{"id":673768,"date":"2026-05-16T01:48:20","date_gmt":"2026-05-16T01:48:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/673768\/"},"modified":"2026-05-16T01:48:20","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T01:48:20","slug":"insolvency-filings-rising-fast-why-more-couples-are-living-apart-together-and-the-home-of-the-week-canadian-real-estate-news-for-the-week-of-may-15","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/673768\/","title":{"rendered":"Insolvency filings rising fast, why more couples are living apart together and the Home of the Week: Canadian real estate news for the week of May 15"},"content":{"rendered":"

Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n

The home of the week is a cabin in the woods that feels like a private summer camp.Next Door Photos<\/p>\n

This week: A canary in the coal mine for homeowners, and three cities where home prices are changing fast. Plus, why more couples are choosing to pay more to live apart, and one property worth a look.<\/p>\n

Take our business and investing news quiz<\/a><\/p>\n

Under pressureMore homeowners are filing for insolvency – and fast<\/p>\n

Worried about how you\u2019re going to pay your mortgage, or rent, food and transport? You\u2019re far from alone. The number of Canadians filing for insolvency jumped 8.5 per cent in the first quarter of 2026 compared to last year, according to the latest data from the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy. It\u2019s the highest quarterly volume since 2009 and though the per-capita rate is still lower, the pace is the concerning part, Zarif Sinha and Mariya Postelnyak report. \u201cDespite the scary 2009 figure, things are not quite as grim as the crisis then, but there are signs of trouble,\u201d Zarif told me.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

One signal is the growing proportion of insolvencies filed by homeowners, according to data from Hoyes Michalos & Associates. Renters account for the bulk of insolvencies and homeowners\u2019 share \u201chad been steadily declining since 2014, as rising property values meant mortgage-holders likely had other refinancing options renters did not,\u201d Zarif told me. Since the pandemic, however, insolvency filings by homeowners have been on the uptick thanks to mortgages coming up for renewal at much higher rates, job losses and economic uncertainty from the U.S. trade dispute.<\/p>\n

Falling home prices are also a double-whammy for insolvent mortgage-holders. Doug Hoyes, a licensed insolvency trustee, says more of his clients are finding themselves liable for the shortfall between the purchase price and newly appraised price when they file. And with warnings of potential higher interest rates ahead, he \u201ccan\u2019t imagine how insolvency numbers are going to fall anytime soon.\u201d Read the full story here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Un-shacking upLiving apart can bring couples even closer together – if they can afford itOpen this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n

Living apart can be great for some couples, but it’s not cheap.Illustration by Sam Island<\/p>\n

It turns out home may not always be where the heart is. More couples are shirking societal pressures and opting not to live together<\/a>, keeping up their commitment to romance without being roommates. Roughly one in 10 couples in Canada are in some sort of \u201cliving apart together\u201d (LAT) arrangement, according to a 2024 report from the Vanier Institute of the Family<\/a>, reflecting broader changes in how we define family, intimacy and independence.<\/p>\n

But money is also a big part of the equation, especially when high housing prices mean many couples can\u2019t afford not to live together. As Sadaf Ahsan heard from LAT couples, their arrangements take financial sacrifices. \u201cIn order to afford living solo, they\u2019d spent a number of years saving up (also, hello, rent control!), live relatively frugally, and stick to a budget,\u201d Sadaf told me. \u201cIt makes me think more people would live on their own if it were more affordable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Living separately from a long-time partner is a prospect that appeals to Sadaf herself, despite skepticism from her friends and family. Reporting the story, she was encouraged by LAT couples telling her the benefits were worth the cost. \u201cAfter all, money is the one reason I sometimes do find myself wondering – briefly! – if it might just be worth sharing my space\u201d Sadaf told me. \u201cBut at the end of the day, having my own little utopia is priceless and, therefore, a financial priority.\u201d Read the full piece here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This week\u2019s lowest fixed and variable mortgage rates in Canada<\/p>\n

Rates shown are the lowest available for each term\/type and category (insured vs. uninsured) as of market close on Thursday, May 14<\/a>.<\/p>\n

DataThree cities where home prices are changing fast<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s some good news if you\u2019re thinking of buying your first home: home values are cooling off despite the usual spring thaw. Canada\u2019s average home price dropped by 4 per cent year-over-year in April, according to data from from Wahi, a digital real estate platform, and Real Property Solutions, a property valuation service. No city has it worse than Hamilton, where average home prices dropped by 9 per cent, and Toronto isn\u2019t far behind at 8 per cent. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s not just a tale of two cities. Salmaan Farooqui took a closer look at the notable changes in three places \u2013 Calgary, Hamilton and Winnipeg \u2013 and the Manitoba capital\u2019s modest 2 per cent increase might surprise you. \u201cIf Toronto and Vancouver get sick, we just catch a cough,\u201d realtor Michael Froese told Salmaan. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s a sign of significant resilience, especially as other markets in the Prairies haven\u2019t been so lucky. So if you\u2019re thinking of dipping your toes into the market anywhere in the country this season, read the city-by-city analysis<\/a> to take a pulse first.<\/p>\n

Design corner<\/p>\n

The seven best homes and interiors to inspire your next project<\/p>\n

Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n

An artist’s lofty atelier is just one of Canada’s best spaces that’s bound to inspire.doublespace photography\/Supplied<\/p>\n

How do you craft a space that both reflects and supports your passion? The artists and creatives in Style Magazine\u2019s annual round-up of Canada\u2019s best architecture and design have figured it out \u2013 and they have advice to share.<\/p>\n

From a minimalist writing cabin in the woods to a light-filled studio and a Toronto hobby house that turns the traditional floor plan on its head, here are the best homes, cottages and rooms<\/a> across the country. Take a peek and you\u2019re bound to find some inspiration, no matter what your pursuit may be.<\/p>\n

Home of the WeekA riverfront log cabin in the woods outside OttawaOpen this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n

The three-season sunroom is the family’s most-used space, and the perfect place for your morning coffee.Next Door Photos<\/p>\n

509 Iron Mine Rd. S., Lanark Highlands, Ont. \u2013 Full gallery here<\/a><\/p>\n

While Little Red Riding Hood made the dangers of venturing into the woods to visit Grandma all too clear, those who stumble upon this rustic timber home<\/a> nestled in the forest are in for a pleasant surprise (not of the wolf variety). Built in the 1980s from the frame of a 19th-century barn, the dwelling could easily be taken for a hunting lodge or forest-service building at first glance. But inside, it is a cozy and inviting rural getaway that has become a weekend destination for the owners\u2019 family.<\/p>\n

The four-bedroom home is designed to enjoy the woodland surroundings almost all year, with a wrap-around porch that connects to a three-season sunroom filled with rockers and hammocks. It sits on five acres and has a 350-foot private riverfront along the \u201cMississippi River,\u201d a tributary of the Ottawa River, where the owners\u2019 children and grandchildren love to swim and float home from a launching spot up the road.<\/p>\n

The peaceful surroundings permeate the interior, too. Wide-plank oak floors run throughout the large dining room and living areas, which is warmed by a fireplace in the cooler months. Exposed log walls and beams frame the two-storey home and dormers upstairs, creating the feel of a summer camp with the comforts of power and plumbing. And while the whole house is special, the owners\u2019 son-in-law says the sunroom is the place to be so long as it\u2019s not the dead of winter. \u201c[You] can constantly hear the rush of the water, of the river. You sit out there, have a coffee and let the sun hit you,\u201d said Lee Tamburano.<\/p>\n

\n What do you think is the asking price for the property?\n <\/p>\n

a. $829,000<\/p>\n

b. $889,000<\/p>\n

c. $939,000<\/p>\n

d. $979,000<\/p>\n

\n a. The asking price is $829,000.\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Open this photo in gallery: The home of the week is a cabin in the woods that feels…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":673769,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[111993,21366,64,111994,111996,111995,63,99,164,89257,21363,325049,21369,40077],"class_list":["post-673768","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-economy","tag-ac-community","tag-appwebview","tag-au","tag-aud-growth","tag-aud-headline","tag-aud-url","tag-australia","tag-business","tag-economy","tag-newnewsletter","tag-noastack","tag-realestate-roundup","tag-yesapplenews","tag-yessnap"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/673768","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=673768"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/673768\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/673769"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=673768"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=673768"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=673768"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}