Auto Insurance Companies – Car Insurance Quotes

Best Auto Insurance Quotes

Did you know auto insurance premiums rose by 7% last year, far above the usual 3 to 4%. When drivers don’t shop around for better insurance quotes, or mortgage rates, or a home, companies take advantage.

Even with no claims, they draw funds form your account for years and decades on end. Any you never ask them for anything. You’ll be happier if you get online quotes. It’s so easy and hassle free.

It’s all about lower rates and getting lower auto insurance quotes. Yet insurance companies won’t just offer them. You have to search for a better car insurance quote. Now that you’re hear, it’s time to begin your search.

“Shop Around for a Lower Car Insurance Quote“

Compare Car Insurance Rates

If you’re not comparing auto insurance rates, you’re giving away money. In fact, car insurance shopping is the only way to can substantially lower your premiums and get better converage. This post will convince you and give you some new options.

You get lower auto insurance by comparing quotes from different vehicle insurance companies. There are a lot of them out there. There’s big and small insurance companies and independent brokers looking for your business.

Will you save on insurance for electric vehicles?

Rising auto insurance isn’t a local issue. Car insurance rates are rising everywhere but it appears consumers are apathetic about it. If you look at the price charts below you’ll see how much people expend for auto insurance.

Self-driving cars could raise auto insurance rates for you and I, since those autonomous car companies would negotiate their own low rate coverage. They’ll save plenty, but you will have to negotiate your own insurance rate.

The insurance companies are awash in cash now however they’re facing tough times as their own pool of revenue erodes and claim payouts rise. Switching insurance companies might be a wise move. Consider this stat:

The average auto insurance premium in Ontario, Canada is $1,458, which is almost 55% higher than the average of all other Canadian jurisdictions — from a Globe & Mail report.

It’s 2017 and time to take massive action to save money. Have you investigated UBI or usage based auto insurance? Check out the auto insurance rate quotes for your city or state below.

Get the best auto insurance quotes in Toronto, Vancouver, Los Angeles, San Diego, Miami, Phoenix, Denver, Boston, New York and other cities where consumers are fed up. We’re all paying too much to insure our cars, SUVs and trucks. It’s hard earned dollars ($10,000) that you’re giving away but now that can change. Has your loyalty to one insurance company done much for you?

Look back at the last 20 years of auto insurance coverage you purchased (e.g., 20 x 12 x $150 = $36,150). Could you use that money right now?

It’s a Great Time to Switch Auto Insurance Companies

Yes, switching insurance companies is a wise financial choice. There are videos, charts, infographics and quote comparisons below that will open your eyes. When it comes to finding the lowest insurance rates, and a better policy, this might be a good starting point. It’s best to do lots of searching and get a wide variety of quotes from insurers. Just through persistence alone, you’ll get the best rates. You could save $10,000 over 6 years or as much as $1800 in one year.

Do you Need Collector or Luxury Car Insurance?

Here’s an auto insurance niche where you can get more price and appropriate quotes for your Porsche, Mercedes Benz, Ferrari, Lamborhghini, Bentley, Rolls Royce, or Maserati.

I’m sure you’ll find the auto insurance quote comparisons below an eye opener.
According to one source, the average price of auto insurance across the US is $1100 to $1200 per year — that leaves lots of room for you to start saving!

Virginia has become the 19th state to ban consumer price gouging – Consumeraffairs.com – fair warning that you are probably getting taken.

Searching for Insurance via Google

Google is certainly fast and you’ll get better rates than from an insurance agency in Los Angeles, Boston, Phoenix, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, New York, Indianapolis, Detroit, Philadelphia, or Chicago. Within seconds you can be on an insurance company website and buy an auto insurance policy. I’d advise looking first to the auto insurance comparison sites before you decide on an insurance company and take their coverage. That’s particularly true if you’re buying luxury auto insurance.

Not all of the big name companies such as Allstate, Progressive, Geico, Nationwide, State Farm, Mercury, StateFarm, and others offer great rates or the coverage you actually need. I know from my own searches that I tend not to be thorough enough. I get restless and frustrated and settle for a higher auto insurance quote than I should. I want to help you optimize your quest for the lowest auto policy.

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Share this post on Facebook with younger drivers who need some relief from $4000 to $8000 policies.

My Car Insurance Quote

I conducted a search directly on the insurer’s websites of Geico, Progressive, Statefarm, Liberty Mutual, Mercury, Allstate, AAA and Farmers. In the chart below, you can see the quote for a 40 year old male living in Santa Ana, California, driving a 2010 Hyudai Santa Fe 4 dr sedan to work 30 miles away daily, and having one non bodily injury accident (hit a car). We need an example to analyze an auto insurance quote, so let’s take a quick look at this one.

Statefarm’s auto quote was about $1300 less per year than Liberty Mutual’s. Over 6 years, that translates to $7800 in savings if I chose Statefarm. Further below, I sought quotes via insurance hotline and the variation was bigger. With your own search, you may find one local insurance company who may be willing to insure you at much less.

Is a 40 year old driver with one accident statistically that risky? Obviously Liberty Mutual, Statefarm, and AAA believe there is huge risk. Each company processes the statistics differently, and they’re entitled to. However, are they being reasonable about it. Is the auto quote abnormally high?

Screen Capture courtesy of Geico

Get a Quote in Your City

Auto Insurance Provider	Price per Year
Geico Auto Insurance Company	$1772
Progressive Auto Insurance Company	$1884
Statefarm Auto Insurance Company	$1654
Liberty Mutual Auto Insurance Company	$2909
Mercury Auto Insurance Company	$1760
Allstate Auto Insurance Company	$1655
Nationwide Auto Insurance Company	$2071
AAA Auto Insurance Company$	$2673
Farmers Auto Insurance Company	$2796

Some of these companies make you fill out endless questions, some of which you have to wonder are even legal. I liked Progressive’s online auto insurance quote process the best. It was quick and the least painful. They seem to respect your time the most. Their quote was a little higher than Allstate and Statefarm, but I suspect Progressive has a better corporate culture — a signal of how they’ll treat you after becoming their customer.

Auto Insurance Tips from Everquote.com

Auto Insurance Tips on how to Get Cheaper Car and Truck Insurance

Canadian Auto Insurance Buyers are Getting Ripped Off

Car Insurance Quote In Canada

Here’s another example auto insurance quote for a 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe, 4 door, for a 48 year old male with one ticket. See the huge difference in quotes from individual brokerages? That’s right, in this case there are two Aviva brokerages competing. The lowest quote was from Travelers insurance. It equates to $1700 savings per year and more than $10,000 over 6 years. That’s a significant amount.

Auto Insurance Rates by US State

Just in case you’re curious, here is Insure.com’s rankings of States for car insurance policies for one year.

	State	Insurance Quote
1	Michigan	$2738
2	Montana	$2297
3	New Jersey	$1905
4	Louisiana	$1842
5	Oklahoma	$1778
6	DC	$1773
7	California	$1752
8	Florida	$1654
9	Maryland	$1610
10	Rhode Island	$1608
11	Delaware	$1607
12	Georgia	$1559
13	Texas	$1510
14	West Virginia	$1456
15	Wyoming	$1421
16	Colorado	$1393
17	Connecticut	$1367
18	South Carolina	$1353
19	Arkansas	$1345
20	Alabama	$1337
21	Massachusetts	$1325
22	Pennsylvania	$1305
23	Kentucky	$1295
24	New Mexico	$1277
25	Mississippi	$1277
26	Oregon	$1267
27	Minnesota	$1257
28	Nevada	$1221
29	North Dakota	$1200
30	Nebraska	$1188
31	Arizona	$1188
32	South Dakota	$1168
33	Washington	$1168
34	Tennessee	$1145
35	Kansas	$1135
36	Indiana	$1113
37	Alaska	$1078
38	Utah	$1061
39	Missouri	$1056
40	New York	$1050
41	Hawaii	$1049
42	Illinois	$1035
43	Virginia	$1020
44	Iowa	$989
45	North Carolina	$987
46	Vermont	$942
47	New Hampshire	$941
48	Idaho	$935
49	Wisconsin	$912
50	Ohio	$900
51	Maine	$808

Cheapest Cars, Truck and SUVs to Insure

Are you looking for the cheapest auto insurance? Check out usage based insurance and consider buying an old car. Here’s Yahoo’s list of the cheapest cars and SUV’s to insure:

1. Honda Odyssey LX – annual insurance premium: $1113 per year.

2. Honda CR-V LX – annual insurance premium: $1,170.

3. Dodge Grand Caravan – annual car insurance premium $1,174.

4. Jeep Wrangler Sport – annual car insurance premium $1,181.

5. Jeep Compass Sport 2WD – annual car insurance premium $1,190

6. Ford Escape S 2WD – annual car insurance premium $1,194.

7. Buick Encore Sport Tour 2WD – annual car insurance premium $1,200.

8. Jeep Cherokee Base 2WD – annual car insurance premium $1,203.

9. Nissan Frontier S King Cab – annual car insurance premium $1,204

Here’s something to think about to motivate you: a savings of almost $1000. How long does it take you to earn $1000 x the next 4 years = $4000. Because, insurance buyers tend to be loyal (or just lazy) and stick with the insurance company that’s sticking it to them. If that’s you, then, spend a whole afternoon or evening searching for a lower auto insurance quote. Save your money.

Sharing is Good for Your Social Health, and good for others bank accounts. Help them save by sharing this post! Who couldn’t use all that money?

A survey by carinsurance.com (they do these studies for PR and for wider exposure in social media and Google) so take it with a grain of salt. Carinsurance.com stated that in California, the average annual premium across the six top carriers was $1,428 (significantly higher than national average of $1,277). The cheapest car insurance averaged an amazing 33% less, at $960.

The Type of Car you Drive is a Key Factor

You may not realize that the insurance companies offer cheaper insurance for a certain type or brand of vehicle. Jeeps for instance have very cheap rates. Why? Who knows? They’re not divulging anything that will cause them to lose profit. Obviously, your age, sex, and recent driving record will determine if you can get those best rates. Are new electric cars like the Tesla Model 3, Chevy Volt or Nissan Leaf the way to go?

Find the lowest insurance rates in your city: Los Angeles car insurance, Boston auto insurance, Phoenix car insurance, San Francisco car insurance, San Diego car insurance, Seattle car insurance, New York car insurance, Indianapolis car insurance, Detroit car insurance, Philadelphia auto insurance, Toronto car insurance, or Chicago car insurance.

Inforgraphic courtesy of Enhance Insurance – Automobile Insurance facts in all 50 states

Auto Insurance Resources

Car Insurance requirements in California:

Car Insurance requirements in New York:

Auto Insurance Coverage Requirements in Texas

Auto Insurance Coverage requirements in Florida

Auto Truck Insurance requirements in Illinois

Car Insurance minimum coverage requirements in Ohio

Car Insurance coverage requirements in Massachusetts

Lowest Auto Insurance Coverage in a City Near You

I welcome all inquiries from businesses inLos Angeles, Phoenix, Denver, Seattle, Chicago, Boston, New York, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, St Louis, Minneapolis, Green Bay, Charlotte, Tampa, Miami, Orlando, Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa, Oshawa, Hamilton, Newmarket, Richmond Hill, Oakville, Calgary, Kelowna, Mississauga, Anaheim, Beverly Hills, Malibu, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Fresno, Santa Clara, Sacramento, Mountainview, Palo Alto, Portland, Washington, Atlanta, Irvine, Nashville, Sunnyvale, Salt Lake City, Riverside, Rancho Cucamonga, Costa Mesa, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Raleigh, Albuquerque, Glendale, Oceanside, Long Beach, Huntington Beach, Carlsbad, Santa Clarita, Henderson, Mesa, Temecula, Kirkland, Redmond, Kansas City, St Louis, Stockton, Scottsdale, Palm Springs, Indianapolis, Columbus, Colorado Springs, Fort Worth, Chula Vista, Escondido, Santa Monica, Miami Beach, and Honolulu.

May 14, 2018May 19, 2018

Toronto Housing Market Crash – 15 Reasons why the Toronto Real Estate Bubble is About to Burst?

Toronto Housing Market Crash?

May 14, 2018. When we begin counting the many reasons why and when the Toronto real estate estate market might finally implode, we might agree it is a real possibility now.

It’s only the persistence of Millennials hoping to buy a Toronto condo that’s keeping this market alive. Although some call it healthy, this quiet in the “critical care unit” is deceiving. As new construction wanes, pessimism could become intense. Ontario needs new poltical leadership and a boost for the housing construction sector.

The drop in housing prices in the Toronto area has been shocking and now we hear Ontario politicians aren’t interested in saving it, even if it brings the Ontario economy crashing down.

Is the Big Toronto housing crash coming this year or 2019? Would it precede or or be connected at all to a potential Toronto stock market crash? In this post we’re going to explore the Toronto housing crash factors, some of which are getting noisy. Check here if you’re looking for the latest US housing bubble report.

Rising Gas/Oil Prices and $CAD, Troubled NAFTA

Added to 50% drops in sales, Ontario is looking at rising interest rates, rising gasoline prices and rising CAD, and lower government spending with a potential minority government (where nothing can done).

The Ontario government’s disturbing strategy now is now working within an economy on the downturn and a smaller tax base. Wynne was rightfully concerned about the TPP trade deal threat which holds little promise for Ontario manufacturing.

With the US pulling auto manufacturing back into the US, our auto industry is threatened. Oil could pull up the CAD value and decreasing competitiveness for Ontario, but it’s looking good for the ailing Calgary housing market.

Companies here aren’t competitive with US companies enjoying a new low tax rates. You can read the other reasons for a doom and gloom picture for the Toronto housing market report.

If there’s been a perfect time to sell your home, this is it.

And with US President Donald Trump’s 2018 state of the union speech, it looks like the US is on its way to its biggest economic growth in history. Without the full benefits of NAFTA, Canadian economic predictions are troubled, and if oil prices rise too high, the Ontario economy is looking risky.

And for Ontario, the picture is less positive:

the TSX stock exchange is one of the worst performing in the world
the NAFTA deal may be cancelled or manfacturing exports down
the TPP deal would open up Ontario to cheap Asian competitors
the price of oil is rising and raising Ontario’s costs of doing business
real estate is very expensive
rent to income ratios are extremely high in GTA
interest rates are high
consumer debt is maxed out
the Ontario government is anti-business and anti-housing growth
Ontario’s taxes can’t generate enough money for infrastructure improvements
the CAD is rising and eroding Ontario’s competitive advantage
Canada has been near last in direct foreign investment for many years
US tax rates have plummeted giving companies reason to relocate there
cash strapped, stressed out Millennials will finally give up on the dangerous gamble of buying a home for $600k+
the Federal Government may raise the Capital gains tax

The Toronto Stock exchange one of the worst in the world, and is tumbling in 2018

Canadian beginning strong rise against falling US Dollar.

Are Canadians thinking crash?

From the Bank of Canada governor to expert authors, there’s a dull roar of people warning about a Toronto housing crash. Are they contibuting and pushing or is this just plain fact?

Now we’re into 2018, home sales are slow, sellers are definitely getting nervous, and younger buyers more frustrated. More worrisome is the recent troubles in the stock market, with the rising dollar and rising oil prices which just hit $66 per barrel.

The debate raged last year, but it looks like Douglas Porter (his most recent thoughts) might have it right for a 2018 forecast.

Here’s Douglas Porter again on Feb 1 saying there is no immediate danger:

The Americans too are worried about a housing bubble in 2018, yet their economy is on a definite upswing. The amount of money being repatriated into the US (Apple bringing in $450 billion) is incredible. All that investment money is coming back home to create jobs in the US. Of course there will be a spillover into Canada.

Huge personal debt and a vulnerable economy combined with Millennial desperation and huge immigration growth are fueling some sort of event.

Everyone’s wondering what will start the avalanche. The election of the PC party in June could create the euphoria and optimism that will inflate prices severely next summer. There’s some risk in it, however the benefits will be tremendous for anyone in Ontario looking to buy their own home.

“This is either a pause in the bubble and inflation is going to resume into even more stratospheric levels, or this is the start of a hard landing,” said Hilliard MacBeth, portfolio manager at RichardsonGMP and author of “When the Bubble Bursts: Surviving the Canadian Real Estate Crash.”

Should you list and sell your house now? Will interest rates and inflation, and government policies lead to a catastrophic housing and economic collapse in Canada in 2018/2019? Could our prime minister mismanage the economy?

In the booming US, they’re asking similar questions about a housing market crash. That would make a Toronto market crash more plausible. Yet many see the market ready to boom. Very confusing, but let’s take a look at the Toronto market crash scenario first and see all the factors to consider before you buy or sell your home.

2018, 2019, 2002 or Beyond?

If it’s not a question of if the Toronto market crash might happen, then might a questio of when — 2018 or 2019? Or will the crash threat simply fade as demand for homes weakens? Lots of uncertainty and not much consensus.

There’s a list of the crash factors however if they line up in a certain squence, it might be enough to set the house of cards plummeting. Is the key crash factor financial, political, or would it be a sudden loss of consumer confidence in real estate and the Canadian economy?

Much of Canada’s prosperity comes via natural resources and trade with the US. Despite all the optimism, trade restrictions (Bombardier loss) by the US are no joke as are falling commodity prices. And if you were a bank, would you want to lend out billions to young first time home buyers in the face of an unstable government and economy?

I just read a story about a company that is ready to help buyers rent to buy so they don’t have to pay a downpayment in some cases. Is the same scenario we had in 2006 and 2007?

Provincial Governments and Drastic Actions

The Ontario Premier impulsively reacted with the foreign buyers tax which helped cool demand, but the crash may not be about the flame. It may be about the fundamentals of a Canadian economy which has the least direct foreign investment of any G20 country and a shaky trade deal with one country which seems to blocking imports of our wood and oil.

The Ontario, BC, and Canadian federal governments have been so negative, repressive, and unsupportive of the contribution of real estate to the economy, that those actions are the key to a disaster. Continued suppression of land development for housing is creating a true housing crisis.

1 million new immigrants are arriving in Canada by 2020, it’s sets the stage for desperate buying (the dreaded housing bubble) and bigger opportunities for rental property investors.

Some experts suggest a crash is impossible, while other expert predictions (from TD’s Bank President), support the theory that rising unemployment and rising mortgage rates would be needed to begin the landslide.

Canadians have one of highest per capita debt levels of any G7 nation. With the NAFTA deal in trouble, we could see those rise. So when someone asks “should I sell my house” in Toronto, the response depends on whether the government will change course and help in a massive housing development program.

crashahead — Image courtesy of look4itknysna.co.za

What Causes Housing Bubbles to Form and then Burst?

What causes a housing market bubble? What factors could burst Toronto’s bubble and possibly send the economy into a skid? Most of those factors are listed below. The key is rocketing demand (like we saw in spring 2017) combined with intensive government meddling, during a time of economic prosperity.

The key may be market susceptibility, instability, caused by investor uncertainty. After a charged up price index, an event occurs that sends investors scurrying fast. It could be foreign investors or Canadian investors. Only if the economy suddenly loses its strength and people find themselves without jobs will they default and abandon their underwater mortgages, as they did during the US economic recesssion. When bank governors begin to use vague, waffling language, it creates the kind of uncertainty investors dislike.

Bank governor Poloz said that interest rates could move “in either direction.” He emphasized that the Canadian economy was still highly susceptible to shocks, and a cooling housing market combined with debt worries are still worthy of concern – from the Fool.ca

Should I sell my house in Toronto and should I buy a condo in the Toronto area?

Find out how the Toronto Real Estate market shaping up. Check out more detailed market updates and forecasts for of Mississauga, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Aurora, Newmarket, and Bradford.

Vancouver’s real estate market has shown volatility of late. It looked like the market was coming back but it has leveled off again.

The lack of rentals is the “biggest pain point for our city,” With 100,000 people moving to the Toronto area annually, the region needs about 30,000 rental units. Toronto has about 1,500 coming on stream” from Toronto Star report.

If you’re thinking of selling your home to get in on this Toronto market winfall, you need to find a real estate agent. The market might not burst until 2018, but it could heat up badly in April, May and June to begin the freefall.

What exactly happens in a real estate market crash? Here’s one answer:

If a bubble were to burst, the real estate market would slow to a crawl. “You’d probably see very little transaction volume,” said University of British Columbia professor Thomas Davidoff. “People would be locked into their homes and their mortgages.”

In a crash, you couldn’t sell your home since buyers would just wait forever for the market to hit bottom and fewer could get financing to buy it.

Lots of questions to ask such as “is this just a monster luxury home problem?” If the market plummets, what will it mean if I have an underwater mortgage and can’t renew at higher mortgage rates? Are my relatives wise to buy right now? Will a crash have an effect on employment in the Toronto area? Consider this from a report on CBC:

1 in 10 wiped out by 20% correction — “A badly managed downturn in real estate prices could wipe out the wealth of a large number of Gen-Xers and Gen-Yers. We need to recognize that young families are the most likely group to be plunged underwater by a nasty housing correction,” said CCPA economist David Macdonald.

Sound scary? Then let’s take a real, no holds barred look at the real estate market in Toronto and the factors that could create a crash because our assumptions might be false.

Did you know sharing is good for your social health? Share this post on Facebook, Twitter, or Linkedin or via email. It’s good to share!!

This report from the CBC tells us a lot about the whole business of forecasting crashes (and that they haven’t happened)

Prices keep rising. Bearish predictions that Canada’s housing market is about to crash, and calls for the government to cool hot markets, have been around for at least that long.

In fact, prices have risen steadily since the recession of the early 1990s and even the dip during the financial crisis of 2009 was a mild one. “Da Bears may some day be right, especially on the hottest markets, but getting the timing down is half the challenge,” Porter said. A Goldilocks market is not too hot, not too cold. But Canada’s housing market is running both hot, cold and lukewarm all at the same time. From http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/bmo-porter-housing-crash-1.3493809

Nostradamus and the Pundits

Some experts are calling for a housing crash in 2017, based on overheated prices, yet they don’t discuss what might be done to alleviate the problem in the Toronto region. The key issue for the Toronto real estate market, (as it is in the US market) is a lack of housing supply but there are other factors outline below. A host of government leaders have sought to crush land development and have quietly gotten away with their policies. But now the spotlight is aimed directly on them.

Could Premier Kathleen Wynne arrange to cancel the Places to Grow legislation and open up new land to ease home prices? Isn’t that a more sensible thing to do rather than providing more incentives for first time buyers who are up to their ears in consumer debt pondering a very high priced condo or house purchase? Is Kathleen Wynne is precipitating risk factor for a big housing crash in Toronto? Will interest rates rise so buyers would be less likely to bid on homes and condos?

Some would suggest that she and the Liberals are too ideologically driven to flex on that one. Yet Wynn’s approval rating is now below 20%. That is really low so easing up when the Federal government is crack down on mortgages doesn’t make a lot of sense. Her super low rating means Ontario doesn’t want her as Premier anymore and out of desperation facing years more in office, she could do something risky to seek approval. Wynne is a sell now factor.

More Foreign Investment Needed

The high demand for homes and property from foreign investors from China and the Middle East and the US, has been a wonderful thing for Ontario and Canada. If not for real estate, the world has no interest in investing in Canada. Foreign investment is at its lowest level in 60 years which means no one is going to save us.

Federal Justice minister Bill Morneau recently announced measures to cool the Toronto market, however experts feel the Feds can’t do much, in fact the Feds have said that themselves. They believe the provinces should be managing their own affairs. That brings it back to the Wynne government who has used risky, sudden measures. So when ministers start using words such as fragile, you’ve been given fair warning about a potential crash.

Justin Trudeau should be travelling and posing for cameras on the subject of why investing in Canada is wise. New free trade deals with ailing South American countries won’t work because we have nothing to export and they don’t buy our stuff. Without financing, the Ontario companies don’t stand a chance competing against well funded foreign firms. A low dollar and access to the US market is all we have.

If the 2018 Toronto Housing Market does Crash

If a housing crash is imminent, you’d be wise to unload your property now during the winter. Is 10 or 20 thousand dollars worth missing out on the greatest real estate cashout of all time? Up or down market, a wise person would answer the question of “Should I sell my home now” is in the affirmative.

Toronto Housing Market Crash Factors

What are the economic and real estate market factors that affect your selling decision?

strength of the US economy
GTA economy and employment starts to fall
Canadian consumer debt reaching lmits
NAFTA agreeement conflicts and refusals
US restrictions on imports from Mexico and China begin to topple their housing markets
immigration levels drop off
add on taxation by Ontario, city and Toronto governments
soaring home prices fall
moderate new home construction – abandoned security deposits
government meddling with property use
mortgage rates rising faster
number of millennials buying homes drops or house prices are out of reach
Wynn and Trudeau don’t have a handle on the economy
political pressure to keep home prices up to protect homeowner’s equity and credit situations

What the Heck Happened in Vancouver?

The booming Vancouver real Estate market plunged not long after the foreign buyers tax was implemented. That hurt speculators and Asian buyers who were finding a way to invest in Canada. It was good for BC renters, but not good for Vancouver. Foreign investors will have lost some trust in the BC government. These sorts of radical taxes and regulations don’t go over well with investors.

Unfortunately, the pain of high rents and no vacancies was too much for the Vancouverites to to bear and they pushed the tax through. The Asian money soon transfered to Los Angeles and Seattle where potential is so high.
Will the bubble burst in Toronto soon? A lot of buyers and sellers and mortgage lenders are struggling with that question.

Kathleen Wynn and John Tory aren’t talking about the crash possibility and the various mayors in Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Aurora Newmarket etc aren’t saying much either. They’re enjoying the tax haul, but they realize Canadian consumer debt is a huge matter. If mortgage rates and unemployment rise, we’ve got a crash type situation on our hands.

With high home prices come new home construction and if you’ve been to Aurora Newmarket, Bradford and King township lately you’ve seen the huge growth in new communities. But the demand far outstrips supply. The fact is Toronto is a hot market and prices aren’t slowing.

Is this the best year to buy rental income property? Read these posts on best investments in 2017 including investing in real estate.

Does the Past Tell Us Anything?

If the past does tell us anything, it tells us we’ll probably make the same mistakes again about forecasting crashes and bubble downturns. If we look at Toronto home prices over the past 60 years, we’ll see that they’ve just kept rising. Even the great recession cause only a small blip and the US recession of 2007 didn’t even leave a dent. As long as there’s a lack of development land, the price will speed up like an angry commuter on Indy 400 (or 404 or 401) and inevitably crash.

The last thing we’re left with in pondering the possibility of a Toronto housing crash in 2017 is what starts an avalanche? Is a stock market crash in 2019 a possibility that will affect your decision to buy?

Here’s a few resources on the bubble issue:

Housing market has ‘low probability’ for collapse: RBC report

Why Every Investor Needs to Worry About Canada’s Housing Bubble

Hands off my housing bubble!

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/cmhc-canada-real-estate-1.3822489

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May 10, 2018May 12, 2018

Low Mortgage Rates | Lowest Mortgage Refinancing Fixed Rate Home Loans

Shopping for Cheaper Mortgage Rates is Fun!

The success of online shopping via Amazon tells us consumers enjoy the experience of shopping around. No sore feet, parking hassles, or traffic stress, not gasoline prices, better prices, and infinite selection makes shopping online compelling.

Shopping for a cheaper mortgage should be that way too.

Instead of accepting your own bank’s tired high interest offering, you’ll enjoy saving thousands by shopping online for a lower mortgage rate.

Surprising and proven savings of 5 to 22 points translates to an average savings of $2,914

Mortgage Rates are Rising

Yes, they will grow by the week, but that doesn’t mean you can’t break free of the rising costs, by switching mortgage companies and locking in at a guaranteed rate that will save you thousands.

Rising US Mortgage Rates courtesy of Yahoo Finance

Type of Mortgage	Interest Rate	Weekly Rate of Change	Advantage
30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage	3.79 %	0.02 %	Fixed rate for the life of a loan
20-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage	3.83 %	0.06 %	Fixed rate for the life of a loan
15-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage	3.81 %	0.02 %	Fixed rate for the life of a loan
10-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage	3.62 %	0.08 %	Fixed rate for the life of a loan
7/1 ARM Mortgage	3.51 %	0.09 %	Fixed rate for 7 years, then raised thereafter
5/1 ARM Mortgage	3.84 %	0.04 %	Fixed rate for 5 years, then raised thereafter
3/1 ARM Mortgage	3.72 %	0.04 %	Fixed rate for 3 years, then raised thereafter

Better terms, lower monthly payments and lower fixed fees will make this process an even more palatable one for you.

As you’ll find out below, when homeowners search for a better rate, they generally get a lower mortgage rate quote of an astonishing 5 to 22 points! And that translates to an average savings of $2,914 if the borrower receives 5 mortgage rate quotes. On a 30 year 5% mortgage rate on a $500,000 home loan, the savings are even bigger. By Shopping around yu ensure you don’t get sold a product you don’t really need.

Along with lower rates, shopping for mortgages with lower broker or financing fees gives you more than enough justification for shopping around online. You’re on your computer or mobile phone! Fight back against the banks high rates by shopping right now.

You can ask about terms, rates benefits, and anything you don’t understand with those offering up a mortgage quote. Shopping online takes a lot of the friction, uncertainty, and effort out of getting the best mortgage possible.

Fixed Rates, HELOCs, Savings, and Debt Refinance

This summer, everyone’s thinking mortgage quotes because rates are rising. This rise will affect your mortgage approval, home refinancing rates, Heloc application, debt refinancing, and much more.

The banks are becoming more rejecting so it’s time to widen your search using all channels, including mortgage brokers. The Freddie Mac survey shows us the value is there. And you don’t want to wait for nasty surprises that could see you lose your home.

“Won’t my bank give me the lowest rate possible?” Why would they give you a rock bottom rate if you’re going to renew without asking? They’d be cutting their own big profits.

Questions: Does shopping around actually create a significant difference?

In these graphics courtesy of Freddie Mac’s recent mortgage shopping report, buyers saved at least 10 points on average (orange and green dotted lines) and some as much as 22 points. The more questioning and persistent you are, the further the savings you generate.

Rising Mortgage Rates in the US

In the US, rising mortgage rates are a concern. Mortgage applications dropped for a 4th straight time since March and that’s weighing down the US housing market.

Tighter lending, bank reluctance, and higher rates will mean refinancing your mortgage will cost hundreds to thousands more in 2019 and 2020. How many days does it take you to earn that money?

Cost of living is about to rise. With inflation on the upswing, flat home prices, and gasoline and oil prices being forecast to rocket, the next year could bring pain and stress for many homeowners who need to refinance.

The big banks have owned the mortgage market since 2008, but Freddie Mac is supporting non-banks who are providing mortgage related financing to more consumers. Quicken Loans, Freedom Mortgage, LoanDepot, and Caliber Home Loans are just a few of the other new online mortgage loan providers competing for your business now. There are many more in addition to brokers and banks.

Mortgage Rate Quote Tips:

⦁ research rates and know what is actually a good mortgage rate before you accept
⦁ get quotes from at least 5 different mortgage brokers or online providers
⦁ ask about special quotes for certain occupations
⦁ do maximize your down payment amount
⦁ lock in at fixed rates for at least 10 years
⦁ ask how much in interest you’ll be paying for the life of the home loan
⦁ ask for special benefits such as payment holidays
⦁ renegotiate in spring when more lenders are cutting rates to win business

Canadians are Facing Record Mortgage Refinancing Levels

In Canada, around 47% of all existing mortgages will need to be refinanced this year, according to CIBC estimates. And that’s up from the 25 to 35% range in a normal year. Canadians will be in a rush to capture better financing and they’ll likely be switching mortgage lenders to get it. Dominion Lending for instance is seeing big growth but they’re also rejecting more mortgage applications.

Rising interest rates and tighter lending regulations in Canada combine with very high consumer debt levels, making it tougher for Canadians to qualify for and get mortgage refinancing they can afford.

This could make for more volatility in the Toronto housing market and Vancouver housing markets. For the first time in a long while, borrowers are nervous and concerned about refinancing rates they need for home loans, HELOCs, and to repay off debts. These higher financing rates are expected to set off a cascade of housing and financial issues across Canada.

US Mortgage Rates Rising for Certain

“US Mortgage Rates Highest levels in 56 Months — Freddie Mac.”

The Fed is expecting to raise interest rates slightly and the housing market isn’t expected to cool much.

Any rise in rates right now however creates a significantly higher monthly payment. Check the mortgage rate calculator to see how much your monthly payments will rise when rates go up a further 1%.

Mortgage Rate History – St Louis Fed

If we look at this graphic below, we can see how far up mortgage rates could rise again. The small increases in mortgage rates right now seem cheap in comparison with the early 1980’s. However today’s home prices are significantly higher and wages are lower in comparison.

Homeowners in New York, San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Jose, Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver will feel the most pain.

Since early January, mortgage rates have been rising fast. With inflation creeping upward, wages rising and housing construction growing stronger, more American will be buying real estate.

The Secondary Mortgage Market and Brokers

You shouldn’t be accepting your banks offer without looking at what the secondary financing market can offer. A savings of a couple of points on a 5 year fixed term or a 30 year fixed rate loan is nothing to sneeze at.

Checking a mortgage broker in your city is just plain wise and there are many advertising online. You’ll have access to better mortgage benefits and find a lower mortgage rate.

It’s All About Finding a Lowest Mortgage Rate

If money is a commodity and there’s plenty of mortgage lenders, then it’s all about finding the lowest mortgage rate quote. Of course, those rates won’t just jump out at you. You’re going to have to do some searching for a better quote online.

According to Freddie Mac, borrowers received rate quotes ranging from 4.2% to 4.8%. That’s way a patient search process is vital for you to get the best deal.

Good Luck with Your low rate mortgage search. Bookmark this page because it will be updated with more news on mortgage rate savings!

May 6, 2018May 19, 2018

Home Loans and Mortgages – The Lowest Rates Possible

Compare Lowest Home Mortgage Rates

How Much Could You Save By Shaving 5 to 22 points off Your Mortgage?

Shopping for a Lower Mortgage Rate might be a fun way to save money. Shaving 5 to 22 points off combined with better terms leaves you more to spend in your happy place.

Homes are expensive and you need to save money anyway you can. This is where you start, by searching and shopping for the lowest mortgages rates available.

Whether it’s our job, auto insurance, current home, and our lot in life, there are those who believe staying put is okay. However, staying with your current provider could be costing your tens of thousands.

Save your money by checking out several mortgage rate quotes from as many brokers as possible. More people are shopping for mortgages and refinancing this year.

mortgage-sign — Image courtesy of Brooklin Mortgages.com

In fact, corporate profits rely on you staying put and not comparing mortgage rates or auto insurance rates.

The mortgage rate quote, auto insurance quote, refinancing rate etc. you currently receive is likely not all that competitive. It’s a good time to refinance or shop around for an entirely new mortgage solution. Get the system working for you.

Mortgage Rates USA
Major USA Bank Mortgage Rates
Long Term	Fixed Rate	Best Rate

1 Year	4.0%
2 Years	4.0%	✔
5 Years	3.375
7 Years	4.0%	✔
15 Years	3.625
30 Years	4

Lower Mortgage Rates across USA You can Find Below

1 Year	3.83%	✔
2 Years	3.92%
5 Years	4.18%	✔
7 Years	4.06%
15 Years	3.28%	✔
30 Years	4	✔

——-

Mortgage Rates Canada
Major Canadian Bank Mortgage Rates
Term Length	Fixed Rate	Best Rate

1 Year	3.49%
2 Years	3.29%
3 Years	3.74%
4 Years	4.09%
5 Years	4.99%
7 Years	5.49%
10 Years	6.19%

Lowest Mortgage Rates in Canada You can Find Below

1 Year	2.69%	✔
2 Years	2.84%	✔
3 Years	2.69%	✔
4 Years	2.89%	✔
5 Years	2.69%	✔
7 Years	3.44%	✔
10 Years	3.74%	✔

Do it for Your Spouse and Family: Savings Are Smart

And sure, you’re not always looking for rock bottom rates, but you likely are paying premium rates for low quality mortgage loans.

Make Finding lower mortgage rates a priority right now, and you’ll save a lot of money. Consider how much savings translates to a 5, 10, or 20 year mortgage and it’s tens of thousands of dollars.

Saving Money on Your Mortgage – Is Money in Your Bank Account

With the money you save, you can buy a new electric vehicle, or take a vacation to Costa Rica or the Canadian Rockies. You can turn your mortgage rate search into a real adventure.

That money is yours. You worked hard for it. Count how many hours and days you had to toil in your job to earn that money. See what I mean? People are penny smart and dollar stupid. It’s part of our culture.

Financially wise people on the other don’t get duped when they shop for a mortgage or their auto insurance. It’s your money, get full value for it. You can’t earn as much as you can save, unless you’re Donald Trump. Oh wait a minute, the President has filed for bankruptcy many times.

You’d better shop around. According to a report from Consumer Finance.gov, 77% of consumers apply to only one lender when seeking a mortgage.

You can Save a lot of Money just by Shopping for a Better Mortgage Rate

There are some particularly important tactics you can use to lower your mortgage payments. Here’s 10 good ones:

search on Google – the top ranking websites are there because people like them
get quotes directly from bank websites – compare them
clean up your credit score – make extra big payments for many months to show your intent to pay down your debt. Bank credit score rating expectations are ludicrous, created only to justify charging high mortgage rates
don’t leave your current job until you’ve landed that long term mortgage successfully
check out the mortgage rate quote tools below
use a mortgage rate calculator and crunch some numbers yourself – at least it’ll be harder for lenders to pull the wool over your eyes
talk to your current provider and ask for a much lower rate – tell them you’re unhappy and intend to get a cheaper mortgage
take a shorter term home loan, let’s say 3 to 5 years – it’s risky however it can you a cheaper rate
take the bank’s teaser rate on a short term then shop for a better one when that expires
check out a mortgage broker, many of whom advertise online. They’re eager to compete and they’ll do more to offer that lower rate and better terms

All you need to do is search for a lower mortgage rate. The offers are plastered all over Facebook, Google, Bing, news websites and even a blog like this one. How easy can it get!

Is the Forecast for Higher Mortgage Rates?

Some are warning about inflation and fast rising interest rates are about to go out of control starting in 2018. Rather than jump at the first fixed rate mortgage offer, shop around.

This forecast shows mortgage rates might go down so you an bargain effectively with this outlook.

Mortgage Rate History and Forecast 2018

Mortgage rates are expected to rise, and mortgage shoppers are looking for the lowest rate 30 year mortgages. That’s smart considering how low rates are currently. The sooner you find a good 30 year fixed rate mortgage the better.

This chart from FreddieMac shows 30 year fixed rate mortgage rates since 2013.

1 Year Adjustable Mortgage Rate is Climbing

Mortgage Loan Options – Which the Best Mortgages?

While the lowest mortgage interest rate is one of the primary criteria home buyers take into account, there are other financial and real life issues you need to prepare for. Ensure you check out these popular and vital mortgage loan benefits.

fixed or variable rates
open mortgages
long term loans
amortization periods
payment schedules
skip a payment

Free Mortgage Calculator

Mortgage rates from Lending Tree. Lending Tree’s mortage rate inquiry process is a bit nasty. I include it just to let you know that not all online mortgage lenders are high quality and they may not see inquirers as human beings.. They will ask endless irrelevant (to you) questions that don’t relate to a simple mortgage rate request (just give us the rate) and some of them you may not like at all.

Mortgage Calculator

mortgage calculator app

Should You Use a HELOC to Lower Your Debt Payments?

Should I use HELOC Calculator by MortgageLoan.com

It might be tough to sell your home in its current condition so you’ll need to research with the help of your real estate agent, which types of home improvements make the best sense. If you’re considering selling your house, congratulations, it is a good time to sell. The market is high and it’s still rising which means home buyers see value in purchasing your home. It should sell quick whether you’re in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Phoenix, Denver, Dallas, Boston, Miami, Vancouver, Toronto or New York.

And after you do sell, you can think about the joy of travel or to buy cheap international properties. What a great time of life it is for you.

January 30, 2018March 23, 2018

Home Selling Tips – How to Sell Your House for More | Growing your Selling Price and Buyers USA Canada UK

Home Selling Tips for 2018

Do we need home selling tips just for 2018? I think we do.

Our focus is 2018, the year of more competition and listings. The economic circumstances, taxation issues, price trends, migration, create unique forecasts for each housing market in 2018. To sell at a good price in 2018, you’ll need some strategy and tactical sales excellence.

Even in the best cities, prices are flat and homeowners will have more difficulty persuading buyers or property investors to buy their properties.

The tax situation is less profitable, the US dollar is falling, new home construction is up, the stock market is wild, real estate investors wary, and the economy looks solid.

There won’t be a housing crash in New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Miami, Houston, San Diego, Seattle, and even the Bay Area forecast is excellent. All of these thoughts will be on buyers minds as they visualize a price for your property. If you keep the faith, then it comes down to what you can do to raise the perception of value to them. And these home selling tips should help greatly.

As you’ll read in the home selling tips, you can have your cake and eat it too. Let go of all the “compromise” talk and know that you can get the maximum prices your home, cottage, condo or land is worth. Everyone knows real estate is precious and governments are committed to constraining supply.

When is the Best Time to Sell My House?

Timing your home sale is important, and asking “when is the best time to sell my house” is a wise question. Make sure you know all the time related issues to seasons and the economic trends happening now.

How to Start a Bidding War?

At some point, you’ve quietly thought about how to start a bidding war. Selling at over asking price is common, but with top notch real estate marketing strategy and a knowledeable Realtor, you can ratchet up your selling price.

Tips to Sell at the Highest Price

These 14 tips to selling at the best price, are another view to your goal to get maximum value for your investment. These are good times with prices high or rising and many babyboomers are enjoying how their house and property is fetching a good selling price.

Which Renovations Increase your Selling Price the Most?

When you’re planning the sale, you know buyers are hungry, but maybe during negotiations they cite how your house is not in good condition. Worse, maybe a good number of prospects online are turned off by its appearance? Instead of letting that happen, and just dumping your home on the market, you might discover which house renovations increase selling price. Make the most of your reno budget.

Should you Sell Your Home Fast or for a Higher Price?

Do you know how Realtors selling strategy? You have a choice when you’re working with a Realtor, whether to sell it quick or take your time with marketing and build interest to a larger pool of buyers. Most Realtors use a blitz type of selling strategy where they maximize the impulse or desperation of buyers.

They might push it all into one intense weekend showing where it’s organized like an auction. Buyers see each other want your home and they might get emotional and start ramping up their bids, well over asking price. It works and clients get the picture that the Realtor has done a fantastic job of creating buyers and whipping up frenzy.

However, if the property has all sorts of flaws, is in a weak neighborhood, and it’s not high season for selling, the home might not sell. If the quick blitz backfires, you could see your selling price rocket downward. Anyone can sell during high season, but the Realtor who can sell you house now, is a good one.

Online Selling Strategy

Should you hire an old school Realtor or the new digital savvy Realtors who use real estate videos and social media marketing? If your Realtor is a power online marketer, they may be able to build substantial visibility to targeted buyer audiences.

Consider getting that kind of Realtor, create a plan, and do a blitz over 3 weeks. The best buyer prospects will hang on if they know you’re doing a 3 week blitz. You won’t lose them and instead you could enjoy 3 times the buyers and bids (over that 23 day period). In fact, the collective effect on the final winning price could be staggering.

We’ve all seen homes sell for exhorbitant prices, even more than double the home’s value. You might want to tap into that craziness and get some extra money for your kids/grandkids education expense.

The above posts offer extensive home selling strategy and selling tips to help you reach a bigger, targeted audience, give them what they’re dreaming about, encourage more and higher bids, and help close the deal with a record high price. Hopefully, the media will report your selling success like you were a star Mega Millions winner!

January 12, 2018March 23, 2018

When is the Best Time to Buy a House?

Best Time to Buy a House?

Whether it’s 2018, 2019, or 2020 that you hope to buy a home or invest in a rental income property, you might be comforted by the knowledge that real estate does well anytime you buy.

If you take great recessions and banking crises out of the timeframe you’re considering to buy, then your long term investment is sound. The historic price charts show rising home prices throughout the decades.

In every major city, the market forecast is good. The Boston housing market, New York real estate market, Florida housing market, Houston housing market, Seattle, San Francisco, or Los Angeles housing market, the value of real estate has surpassed the stock markets, gold and of course your savings account.

An if you’re a first time buyer, paying a huge chunk of your income to rent, this whole matter of buying at the right time is important to your current and future well being.

Avoid the Peak Times to Buy a House

So you’re wondering what time of year is best to buy a house? Or, are you wondering if there’s a time of the month where more houses suddenly come on the market, where you might get first dibs? Sometimes selling after a major weather problem might be a good time too.

The floods in Houston and Miami, and the fires near Los Angeles and landslides near San Francisco, are events that trigger bargain home purchases. If prices have fallen precipitously as they did in the Toronto housing market and the Vancouver housing market, then this bottoming out period might be a great time too.

Okay, for those without a strategic sense, buying in the fall months traditionally might be best to get lower prices. However, everyone pulls their house off the market during October, November and December. That can’t be good for a home search.

If you have a smart Realtor, and a real good home search strategy, you might be able to find those sitting on the fence and get a low ball offer in. You might get lucky and save tens of thousands of dollars and get a property that everyone else gave up on.

Is Spring the Best Time to Buy a House?

Spring 2018 is a great time to get started your house search. Home owners and buyers are arising from their winter dens and thinking about 2018. In many cities, the demand for homes has already started. Realtors are still talking multiple offers and bidding wars.

If homebuyers are actively listing to sell during January to March, then they are likely eager to sell their listed home.

They might be babyboomers sitting on the fence about selling (they’ve got nowhere to go) or they could be Generation X aged couples thinking about moving up to a larger property. A lot of buyers, perhaps you to want more space.

If you meet with these property owners you may be able to convince them to progress with their life plans. That means anytime time of year might be the best time to buy a home.

A report from Trulia shown below reveals fall prices drop by about 7% yet still remain 5% below for the months of January, March and February. You can find a bargain from January to April 1st. That means you should be looking right now for your next home or condo, before mortgage rates start to climb.

January, February and March might be the best time of year to purchase a property for real estate investors as well.

This might run counter to what people believe and have been told about the market. It might be harder to search for a home and get sellers to sell quickly. But remember, the actually possession date is off in the future.

People who might sell have more time on their hands in the Winter, especially if they live in Seattle, Chicago, Minneapolis, New York or Boston. It’ll be easier to get in touch with them and discuss your sincere, heart felt offer.

The best time to buy might be right now. If the economy improves and wages do rise, home prices will rise throughout the 2018 to 2020 period. Unless you’re very pessimistic and believe in catastropic events, demand for housing is unmet across the US and Canada. With more money in the picture, the longer you wait, the more it will cost.

Launching your Research to Negotiation Strategy

So now, you need to discover the best way to reach them. Having a realtor who feels similarly about the winter search timeframe is good. If they don’t like, go with someone else. The compatible Realtor is likely not busy so they can put a better effort into finding homes, approaching the homeowner, and working with you to put out the best offer.

They may even take a lower commission, but don’t push that. The Realtor will likely be worth the 2.5% you pay them. If you wait till April, May or June to buy, you’re getting the highest prices, most competition, and your Realtor is too busy handling multiple clients and micromanaging negotiations. So that’s the worst time to buy — when everyone else is.

Another bad time to buy? During the Super Bowl Game. Take a look at the Super Bowl predictions and put your money down, and then enjoy the game on Feb 4th, 2018.

When is the Absolute Best Time to Buy a House?

The very best, ideal time to buy a house in the winter, may be near or at the winter holidays such as Easter, spring break, or teacher professional developent days. Homeowners may be at home and may be most susceptible to the idea of selling and moving.

Late winter is a restless time for those in the cold, snowbound north, which is why a good number of people fly south for a vacation. Discontent, fatigue, boredom, and desire for something better is what gets them off the fence about letting go of their old house. Why do people sell in the spring? Because they’ve had enough after their winter of discontent. Catch them early.

Don’t worry about which days are best to buy a house. The key is to use your all channel accelerated home search strategy into action, and begin uncovering your dream house amidst winter’s gloom.

Good luck with your house search. You’ve found the best time to buy because it’s the best time for them to sell.

December 16, 2017April 28, 2018

Real Estate Leads | Lead Generation California Texas New York Florida Arizona Georgia Toronto Vancouver

Real Estate Leads & Lead Generation

Spring will be here soon and you’re on the hunt for high quality buyer and seller leads looking for houses for sale. They’re online and if you don’t have a great web presence, you might still be able to leverage lead generation services or advertise on good real estate sites.

Companies which specialize in attracting real estate leads are known as lead generation companies. They advertise houses for sale and other remarketing advertising on Facebook and Google Adwords along with blogs and news sites to cull leads. They promise to rid you of the advertising and prospecting work and accelerate the lead generation process.

Unfortunately, when scraping for leads this way, a lot of poor quality leads are served up to participating Realtors. And the terms of the arrangement may not be attractive.

If it worked, who wouldn’t sign up? Well, nothing’s ever that easy. So let’s take a closer look.

Realtors from Boston, Miami, Los Angeles, Houston, San Diego, Seattle, New York, Vancouver and Toronto are wanting something better. Is it too good to be true?

Buyer sand Sellers. Find Good Real Estate Leads Fast!

There’s nothing wrong with fast, if it’s real. It can happen, and you shouldn’t be afraid to spend. Here’s 20 top lead generation services with a look at their strengths and limitations.

Leads Generated Still Need to Be Converted

This post is an exploration of 18 of the top online real estate lead generation companies in the US and Canada. And 2 more including Zillow Leads. There’s more new lead generation startups arriving every week.

Acquiring leads this way won’t hurt, however converting leads has a lot to do with brand image. Even if they agree to work with you right away on the phone call, they will Google you online and visit your website. Who wouldn’t? Trust, transparency, responsiveness, and proven competence are what motivate them.

There’s no doubt you can sign a client right away, however you probably need to take a hard look at your online presence and ask yourself whether you like what you see. Would you hire you?

Real Estate Leads Fact Number 1 — 90% of Home Buyers Go Online

90% of home buyers go online, and you need to be in front of them and number one in your Zip Code. Home sellers are there too checking out comps and searching using keyword phrases such as home selling tips, best return on home renovations to homes for sale + cityname, to bidding wars and best real estate agents. They’re doing hundreds of millions of searches using Google, Zillow, Realtor.org, Yahoo, and thousands of other websites.

Make sure you’re highly visible on Google for all of them. Set up an amazing new mobile friendly IDX website, with outstanding, professionally optimized content, use some real estate videos, and do a little pay per click advertising. Build a strategic plan, then work the plan.

With spring markets so inviting in Los Angeles, San Diego, Toronto, Boston, Houston, New York, San Francisco, Seattle Phoenix, Charlotte, and Miami, you’ll want to maximize your presence now.

Sharing is Good for your Social Health

Share this post with other agents you know.

Who are Lead Generation Companies?

These are firms who provide buyer (or sometimes seller) leads for realtors, using methods of aggregating online prospects (most often via Google Adwords or cheap ad networks) which they then sell to realtors. 3 drivers promote the growth: a lot of prospects are online, home buying is in a frenzied state right now, and the fact there is only one home sold for each realtor in North America — there are too many realtors and most have few quality leads.

agents-6 deals or less — Realty agents in the hot Toronto market face the same challenge as those in other US and Canadian cities

Questions: Let’s assume they can generate solid leads.

do you have the patience and skill to nurture and close these types of leads?
do you have a website that can help convert them?
what is the real cost of doing business with them?
would a luxury home owner from your target community use their websites?
can you respond to these cold leads fast?

Here’s Some Leads, but Let’s See You Try to Convert Them

The way these lead generators collect leads may be why they could be of poor quality. Ad campaigns, auto-dialers, and sketchy email lists of people make for testy, suspicious prospects. And these are someone else’s leads — they initiated them, which takes the warm and fuzzy out of it. Anything transferred from one person/company to another loses something in the process – the problem is lead quality and lead conversion.

Some realtors say these leads are hard to close while others treat them like flies at a picnic. They’re basically cold calls and the prospect knows nothing about realtor’s brand image or honesty. And how do real agents and brokers feel about lead generators?

I’ve never found an online lead generation system worth the investment. Better to cut out the middle man (Internet) and just get out there and meet… people! — John Souerbry, Agent, Fairfield, CA —

I have never bought a lead. I don’t think that is the way to be successful in this business. You need to spend your money developing a strong internet presence. — Carmen Brode, Agent, Scottsdale, AZ

It’s very expensive to purchase online leads. I’ve paid as much as $4,000 per month, but today I spend about $500 monthly. — Brian Talley, broker-owner, Austin, TX

Here’s 18 of the most visible lead generation companies onlinealthough new ones are coming. I’m leaving out realtor.com, and Zillow Leads because they’re more like Google or Facebook advertising programs. Some are well known while others are regional or startups. They all seem to be missing the vital component that creates genuinely good deals (in your target Zip Code) – the ideal customer experience from beginning to end.

The Good and the Bad about Paid Lead Generation

With some of them, the fees are low, sometimes only $20 a month and other times a little high, but almost never outrageous. For most, it’s like playing the penny slot machines at the casino. There’s a chance you could win, but is the payout worth it?

A few of the companies you’ll see below actually have you set up an account to be available for leads. Sort of like realtors sitting around a poker table. If you don’t respond fast, the lead is sent to someone else. In other cases, you will have to “buy your territory.” The lead gen firms will push you in that direction once they have you on the hook.

Before you hire a lead generation company, consider how home buyers and home sellers themselves buy and sell a condo, home or property. They likely already know a local realtor or they’ll go to Google to search. So online is a great place to be to lure the prospect away from his/her familiar agent.

Real Estate Search: Prospects begin with Google even though they could go directly to realtor.com or realtor.ca for MLS listings in their Zip code, or a major brokerage website such as remax.com, sothebys.com or kellerwilliams.com. Google has a better brand, a better search experience, and it leads to realtor’s websites or phone numbers where they can begin a trusting relationship with that agent.

Few condo or home sellers would type their personal details into the text box of an unknown website. And buyers are normally pretty cautious too. They want to get to know the realtor, so they’ll Google his or her name and if that discovery experience is unsatisfying, it dampens their spirit. That’s why it’s a good idea to be online in a good way – i.e., a great realtor brand image — an image built on prospects needs and preferences.

Google Adwords is the Lead Generator’s “Go to Source”

Google Adwords and remarketing programs could capture some good leads online. The highest quality leads will often originate from Google. However, most realtors could do this advertising themselves assuming they have a website with lead converting webpages. These programs are just a normal part of what a real estate digital marketer would offer along with lasting, sustainable, marketing assets.

Would I recommend using the lead generation companies? If they’re very cheap you probably don’t have much to lose other than your time, yet you could get distracted and fail to put 100% into your career. If you’re bright, you may learn a little about how they generate and convert leads.

Top Real Estate Lead Generation Websites

1. Bold Leads – Bold leads advertises on unspecified networks to capture leads and direct them to you. If the lead doesn’t give away info, boldleads will continue to nuture the lead for you. You are given your own landing page on the boldleads site.

2. Agent Locator – tells you straight they’ll conduct your ppc advertising and generate 480 leads for $6000. I like how they’re open about it. It may be worth gambling $6000 to try it out.

3. Market Leader – Aggregates leads from their own site called homevalues.com, Trulia.com, and via ppc advertising. Market Leader guarantees they won’t sell the lead to another agent. You get to manage it all from your “Pro” account.
realtyleads18

4. Point2Homes Leads – offers low priced straight forward advertising options on its website where prospects arrive to search for a home. They also provide you with a webpage on their site.

5. Real Estate Pipeline Leads – Real Estate Pipeline Leads says it has a network of real estate sites where it draws leads, and it gives realtors full ownership of their territory, although the size of that territory isn’t explained. Drip email campaigns are a big part of their service. Their basic package is $1164 for 12 leads.

6. Agent Pronto Leads – Agent Pronto is different. There’s no upfront charge for leads! You will only be matched to referrals who have specifically requested to speak with an agent. They match each referral with a single agent that they believe is the best fit for their needs. Once you accept the referral, they provide your with the prospect’s full information and the details from their conversation with them. Sounds good. Their site looks a little lacklustre, but give them a good look.

7. South Florida Real Estate Leads – This firms specializes in south Florida leads. They say they have a variety of sources of leads. It appears to be owned by Lex Levinrad who is a real estate coach and owner of the Distressed Real Estate Institute™

8. Offrs – Offrs uses vague sounding smart technology to find homeowners who are going to put their house on the market. It’s based on predictive algorithms or just social listening perhaps. If it works, it would be very exciting technology.

Combine that with communications that encourage homeowners to actually sell the property and that could be very powerful, particularly right now in places such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, Toronto and Vancouver where prices are very high. They list by territory, but sadly your territory or Zip Code may be taken.

9. Trulia – Offers a service for seller leads with Market Leader, a company that was in severe trouble before the purchase. Trulia is no Zillow, but it does have some traffic.

10. Prime Seller Leads – Prime Seller leads creates a bunch of pages on their site for you. The CMS offers the ability to send epostcards and eflyers and their system integrates with many broker CMS.
11. eRealting – eRealting doesn’t sell leads, they give you a website to send all your traffic to! It’s kind of a CMS for rent. They state that it costs about $300 to create a client in their solution.

12. Lead Galaxy – Lead Gives you a home for your leads and uses the usual combo of Adwords, Facebook ads and telephone prospecting to create leads.

13. Experian – Experian is a research and statistics business who have mailing lists of potential buyers and sellers. You can build your list online.

14. Exact Data – Exact Data gets its lead list from telemarketing, opt in emails, and lists of prospective buyers and sellers. They claim superior data hygiene, however most list companies promise that.

15. Commissions Inc. Lead Platform – Commissionsinc claims they are the #1 Real Estate Tech Solution. They offer a platform and an app to manage your leads. They will run your Adwords and Facebook advertising campaigns for you. Sounds like a lot of noise. The value proposition is a little flaky.

16. Firepoint Realty Leads – Firepoint says they deliver scalable lead generation with intelligent routing, to automated lead follow-up and task scheduling, to ROI and conversion reporting for all of your lead sources. The price is $350/month and you set you PPC budget which they manage. Is this better than a self-directed digital marketing program?

17. Home Value Leads – Home Value Leads offers a CMS system for $59/month.

18. Refindly Seller Leads – REfindly helps you generate, engage, and convert leads using one convenient system. They claim that historically, their agents receive between 5 and 8 leads per $100 spent in advertising. You can spend as much as you like on ppc advertising and they give you a lead management system to use.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to leads and sales, dollars and time. I must say, I like Agent Pronto, and Offrs best.

Even the best lead generation sources and sites can be a negative if you neglect to build your own Internet presence and realtor brand image. People want to do business with those they know and trust.

Should getting known and trusted be your Job #1 in 2018?

Real Estate Lead Generation Company in Los Angeles, Phoenix, Denver, Seattle, Chicago, Boston, New York, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, St Louis, Minneapolis, Green Bay, Charlotte, Tampa, Miami, Orlando, Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa, Oshawa, Hamilton, Newmarket, Richmond Hill, Oakville, Calgary, Kelowna, Mississauga, Anaheim, Beverly Hills, Malibu, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Fresno, Santa Clara, Sacramento, Mountainview, Palo Alto, Portland, Washington, Atlanta, Irvine, Nashville, Sunnyvale, Salt Lake City, Riverside, Rancho Cucamonga, Costa Mesa, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Raleigh, Albuquerque, Glendale, Oceanside, Long Beach, Huntington Beach, Carlsbad, Santa Clarita, Henderson, Mesa, Temecula, Kirkland, Redmond, Kansas City, St Louis, Stockton, Scottsdale, Palm Springs, Indianapolis, Columbus, Colorado Springs, Fort Worth, Chula Vista, Escondido, Santa Monica, Miami Beach, and Honolulu. Find a Los Angeles Real Estate Agent who has the very best real estate marketing wizard to help you sell your home for more.

November 26, 2017February 28, 2018

Should You Adopt Artificial Intelligence Marketing Software? Albert Boomtrain Amplero Pega Systems Emarsys

11 Things to Look for in your AI Marketing Solution

We’re in the early adopter phase of artificial intelligence marketing software. Those who are learning how to use it are getting exciting results already.

The technology is young, growing, improving and the best is yet to come. Businesses that don’t get into AI are carving a dangerous path for themselves. This series of posts on AI marketing solutions is your first exploration into how they help make your marketing more efficient and products.

The benefits of AI Marketing solutions are compelling. And you’ll soon be checking the AI marketing solutions of companies with strange names including Albert, Boomtrain, Amplero, Pega Systems, Emarsys, and others.

Strangely, there aren’t many reviews of AI marketing software out there, and the posts you’ll find are high on the nerd scale. So I’m going to introduce you to a few of the good solutions that I am aware of expressed in layman’s terms. Bookmark this page because I will continue adding to our collective knowledge. This is BIG. Have fun exploring.

Benefits of AI Marketing Software

The AI software benefits which I describe in this series of posts might be just the tip of iceberg. I’m excited about using it. But first, we have to study its value and potential uses. And AI is invading every area of business.

Your company will need to hire what some call an AI marketing software operator. That will likely be a digital marketing specialist/strategist if you manage an SMB.

Way Beyond Marketing Automation

For at least 6 years, companies have been investigating marketing automation, and they’ve reported some satisfaction with cost efficiencies. The vote isn’t in yet on whether marketing automation is really helping where it counts in engagement and closing sales.

Marketing automation is more about the process of automating the administration of complete multichannel marketing campaigns. Makes things easier. And that integration can help keep customers interested, loyal and engaged through the complete buying cycle and manage the tedium of those campaigns.

Human marketers get bored and stressed so MA is the current solution in vogue. Yet marketing automation lacks the analytics insight, testing ability, content personalization, optimization and forecasting capabilities of new Artificial Intelligence Marketing software solutions that are available.

New AI Solutions are Arriving Weekly

We’re right on the leading edge of this new transformative technology with new, ever improving, customized solutions such as Albert, Boomtrain, and Pega. They offer some serious benefits.

Use of AI by Marketers is About to Climb

The latest Salesforce State of Marketing report says marketers use of AI will grow by 53%. That suggests implementation of artificial intelligence marketing software will be a priority and you will need someone like myself who is excited about it and wants to help you implement and execute it.

We’re in the early days of mass adoption, but at some point, you’ll need to jump on this bandwagon. Regardless of whether you manage an ecommerce site, an IT firm, staffing agency or recruitment firm, major blog, manufacturing business, AI offers some pretty serious benefits — benefits that your competitors will soon enjoy. You’re going to enjoy this pleasant journey in marketing strategy.

What Criteria Should You Consider?

Consider everything you’re doing right now and whether it could be improved using your current technology and best practices. If it’s not winning your market, it’s probably not best practices. The phrase best practices might be a good one to keep in mind as you assess your current marketing strategy. Best results = best practices.

can you personalize your email, blogs and ppc landing pages to respond best to each individual customer based on their past click behavior and their content engagement level?
do you currently conduct slow single factor testing of your content?
are your ppc campaigns ineffective and costly?
do you have good enough data to help you predict your customers buying habits in 2018?
are you confident of your current web analytics solution?
can you handle the growing complexity of digital marketing?
are you happy with your current 1 to 2% conversion rate?
do you understand why and where visitors leave your website?
if Google is weighing onsite engagement, will AI analytics improve your content and rankings?
will AI allow you to reorganize your staff for better utilization and performance?
are you testing to discover which is the right content for each customer touchpoint?

Testing Out AI Marketing Software

Testing the software out can be a little time consuming, so bring in a dedicated, talented and capable marketing strategist to test it and ramp it up. That removes a lot of risk and you’ll learn a lot.

The learning value is underplayed and that could be because some of these companies want to keep that vital knowledge to themselves. There’s huge “big data” insight for them to profit on. You need a solution that lets you learn as much as possible and not just fattens their bank account.

By testing it out, you’re going to learn a lot about your brand, target market, your content, and how to improve your integrated campaigns. We assume you use many channels in your marketing.

AI solutions will allow you to test digital marketing campaigns at a rate and depth that no human could. And the insight the software could generated could be really helpful. In many cases, you can have a very weak understanding of your typical customer persona, yet analyze just the click through and content engagement of your visitors to learn what they actually like and don’t like right there and then, so you don’t lose them.

You can test everything from media buys, to keyword choices to blog topics all the way to calls to action. The potential value of AI solutions outweighs the cost of your learning curve. AI will likely spew out value and insight that will change every area of your company. It could help you improve customer service, product design, and more.

Recently a report found that AI has even improved social influencer results. Wouldn’t it be exciting to analyze your social network and find out how to get influencers to promote your company?

AI marketing software is inevitable. Better to begin asssessing what’s available and do some trial runs.

Taking a Look at Albert AI

As an example, if you take a look at a product such as Adgorithm’s Albert AI, you’ll get a better sense of what it offers. As you can see here in this graphic, Albert provides an integrated suite of services that pack a powerful punch. I’m impressed with Albert AI’s support staff and the fact they have recently released a small business version. It’s not too expensive and the software interface is well designed.

Graphic courtesy of Alberta.ai

The Top 2 Benefits of Albert AI

Although the Albert software does a lot itself, I believe 1) Testing and Optimization and 2) Analytics and Insights services provide the key benefits. Soon, the prediction of customer behavior may be most valuable.

Manual testing and analytics isn’t very satisfying. Analysts don’t have enough data to draw insight from. If you’ve perused your own website’s Google Analytics reports, you know what I mean. It’s not the highest quality actionable data. And we can’t test fast enough to draw better insight from it. That’s frustrating and wasteful.

Albert however, can test visitor response, intent, and engagement, and do it in real time. Just think if you could test visitors and maximize insight from their individual visits right now. Then continue when they return? 99% of your visitors leave your website, so you’re taking a big loss and turning it into an asset.

If your organic and ppc team specialists can generate the traffic, you have the possibility of learning more and continually improving your content and sales funnel. Everyone is into funnel optimization these days, but how many have tools to actually do it well?

If you’re uncertain about its value, you can do a test campaign. Find someone who can be your AI marketing strategist, (someone with a psssion for it) and follow an implementation process. Albert offers assistance in setting up your account and implementing your campaign elements.

From there, it’s a process of learning and improving, and assessing your results.

If trying it out is this easy, it makes sense to invest in it. This is a win win situation where you’ll gain from anything you commit to. It’s probably time to give AI marketing software some good thought and get on this before your competitors do.

Build your brand and sales results faster and better. If you believe in growing a more successful business, this should be a fun and worthwhile experience.

Call me at 416 998 6246 if you’re ready to hire a digital marketing specialist and investigate and test AI Marketing Software.

November 20, 2017February 4, 2018

High Value Luxury Car Insurance | BMW Porsche Ferrari Audi Mercedes Benz Los Angeles Miami New York Vancouver Toronto Phoenix Houston

Luxury Car Insurance – EV, Hybrid or Gas

Across the country, you’ve likely seen more high end luxury cars on the roadway. Manufacturers are building more high priced gas powered/hybrid perforance cars and the race is on for electric powered vehicles.

You’ll be surprised at the performance and features of the new releases this year. Check out the videos below.

With luxury car buyers anticipating upcoming releases of expensive luxury cars including the Porsche Mission e EV, we might also want to review auto insurance for them. Will repairs be more costly? Are they heavier and more stable in snow/ice conditions?

The demand for luxury vehicle insurance (called luxury car insurance) has grown substantially. Porsche, Lamborghini, Ferari, BMW, Audi, Mercedes Benz, Bently, Rolls Royce, and other brands are producing some very interesting new electric luxury cars. That means owners may need review their auto insurance coverage.

Special Insurance for a Special Group of Drivers

Not all insurance companies are interested in providing policies for high end, luxury classic collector, or high value automobiles. Expensive cars however do represent a unique seet of liabilties and unique auto insurance coverage.

Your Porsche, Mercedes Benz, BMW, Maserati, Bentley, Lamborghini, Ferari, Rolls Royce, or Jaguar is not just another vehicle. Insurance specialty coverage gives you the peace of mind that your luxury vehicle is fully covered and that your policy will meet your needs and claims if you’ve involved in an accident. You’ll need to search for that and I have a short list of top luxury auto insurance brokers below.

Electric Luxury Cars are All the Rage

It seems like a new electric luxury model is being released every month. Attention is moving away from Tesla to new group of electric car manufacturers. Below is Jaguar’s new concept car called the I Pace SUV.

Photo courtesy of Jaguar Canada.

And how about this beauty Luxury EV from Lucid Motors? 240 mile range with 400 HP!

Fisker Electric Vehicle – 400 mile range and 161 mph.

Tesla Model S P90D – a 270 mile range for $118,000.

The Tesla Roadster – 600 mile range and founders series pricing at $250,000.

Specializing in High Value Automobiles

Listed below are some of the best high value, luxury car insurance carriers specializing in in luxury cars and high priced vintage and classic cars. These companies understand expensive automobiles and their owners and provide policies more suitable to their needs.

If you’ve read this post on which cars are most expensive to insure, you know that a cars price tag doesn’t always mean more pricey insurance rates. And when you shop around specifically for car insurance for luxury automobiles, you’ll eventually find those insurers who offer better rates. Even for luxury vehicles, it’s shop and save!

In some states, provinces and jurisdictions there is a trend to limiting auto insurance coverage. In Vancouver BC for instance, the BC government has dropped coverage for luxury cars. They stated that regular car insurance buyers were subsidizing the more costly car’s protection.

It’s left a lot of wealthy Vancouver drivers looking for coverage for their high value automobile, and they’re switching to Alberta for their policies.

The fact is, that many luxury cars don’t get driven much. They are low use, special ocassion vehicles and when usage based telematics devices are used, the luxury car driver can prove the car is being driven safely and infrequently. It’s factors like these that should help avoid the disappearance of luxury car insurance.

The key factors in which luxury car insurance provider to choose comes down to:

higher limits of collision coverage
the ability to complete repairs using genuine manufacturer’s components
access to preferred repair shops
avoiding usual ‘comparable’ vehicle replacement policies

Check out the Navigation system on the New Bentley GT

Do You Think the Mercedes GT Roadster is Looking more like a Porsche?

Here’s Forbes look at the best luxury cars arrving in 2018.

How much is auto insurance for the top mid-range priced luxury cars?

Luxury Car Insurance Insurers

Hagerty Insurance Agency, LLC
P.O. Box 1303
Traverse City, MI
49685-1303
www.hagertyagent.com

New Insurance
2855 S 4th Ave Ste 127
Yuma Az 85364
Phone : 928-792-1312
Phone : 949-791-1312
www.newsinsurance.com

Britton Gallagher
One Cleveland Center, 30th Floor
1375 East 9th St.
Cleveland, OH 44114
Local Phone: (216) 658-7100
www.brittongallagher.com

Insurance Suffolk
14 Roosevelt Avenue
Port Jefferson Station, Long Island, NY 11776
www.insurancesuffolk.com

Dempsey & Siders Agency, Inc.
6725 Miami Avenue, Suite 102
Cincinnati, Ohio
45243-3158
www.dempsey-siders.com

Swingle, Collins & Associates
13760 Noel Road, Suite 600
Dallas , TX 75240
(972) 715-8700
www.swinglecollins.com

Cheap insurance is often not a priority among luxury car owners who need customized coverage for their Porsche, Mercedes Benz, BMW, Maserati, Bentley, Lamborghini, Ferari, Rolls Royce, or Jaguar. The key is to ensure the value of the car is protected. High end luxury cars are a big investment even for wealthy owners.

Inquiry about luxury car insurance in Los Angeles, Phoenix, Vancouver, Seattle, New York, Miami, Dallas, Houston, San Diego, Toronto, San Francisco Bay Area, and Chicago.

Find the lowest insurance rates in your city: LA auto insurance, Boston auto insurance, Phoenix car insurance, San Francisco car insurance, San Diego boat insurance, Seattle truck insurance, New York car insurance, Indianapolis SUV insurance, Detroit SUV insurance, Indianapolis Car Insurance Quote online, Toronto car insurance quote, or Chicago car insurance.

November 17, 2017March 23, 2018

Predictions of a Housing Boom in Toronto and Vancouver in 2018 Reports Forecasts Predictions Canadian Housing Market

Will 2018 Bring Another Housing Boom in Toronto and Vancouver?

Are the Vancouver real estate market or Toronto housing market going to crash , lift off, or coast in 2018/2019? Has all the negative press made you believe the end is near?

Bankers and politicians keep trash talkin the housing markets. However, as you’ll read here, there is more reason to believe in strong growth arising from a healthy economy, high immigration, demand from 25 to 33 year old Millennials, low mortgage rates, a growing housing crisis and more.

Demand is high, supply is being strangled.

Wynne, Trudeau, and the bankers feel pretty certain they can crush this market (okay, they’ve persisted but will the Canadian economy and stock markets crash in 2019? But this beast isn’t going to die. It’s driven by dreams and expectations about how we’re supposed to live.

Here’s my outrageous forecast: The demand is so high, they will have to completely reverse course and begin supporting construction and development and enabling purchases. Otherwise, as the election nears, they’re gone.

They’ll look like hypocrites, but the public will forgive because housing is a bigger issue that’s causing serious social troubles. As investors focus on rental properties, such as apartments in Toronto, even rents will skyrocket in Toronto. Toronto property management firms are headed for their own boomtimes.

As spring approaches, we’re going to see intense price pressure driven by a lack of supply. Royal Lepage just released its market forecast survey and they’re predicting Toronto houses prices will rise 6.8%. That aligns nicely with this whole notion of boom times ahead.

And it turns out, construction is already booming. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. reported that the pace of housing starts picked up in November nearing the highest levels since 2008. Given that we just went through a boom, that’s remarkable. CMHC believes construction of multiple-unit projects in Toronto has been a driving force behind the trend.

Benjamin Tal is also suggesting a boom in Toronto and Vancouver and it would restart in 2018. You can read more below. Should you buy now or in the spring? Take a good look at the Toronto real estate forecast and the further reading below.

Breaking News: Trudeau to bring in one million new immigrants in next 3 years. Question: where will they live?

Despite government negativity, statistics, the underlying fundamentals of demand along with the ongoing strength of the economy are suggesting an improvement. That means a prison riot might be coming soon. You’ll find a list of credible reasons why the Canadian housing markets might surge again below.

The experts have been forecasting a Toronto or Vancouver crash now for many years. Hasn’t happened, so perhaps we need to think for ourselves? The market continues with confidence and optimism overpowering persistent negativity the politicians keep pushing out.

How is the US housing market doing? Nervous but very good. Post hurricanes and fires and political upheaval, the markets in Miami, Boston, New York, Houston and Los Angeles are healthy. And 2018 stock market predictions are positive for several years.

Let’s take a look at the factors and the two opponents: our politicians vs strong growing economies. Only one will win.

Let the Housing Good Times Roll!

The IMF and OECD seem to agree, saying Canada’s economy is the best looking in the G20. The case for a Canadian housing boom has some wind in its sails. If political suppression of the Toronto and Vancouver housing markets were to end, the rest of Canada would awaken.

What we don’t know is whether the government will attack the momentum or let it power the economy further. Currently they’re riding a wave of populism driven by angry renters in Vancouver and Toronto.

But what if that voice faded and the exact opposite public opinion appeared? Justin Trudeau’s popularity has dropped to 25%, Wynne’s pushing towards zero, and that means they may have to reverse course to stay in office. Don’t believe they would do it? Never say never.

Politicians Crushing the Housing Market

Currently however, Wynne, Trudeau and Horgan are holding their own private “let the good times roll” party. Their unwise meddling in the housing market is a threat to the Canadian, BC, and Ontario economies as explained below.

And it’s all for political points that may soon be worth nothing because when you cater to a small select crowd, eventually everyone else wants you out. In truth, only the prices of million dollar estates have dropped a little and the rest of Canada is hurting.

Demand for housing is relentless and Millennials don’t want their dreams dashed. The larger voice will be heard in 2018.

People want homes and these 3 politicans will be booted out of office because of it. The only ones voting for them are those in Toronto and Vancouver cities. The rest of the country wants to see lower mortgage rates and an improved economy.

A good number of Canadians are weighed down by thoughts of the last recession rollercoaster and don’t really want to go back there. Business people and investors want growth. They’ve got a lot on the line.

And the politicians they’ve discouraged the builders now. So, although everything is in place for a continued housing boom in Canada, these politicians could push us into a mess.

“At this point we do not see any real relief. In fact, the opposite is the case,” writes Tal. “Without significant changes to land and rental policies alongside a dramatic change to housing preference among buyers, those centers will become even less affordable.” – Benjamin Tal in an interview with Yahoo Finance.

Key Factors Supporting a Housing Boom in Canada

global economic winds are positive
Trump will rekindle trade with Canada (he has to)
oil prices rising a little
wages will begin to rise
too many millennials need to move out of the parent’s places
bank of mom and dad has plenty of funds ready
supply is low and builders and construction workers are waiting to build again
the rest of Canada is tried of being kicked around
Trudeau and Wynne severely disliked
China is liberalizing trade and investment with the world
Canada’s economy is going gangbusters (3.6% growth forecasts)
lumber producers would rather sell their lumber here
mortgage rates still low (and there’s no real reason to raise them)

Video: Greg Bonnell of BNN Explains How Housing Prices Can’t Go Down

Strong Economy Usually Means Boom Times

Benjamin Tal may have meant a price boom is imminent because of severe shortages in the Vancouver housing market and the Toronto housing market. And if prices rise, we may see construction starts also slowly rise and a juiced up housing market would in turn lift the Canadian economy higher.

A synchronized global recovery and rising global trade volumes are backstopping the growth, along with the bottoming out of the oil shock in western Canada and soaring home prices in Toronto and Vancouver — from a report in the Toronto Star.

And prices of oil have climbed, meaning Calgary’s real estate market and those in Edmonton, Saskatoon and Regina might return as well. Fears are that OPEC is solidifying and a war between the 2 biggest producers could erupt. That would bring an immediate boom to Calgary.

Screencapture courtesy of BNN

This is a screenshot below is of historic oil consumption from Doug Rowatt’s post on the greaterfool.ca. The price is forever upward. Is the time time oil shoots toward $100 a barrel? Some are predicting it.

Forecasters like Oil: “Open interest in $100 call options for December 2018 has tripled in one week to exceed 30,000 lots, according to Reuters. The $100 December 2018 options is the largest strike for all of 2018.” — from USA today report.

Condo starts have been strong and look to continue. The Toronto condo market and Vancouver condo market will be driven by property investors according to reports.

BNN’s Greg Bonnell Interviews Bryan Yu, Senior Economist at Central 1 Credit Union regarding Vancouver’s perpetual positive market in a past interview. What stands out about the conversation is that Yu says affordability won’t affect prices, and that only an external factor, such as a Chinese implosion would create a Vancouver slowdown. At this point, with Trump’s visit to China, that the Chinese are adapting to global business and are welcoming foreign investment. No reason for a China problem. Vancouver looks great.

What makes Toronto’s condos an attractive long-term bet is the city’s low vacancy rate, which has fueled bidding wars among renters and driven monthly condo rents to an average of $2,074 in the second quarter, up 7.2 per cent from $1,935 a year ago, according to market research firm Urbanation. — from a report by Bnn.ca.

Severe shortages are likely to drive home prices high. Most forecasts and expert predictions are for a flat market for 2018. Yet the economy is strong and looks to get stronger so a flat market is really about sales volume. Prices are so high no can afford to buy houses in Vancouver or Toronto and soon for condos.

It’s Still a Seller’s Market

It’s a seller’s market in 2017 and 2018, and with rent controls suppressing new construction, the pressure will build to create higher prices of resale homes and condos. As wild as Benjamin Tal’s prediction is, it jives with what’s going on in the economy.

Douglas Porter believes the market will heat up too, but his view is that it will end with a housing market crash.

If NAFTA talks go well, which they likely will, the North American and global economies will both grow. That doesn’t fit with some bankers and politicians wishful prognosis of stagnant or reduced prices in 2018/2019.

The latest numbers from Novembers mid month report by ZooCasa shows a surge of listings this month. This rapid rise in listings in houses and townhouses tells us sellers might be too desperate, overestimating the effect of mortgage stress test changes, and clearly not of the view that the market will climb in spring.

In TREB’s monthly price charts, prices in the core districts of Toronto haven’t fallen. The demand for homes within commuting distance of jobs is high and buyers will likely pay any price. Home prices in the 905 area code have fallen (York Region, Mississauga), but perhaps that’s ready to heat up in 2018. There are still bidding wars and lots of over asking sales happening.

Let’s not forget that many renters and some homeowners will have to leave their current homes, and they will be exposed to a zero vacancy market you normally associate with New York City or San Francisco.

Does This Fall Season Foretell of 2018?

The fall season has been strong, and while the new mortgage rules will suppress demand for more expensive homes, and condos, those under $600,000 will be high demand. That will push prices up. So although some homeowners are pannicking and dumping their houses on the market, demand in 2018 will gobble them all up. Let’s not be distracted by the $3+ million dollar homes in Forest Hill and Mount Pleasant.

The Toronto condo market is sizzling hot and they’re running out of condos.

It’s a simple matter of supply versus demand in Toronto and Vancouver. The only solution is to end anti-development legislation. Vancouver and Toronto have been designated high growth super cities with large numbers of immigrants with visas and foreign students arriving every month. How can that be stopped now?

Government Manipulation Could Create an Economic Slide

If Trudeau and Wynne try to counter rising prices and demand for homes brought on by demographic and economic factors, via policy changes, it may create a bubble and then housing crash in Toronto and Vancouver, cascading right across the country.

In fact, it’s likely that they’ll both be run over be the economic train neither had any part in creating. For Trudeau, it is hypocritical to recruit a million new immigrants and then not help withh the housing crisis. I think he’ll come around because of this. However, it still leaves the BC and Ontario premiers left blockading the housing highway.

For those who don’t want to live in these modern mega cities, there are other areas of Canada to live. The north is undeveloped, but as more babyboomers tire of the congestion of the city, they’ll be looking for homes, at least for 6 months of the year, in Canada. They may have to go north to find one, if anyone’s building up there.

And they won’t find much relief in Muskoka, Niagara Falls, Kelowna, or Victoria. Prices are up in most retirement cities and they’re rising in Costa Rica, Mexico, Florida and Arizona. Too many people bidding on too few properties. Simple math that seems to befuddle politicians.

Before buying a home or investing in rental income property, get some advice on maximizing your investment. The path you take might be surprising. Expand your search for homes for sale with an intelligent strategy that does more than calling a Realtor.

Before you sell, consider advanced selling tactics that can capture the full interest in your home. The demand for your home or condo is out there in the real marketplace. They just aren’t aware of your property. Marketing is worth many times what you pay for it. Consider the exposure of your property on Google, Google adwords, Facebook ads, in addition to your MLS listing. Don’t be timid. Power it up!