With recent price declines in Canada’s hot real estate markets, there’s been talk of a slowdown. But, so far, it’s hardly something for prospective buyers to get excited about.

While prices did drop after the introduction of a foreign homebuyers tax in Vancouver last year, they’re once again surging to new highs.

In Toronto, both prices and sales have taken a dive since the same type of tax came into effect in April.

Some had hoped a combination of recent government rule changes making it harder to get a mortgage, higher mortgage rates and the foreign buyers tax might have a lasting effect in cooling the market.

However, Toronto home prices are still up compared to last year and some industry experts predict that, as in Vancouver, the city’s recent dip will simply be a blip.

And as long as Toronto and Vancouver’s real estate markets continue to sizzle, many people will continue to find home ownership out of reach in these cities.

‘I just don’t get to live here,” says Emelia Symington Fedy, who’s moving her family from Vancouver to Halifax because she can’t afford the high cost of housing in her beloved city. “It feels like my lover has jilted me. I’m heartbroken.”

Vancouver downturn dashed

In August 2016, the B.C. government implemented a 15 per cent tax on foreign nationals buying property in Metro Vancouver to help cool skyrocketing house prices. For a time, the tax appeared to be working.

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