Spring house hunting

Though Canada’s housing market has shown remarkable resilience in past years even as other sectors of the economy have tumbled, a trio of factors appears likely to cool things down over the coming months: a record number of homes entered the market during the first quarter of 2010, meaning buyers will likely spend more time shopping around before bidding on a home; the country’s biggest lenders are starting to hike interest rates after a long stretch at record lows; and the federal government is tightening mortgage eligibility rules, which could leave some potential buyers out in the cold. Still, the pace of sales has been brisk of late and homes are still selling for near-record prices across the country, both of which suggest Canadians have yet to lose their appetite for house shopping.

Click below to see what’s available in some of Canada’s largest markets.