Home prices will continue to rise this spring as buyers scramble to close deals ahead of expected higher interest rates, new mortgage rules and new taxes in two key markets.

MONTREAL — Laurentian Bank (TSX:LB) is looking to grow by diversifying its real estate financing business outside its home base of Quebec, with possible expansion to Saskatchewan.

Local reading options expanded by 24 pages this week with the distribution of the inaugural issue of Red Deer Living.

The wealth of individual Canadians climbed higher in the fourth quarter as the value of their stocks and real estate increased. Statistics Canada said Monday that household net worth rose 1.6 per cent to $5.9 trillion or $172,600 per capita in the last three months of 2009 compared with the previous quarter.

Approximately US$42 billion worth of residential real estate in the United States was purchased by foreigners in 2008, with Canadians accounting for nearly a quarter of this tally.