Exchange rate
Oct 24th 2007, 4:37 pm
#691
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Nusajaya
Posts: 2,327
Re: Exchange rate
Interest Rates in Canada will stay where they are, or they may go lower, the U.S. Fed will lower their rates, if we don't follow or hold, our $ will continue to appreciate.
Mortgage Rates should stay where they are, I would go for at least a 7 year term, and then try to pay it off as quick as possible, we will see 8% + rates again, inflation will be a future problem.
Prices must come down, the fact is that too many people are crossing the border to buy, either directly or through .com, this will serve as a check on Inflation.
Gold is the Oh Sh^t investment, you hope it does not go to a $1,000 an ounce, which it could, but that would mean that there is serious trouble out there.
Canada is the only country in the world self sufficient for Water, Energy, Food, we can survive as an entity, the Rest of the world needs what we have to supply.
An Inconvenient Truth, a MUST SEE, illustrates why in the long run we will do well.
I like the Pound, would rather hold that than the Euro.
Small Town Real Estate in an area with good local health Care and less than 90 minute drive to major city will prove the best investment in the future, Florida Real Estate will take hit.
Hilary Clinton will NOT get elected.
Mortgage Rates should stay where they are, I would go for at least a 7 year term, and then try to pay it off as quick as possible, we will see 8% + rates again, inflation will be a future problem.
Prices must come down, the fact is that too many people are crossing the border to buy, either directly or through .com, this will serve as a check on Inflation.
Gold is the Oh Sh^t investment, you hope it does not go to a $1,000 an ounce, which it could, but that would mean that there is serious trouble out there.
Canada is the only country in the world self sufficient for Water, Energy, Food, we can survive as an entity, the Rest of the world needs what we have to supply.
An Inconvenient Truth, a MUST SEE, illustrates why in the long run we will do well.
I like the Pound, would rather hold that than the Euro.
Small Town Real Estate in an area with good local health Care and less than 90 minute drive to major city will prove the best investment in the future, Florida Real Estate will take hit.
Hilary Clinton will NOT get elected.
Thanks for the insight. It doesn't look like the pound is going to see CAD2.35 any time soon then! We've decided to keep our nest egg in GBP, not buy a house in Canada and carry on renting until we decide it's time to go. Our little dreams, achievable at 2.35, have now melted before our very eyes... 
Pity, we could have got used to the place!
Oct 24th 2007, 5:00 pm
#692
Banned
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 785
Re: Exchange rate
What would you say if it goes to $1.50, that you wish you had bought when you could have got $1.98??
Currencies are tough to predict, the Canadian/Australian/Kiwi are so small that Speculators can drive it.
A THOUGHT, why not BUY a bond denominated in $CDN , paying say 5% interest, mitigate your currency risk??
The U.K has a new leader, it is difficult to predict what will happen?
Is your Neighbourhood safe, and will it be safer when you are 75 and more frail and an easy target for Thieves?
My Dad always taught us to have an EXIT, to think ahead, that is why I am in a small village with a good hospital and 90 minutes from Toronto, and NO Mc Donalds..
Currencies are tough to predict, the Canadian/Australian/Kiwi are so small that Speculators can drive it.
A THOUGHT, why not BUY a bond denominated in $CDN , paying say 5% interest, mitigate your currency risk??
The U.K has a new leader, it is difficult to predict what will happen?
Is your Neighbourhood safe, and will it be safer when you are 75 and more frail and an easy target for Thieves?
My Dad always taught us to have an EXIT, to think ahead, that is why I am in a small village with a good hospital and 90 minutes from Toronto, and NO Mc Donalds..
Oct 24th 2007, 5:03 pm
#693
Immigration Consultant
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Posts: 2,144
Re: Exchange rate
Dont forget though that if house prices did rise in Canada while you wait for the exchange rate we saw at the beginning of this year to return (and it may not happen for years) then you will loose out on both fronts. If, for example, prices in Canada rose 15% while you are waiting then that would be the equivalent to you cutting your losses and buying a house now at 1.99 instead of at 2.30 after prices have risen. If you get what I mean.
Oct 24th 2007, 5:19 pm
#694
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Nusajaya
Posts: 2,327
Re: Exchange rate
Howard.... if it drops to 1.5 we'll be in the same place... renting in CAD (from our CAD salary) so won't be affected.... but it will be great for sending money back to the UK! We'll just have to hope we don't need to change any pounds though! BTW, we're in a lovely little place, pop 5500, I commute to the big city every day (which is a drag, but I'd rather commute to it than live in it!).
NS... I know what you mean... we could lose out in price increases AND further drops!! But we won't because we won't buy under those conditions. I do hate renting though..... especially as the place we're in is up for sale! On the bright side, I haven't seen much shifting in the area... plenty have been on the market for well over a year.... several have gone off, and come back on with pretty big reductions.
I suppose it's all swings and roundabouts.... you have to clarify your objectives, bite your lip, do the deed and have no regrets further down the line!
NS... I know what you mean... we could lose out in price increases AND further drops!! But we won't because we won't buy under those conditions. I do hate renting though..... especially as the place we're in is up for sale! On the bright side, I haven't seen much shifting in the area... plenty have been on the market for well over a year.... several have gone off, and come back on with pretty big reductions.
I suppose it's all swings and roundabouts.... you have to clarify your objectives, bite your lip, do the deed and have no regrets further down the line!
Oct 24th 2007, 6:54 pm
#695
Tea Drinker
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Kamloops, BC
Posts: 5,387
Re: Exchange rate
Small Town Real Estate in an area with good local health Care and less than 90 minute drive to major city will prove the best investment in the future
Oct 25th 2007, 11:30 am
#697
Banned
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 785
Re: Exchange rate
Canmore is becoming exceptionally pricey, BUT it is gorgeous.
Oct 25th 2007, 4:25 pm
#698
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2007
Location: Centre of the universe (Toronto)
Posts: 432
Re: Exchange rate
I'm seeing $1.90 at best on the high street just now, not sure whether to bite the bullet or keep it in the bank and just take my ATM card over and withdraw in dribs and drabs in the hope it goes up 
Oct 27th 2007, 8:07 am
#699
BE Forum Addict
Joined: May 2007
Location: Okotoks and settled.
Posts: 1,739
Re: Exchange rate
Not sure if this is a thick question or not, but here goes.
Is it more worthwhile changing GBP into USD then into CAD? It worked out better the way I did it but then I'm not a financial wizz by any accounts and probably worked it out all wrong.
Is it more worthwhile changing GBP into USD then into CAD? It worked out better the way I did it but then I'm not a financial wizz by any accounts and probably worked it out all wrong.
Oct 27th 2007, 12:39 pm
#700
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Back in Yorkshire
Posts: 1,108
Re: Exchange rate
Heading off next month via Toronto.
Oct 27th 2007, 2:29 pm
#701
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Was Brentwood, Essex Now Wasaga Beach, Ontario
Posts: 895
Re: Exchange rate
Hope that helps
Chris
Oct 28th 2007, 9:02 am
#702
BE Forum Addict
Joined: May 2007
Location: Okotoks and settled.
Posts: 1,739
Re: Exchange rate
Very unlikely...the rate you see on screens is not the rate you will get, you lose a certain amount of pips for the haircut, you will be losing this twice. And think of it this way, if it was profitable do you not think one of the big hedge funds with all their rocket scientists would have traded the hell out of it bringing it back into line.
Hope that helps
Chris
Hope that helps
Chris
Oct 30th 2007, 2:07 am
#703
Tea Drinker
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Kamloops, BC
Posts: 5,387
Re: Exchange rate
Loonie reaches higher against Greenback
- Canadian Dollar at 33 year high v US Dollar
- Sterling hurt by Bank of England report
Again the Canadian Dollar outperformed the British Pound, adding almost a cent and a half over the week. Sterling started from $1.9850, sparked briefly and then drifted lower. It opened in London this morning only just above $1.97.
After two months in decline Canadian retail sales improved by a healthy 0.7 per cent in August. It was not exactly a number to set the inflationary alarm bells ringing at the Bank of Canada but it was enough to underscore the market's love affair with the Canadian Dollar.
The Loonie has achieved a 33 year high against the US Dollar and is within striking distance of a 50 year high, yet the BoC is still concerned about inflation. The government is particularly worried that items imported across the southern border are still selling at old prices despite the local currency having risen above its neighbour. Retailers - not surprisingly - are happy to stick with the old prices as long as possible. This is driving (literally) retail business across the border and there may eventually be more of a dampening effect on retail business and the Canadian economy.
Although there was no flood of bad news for Sterling it managed to leave its supporters feeling downhearted by the few things that did crop up. BBA mortgage approvals were 27 per cent fewer in September than a year ago and the size of the average mortgage was down for the fourth successive month. The Land Registry and Hometrack both reported slower house price rises. Hometrack showed a monthly fall in prices between September and October.
The most damaging factor for Sterling was a publication from its supposed protector, the Bank of England. The Bank's Financial Stability Report said that Britain is still at risk to further negative effects of the credit crunch. The report was written up by every news paper as describing an economic accident waiting to happen. It left an unpleasant taste that lingered for the rest of the week. Sterling did manage to gain a half cent against the US Dollar but it was lower on most other fronts.
Has the Canadian Dollar's advance been over extended? Some analysts believe that it has. Buyers of the Canadian Dollar should continue to hedge half of their exposure, simply because Sterling itself looks vulnerable, but there could well be better opportunities to buy in the weeks ahead.
- Canadian Dollar at 33 year high v US Dollar
- Sterling hurt by Bank of England report
Again the Canadian Dollar outperformed the British Pound, adding almost a cent and a half over the week. Sterling started from $1.9850, sparked briefly and then drifted lower. It opened in London this morning only just above $1.97.
After two months in decline Canadian retail sales improved by a healthy 0.7 per cent in August. It was not exactly a number to set the inflationary alarm bells ringing at the Bank of Canada but it was enough to underscore the market's love affair with the Canadian Dollar.
The Loonie has achieved a 33 year high against the US Dollar and is within striking distance of a 50 year high, yet the BoC is still concerned about inflation. The government is particularly worried that items imported across the southern border are still selling at old prices despite the local currency having risen above its neighbour. Retailers - not surprisingly - are happy to stick with the old prices as long as possible. This is driving (literally) retail business across the border and there may eventually be more of a dampening effect on retail business and the Canadian economy.
Although there was no flood of bad news for Sterling it managed to leave its supporters feeling downhearted by the few things that did crop up. BBA mortgage approvals were 27 per cent fewer in September than a year ago and the size of the average mortgage was down for the fourth successive month. The Land Registry and Hometrack both reported slower house price rises. Hometrack showed a monthly fall in prices between September and October.
The most damaging factor for Sterling was a publication from its supposed protector, the Bank of England. The Bank's Financial Stability Report said that Britain is still at risk to further negative effects of the credit crunch. The report was written up by every news paper as describing an economic accident waiting to happen. It left an unpleasant taste that lingered for the rest of the week. Sterling did manage to gain a half cent against the US Dollar but it was lower on most other fronts.
Has the Canadian Dollar's advance been over extended? Some analysts believe that it has. Buyers of the Canadian Dollar should continue to hedge half of their exposure, simply because Sterling itself looks vulnerable, but there could well be better opportunities to buy in the weeks ahead.
Nov 1st 2007, 5:09 am
#704
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Nusajaya
Posts: 2,327
Re: Exchange rate
USD 2.08
CAD 1.96
Who'dve thunk it???
(no, there are no spelling mistakes.)
CAD 1.96
Who'dve thunk it???
(no, there are no spelling mistakes.)
Nov 1st 2007, 9:47 am
#705
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2006
Location: Pemberton, BC
Posts: 346
Re: Exchange rate
Don't - you're depressing me now!
We're hoping to land in December - any chance the CDN$ will go up by then?
Zoe M. x
We're hoping to land in December - any chance the CDN$ will go up by then?
Zoe M. x