About Our
Research
How we model, calculate, and verify Canadian real estate metrics to provide objective consumer intelligence.
Hausee is built on a simple premise: Canadian real estate data should be clear, objective, and organized around the consumer's needs. To make sure our simulators, calculators, and educational guides remain the most authoritative in Canada, we utilize a transparent, structured research framework. Here is how we build our data models.
1. Raw Data Extraction & Primary Sources
Our database does not pull from aggregated commercial search directories or unvetted blogs. We source our primary data points directly from statutory authorities and municipal databases:
- Land Transfer Tax Brackets: Sourced directly from provincial statutes (e.g. the Ontario Land Transfer Tax Act, BC Property Transfer Tax Act, and Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 549).
- Mortgage Interest Underwriting Limits: Derived from OSFI (Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions) stress-test criteria and the Bank of Canada standard benchmark rates.
- Incentive & Program Guidelines: Regularly cross-referenced with federal regulations for the First-Time Home Buyer tax credit, the Home Buyers' Plan (HBP), and FHSA regulations maintained by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
2. Financial Modeling & Algorithmic Design
Our interactive tools (such as the Rent-vs-Buy Simulator and CMHC Premium Modeler) are designed under strict financial accounting principles rather than promotional templates:
- The Rent-vs-Buy Algorithm: Incorporates localized real-world variables, including mortgage principal amortization scales, historical property appreciation averages, rental inflation indexing, opportunity costs of down payment capital, property taxes, maintenance reserves, and transaction costs (legal fees and sales tax splits).
- Tax and Default Scaling: We systematically model the impact of provincial sales taxes (PST) on default insurance premiums (such as Ontario's 8% PST on CMHC premiums) which are legally due in upfront cash at closing.
3. Commission audits & Transparency Checks
Hausee regularly monitors commissions across Canadian metropolitan areas:
- We evaluate average cooperating buyer brokerage fee listings on major Canadian MLS feeds.
- We verify rebate policies, disclosure guidelines, and trust accounting protocols to ensure our matching system (Hausee Select) operates completely within provincial and federal competition mandates.
- We audit agent qualifications, transaction records, and licensure to guarantee that our consumer-matching panels consist of elite, top-producing real estate professionals.
4. Our Commitment to Zero Conflict of Interest
Traditional housing calculators are often customized by mortgage lenders or real estate brokerages to skew outcomes—frequently showing buying as "always superior" to renting, or encouraging users to overstretch budgets.
Our research is bound by consumer advocacy principles. Our calculators use mathematical reality to show you both options clearly, and we disclose where renting can be the financially superior path based on capital markets and localized fee parameters. We provide transparency, allowing you to buy with confidence.
Are You an Academic or Housing Analyst?
We welcome feedback on our calculations, source citations, or simulator formulas. If you want to review our modeling files or suggest architectural improvements to our algorithms, reach out.
Contact the Hausee Team →