2025 Year in Review

As the year comes to a close, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on 2025 and, more importantly, to say thank you. Our partners play a critical role in the success of our shared clients, and we’re truly grateful for the collaboration, trust, and thoughtful conversations throughout the year.
While the pace of change slowed compared to prior years, 2025 was still impactful, especially looking ahead to 2026. Many clients who secured historically low interest rates in 2021 will be coming up for renewal next year, making early planning and proactive conversations more important than ever.
Education remained a major focus for us this year. We were excited to launch Sensitive Subjects, a course created for VIREB to help REALTORS® better navigate subject removal timelines and financing dependencies. The response has reinforced how valuable industry-specific education can be. If any partners are interested in creating something similar for their own audience, we’d be more than happy to start that conversation.
With that, here’s a snapshot of what stood out in 2025 and what we’re watching as we head into the year ahead.
IMPORTANT POLICY CHANGES
While the pace of policy changes slowed in 2025 compared to 2024, there were still a few meaningful updates. Notably, new GST exemptions were introduced for First Time Home Buyers purchasing newly built homes up to $1M, with partial GST relief extending to $1.5M. We also saw continued real-world use of 30-year amortizations for insured First Time Home Buyers. As always, changes move quickly, and we’ll continue to share updates as they come.


BANK OF CANADA UPDATES
2025 saw three decreases to the Bank of Canada overnight lending rate, bringing the overnight rate to 2.25% and Prime to 4.45%. Looking ahead to 2026, expectations are largely for rates to hold steady. As always, we remind clients and partners that the overnight rate is not the same as consumer lending rates and that fixed and variable mortgages respond to different market forces.
PARTNER NEWSLETTERS
While we've received such positive feedback on our Property Listing Tips newsletter, we've decided to retire it after a successful two year run. Next year we're going to focus our monthly newsletters on a broader range of topics that cover the most frequently asked questions from our partners. From financing strategies and programs, to lender considerations and income calculations, you won't want to miss these industry insights. Click below to ensure you're signed up for our partner newsletters.


EDUCATION
Education remains a core focus for us, and this year we were proud to launch Sensitive Subjects, an accredited course created in partnership with VIREB, worth 3 PDP credits. The course helps REALTORS® better navigate subject removal timelines and how financing intertwines with other subject clauses. We’re excited to bring this course to multiple locations across Vancouver Island in 2026. Once dates are finalized, we’ll send a dedicated email so you can register through your VIREB portal, just like any other PDP course. We may also have additional courses in the works. Confirm your interest in Sensitive Subjects below and we'll keep you up to date.
CANADIAN MORTGAGE APP
We’ve continued to love using our Canadian Mortgage App this year. Not only are the tools helpful for clients to explore on their own, but it has significantly upgraded how information is presented. No more cluttered text heavy emails! Interest rate comparisons, penalty calculations and more can be curated in one clear, easy-to-read document. We encourage you to leverage this tool with your clients, whether they’re buying, refinancing, or simply estimating costs.


CLIENT CARE
Our annual mortgage review and mortgage maturity touch points continue to see strong engagement, and we expect this to remain the case heading into 2026. These conversations highlight just how much clients value proactive strategy, particularly during periods of economic uncertainty. These check-ins also allow us to loop clients back in with their trusted team of professionals, ensuring everyone is aligned and involved in strategic discussions. Below is a link you can give to clients to book a chat.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2026
With interest rates stabilizing and home prices showing signs of leveling out, 2026 is shaping up to be an active year. Many clients who secured historically low rates in 2021 will be approaching renewal, making early planning and expectation-setting essential. We expect an increase in strategic conversations around renewals, refinances, and longer-term planning. For buyers, preparation remains key. Having income documents reviewed early and financing letters ready will continue to be a major advantage.

As the year winds down, we hope you’re able to slow the pace, enjoy time with the people who matter most, and head into the holidays feeling proud of all that was accomplished this year. Wishing you a joyful holiday season and a strong, fulfilling year ahead. We’re excited to continue building together in 2026.


