Welcome back, Real Estate Insiders! We found a treasure trove of useful articles for you this month, including updates on the market, the right way to heat your home, rent control, and more. Enjoy!

The Great Housing And Skilled Trades Shortage

The Feds are stepping in to increase skilled trades workers to increase houses. One blogger is calling for an increase of skilled trades immigrants to help close the labour gap, but more people equals more houses needed.

Read: RESCON presses feds to allow more skilled trades into Canada

Paying The Price

You may save on your receipt at IKEA, but does the Do-It-Yourself kitchen come with hidden costs?

Read: Why a ‘Cheap’ IKEA Kitchen Is Actually Expensive

David Versus Goliath: The Housing Market Battle

Why are housing costs in some cities staggeringly higher? Hint: It’s not the weather!

Read: A Tale of Two Housing Markets

“Still using a Furnace to heat your home? Gross!” — People in 2050…Probably

Our descendants will certainly appreciate our greener efforts. Find out how a heat pump reduces emissions and helps cool the planet!

Read: Why You (and the Planet) Really Need a Heat Pump

Blessed With The Best

Podcasts are fantastic learning sources, but with so many to choose from, where do you start? Check out this compilation of the top 25 best real estate podcasts that eliminate the guesswork!

Read: The 25+ Best Real Estate Podcasts

To Get The Best, Go With The Best

Bad realtors can cost you a lot of money. Keep an open eye for these red flags when choosing a real estate agent.

https://www.financialsamurai.com/bad-real-estate-agents/

Is The Housing Market Broken Or Just A Little Bent?

Skyrocketing pandemic home prices made this blogger question whether the housing market is inherently broken, or if this market will just be a blip on the radar. What do you think?

Read: Is the Housing Market Broken?

Rent Control: Short Term Gain For Long Term Pain?

Is government-imposed rent control doing more harm than good to the people it is supposed to protect?

Rent control effects on the economy and housing quality

“It’s like the Bank of Canada is stepping on the gas and saying the car won’t slow down due to external factors” 

Read this blogger’s opening statement to the Canadian Parliament’s finance committee in regards to inflation.

Read: Better Dwelling’s Opening Statement Before Canadian Parliament’s Standing Committee on Finance

Square Off

While methods of determining square footage can vary, intentionally misleading people on the size of a come can come with dire consequences. Discover how to avoid being misled!

Read: Real Estate Misrepresentation of Square Footage: What You Need To Know

Principal Residence Exemption: You Abuse, You Lose

The CRA is cracking down on people who claim the PRE in error using an “education first approach”. Find out what qualifies as a personal residence and the possible changes coming to the exemption.

Read: What you need to know as the CRA cracks down on principal residence exemptions

Business Or Pleasure?

Read these tips on how, if, and when you can deduct travel expenses as an investor.

How to Deduct Travel Expenses for Investors

A Battery On the Housing Market

The new Windsor EV Battery plant is exciting news for the economy, but potential home buyers are worried. Here’s what experts are predicting this new battery plant do to the local real estate market.

Read: ‘It’s going to be tough’: What does the new EV plant mean for local home buyers?

Foreign Buyer Tax: A Driver Of Capital Or Psychological Tool? 

Windsor real estate is a great example of why the Foreign Buyer Tax has worked. Since the introduction in Toronto in 2017, foreign investors have been looking elsewhere (in places like Windsor) and the proof is in the pudding (pudding being housing price increases). Now that the tax is province-wide, will we see a drastic cool down in the local market? Read here for more info!

Read: Think Foreign Buyer Taxes Don’t Work? Look At Windsor & Toronto Real Estate: BMO

Capital Gains Tax

Learn about what qualifies as “Capital Gains” and how to keep more money in your pocket.

How it works: Capital gains tax on the sale of a property

Sorry, Speculators!

Canada is proposing a tax on pre-construction assignments. Find out how this tax could demolish the returns on pre-construction for investors, and possibly make new-construction more affordable!

Read: Canada’s Tax On New Home Trading Could Destroy Speculator Margins