This week, developers are calling for policy makers to help incentivize investors back into the condo market. Plus, the renters trying to save up for a down payment without parental help and one property worth a look.

Homes for rent that have been “hijacked” and the loose enforcement of rules over who has access to them are raising concerns about security gaps in the residential property market. As Shane Dingman writes, some real estate agents in Toronto say the practice of hijacking a listing – someone copying the properties of the agent contracted to sell a property onto their own website – has become almost commonplace. After a hijacking incident involving a realtor’s assistant allegedly accessing properties using keys in lockboxes, industry experts are questioning their use in keeping sellers’ homes safe.

Dingman told me that realtors can make money by hijacking someone else’s rental listing by posting it on social media or other sites and finding a tenant who wants to rent. If they make a deal with a tenant, they can share the lease commission, which could be thousands of dollars, depending on the monthly rent.

Aggressive leasing tactics are becoming more commonplace as the housing market continues its slump, and sellers turn to renting homes they can’t offload.

“Real estate agents with seller or landlord clients often have a clearer path to making money,” Dingman said. “Realtors representing buyers or tenants have to do a lot more hustling (and in some cases hijacking) to make money. ”

Statistics Canada figures released in March show the median renting family under age 35 held $12,000 in liquid assets, which it defines as money in bank accounts, term deposits, treasury bills, tax-free savings accounts, stocks, bonds and registered retirement savings plans. The median for all renting households under 45 is only $600 more. That makes a down payment out of reach for many renters in most Canadian cities, where home ownership is increasingly the domain of people who have support from their families, the Statscan report said. It warns that being unable to buy a home can have a ripple effect for future generations, since homeownership “has long been critical for wealth accumulation, particularly among younger households and middle-class families.” Frances Bula spoke to Canadians who are trying to save up for homeownership without help from their parents.

Five-year mortgage terms have offered some of the lowest fixed rates for much of 2025, but that is starting to change, writes Salmaan Farooqui. Experts say many lenders are now offering promotional rates on three-year fixed terms at around 3.6 per cent. That compares with some of the cheapest five-year fixed rates being in the low 4-per-cent range. Meanwhile, markets are anticipating much higher chances of an interest-rate cut from the Bank of Canada this month.

Rates shown are the lowest available for each term/type and category (insured versus uninsured) as of market close on Thursday, Sept. 4.

As the Vancouver and Toronto condo markets continue to languish, the major role of the investor, both foreign and local, is coming into focus. In the city of Vancouver, 50 per cent of newly built condos were investor owned, according to Canadian Housing Statistics Program data looking at the market between 2016 and 2022. In Toronto proper, 58 per cent of new condos were investor owned. As we hear about investors are fleeing the preconstruction condo market, developers are pressing policy makers to encourage them back to the market, writes Kerry Gold. However, housing experts are pushing back, arguing that an investor-driven housing market, particularly from outside wealth, pushes housing out of reach for locals.