or move family in? Four common texts, clear next steps and province-specific rules for renters in Canada.
· 7 min read
Rent
NewKelowna Suddenly Has More Apartments Than Renters. What Does That Mean If Your Lease Is Up This Year?
Kelowna's vacancy rate hit 6.3% and asking rents fell. If your lease is up, here's what you can actually ask for, why a lower rent beats a free month, and why this might be the best time in years to move.
· 9 min read
Where We Live
NewYou Got the Job. So Where's the House?
The plan was school, job, apartment, house, kids. For a lot of Canadians in their 30s, housing broke the order. What changed, the step nobody lists, and how to tell if you're actually behind.
· 10 min read
Market
Courtenay's Next Housing Market Is Taking Shape Now
Land has changed hands in Courtenay, B.C. What happens next could shape rental and ownership choices through 2033.
· 7 min read
Rent
NewThe Rent in the Ad Isn't Always the Rent for Your Apartment
Asking rents can fall while the unit you want still costs more than the number that got you through the door.
· 4 min read
Money
NewWhat Changes If You Buy Five Years Later?
We modelled what happens when a Vancouver couple earning $200,000 buys an $850,000 condo today versus renting and investing for another five years.
Market
NewWhatever Happened to the Starter Home?
Younger Vancouver homeowners are far less likely to own detached houses than previous generations. We look at how the starter home changed, and what the first rung costs now.
Rent
NewWhat If Renting in Your 30s Isn't Temporary?
A long-term renting plan needs more than a monthly budget. This Calgary feature looks at investing, flexibility, rent increases and housing stability.
Where We Live
NewWhat Is Living Close to Work Actually Worth?
A cheaper home can come with a more expensive commute. We use three Montreal households to see what happens when housing, transportation and commuting time are counted together.
Money
NewThe Mortgage Says $3,044. The Condo Budget Says $4,226.
A Toronto condo example shows the costs beyond the mortgage, how to budget for higher fees, and where to check special assessments.