With the global financial plunge and tighter credit restrictions on lending dealt out by many financial institutions, potential home owners are being forced to settle to rented apartments than fulfilling their deepest dream of owning their own homes. The obvious increase in rented apartments in 2009 will reflect an increase in rental prices amidst the present financial crisis. The situation is even worsened with the increase in unemployment as many home seekers will have to put off their many years of planning and possible savings for more prosperous times in the real estate sector.

Good news for home owners who have been itching to get a home make over- the Harper government is currently discussing tax credits for home renovation.  Deliberations are currently in place at Ottawa to finalize the budget request of Prime Minister Stephen Harper which according to sources would lean towards funding employment training, helping the jobless and more funding for infrastructures.

Investing in Toronto real estate could be very healthy for your wallet as not only the city offers a number of suitable properties, but also presents a wide array of prospects for sustained economic growth over a period of time. Unlike in England for instance, most real estate properties only cater to the upper level of the social strata and does not necessarily provide financial freedom to most middle income individuals.

From the outside, Canada's greenest house is unremarkable — just another dwelling in a massive subdivision in Guelph, Ont. In fact, it's extraordinary, and putting it together was a challenge that caused the builder, Reid's Heritage Homes, to rethink its relationships with the tradespeople it works with. Part of a 750-home project on the southern outskirts of Guelph, the residence is one of the first in Canada to be certified under a new program called "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Homes," developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The house that Reid built is not only certified, it's certified at the platinum level, the highest rating. (Simple LEED certification, and the silver and gold ratings come before it.) That the house is an unassuming structure is deliberate. "It had to feel like a normal home and look like a normal home from the street," says Andy Oding, product development manager at Reid's. The company wanted to see if it could build such a house while maintaining appeal to the people who buy houses in subdivisions.