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Posted 1 Comment on Housing market is active but will slow in summer as it ALWAYS does.. Mortgage News

Housing market is active but will slow in summer as it ALWAYS does..

Much has been written about the Canadian housing market.  Even more about greater Toronto and Vancouver.  The pessimists are waiting for a collapse.  The optimists are hoping the prices keep going up.  Then there’s the realists.  They would like to see the market slow and maybe even for prices to go down, so that we don’t have a housing bubble. Which one are you?

When it comes to the housing market, I’m a realist.

Every Spring, for the last 10+ years, the real estate market in Canada heats up.  Prices increase, they sell faster, and supply can’t keep up with demand. It’s become the norm.  In June, July and August, the market gets very quiet and prices go down.  That’s right, they actually go down.

This year was no different except for 2 things..  Supply was very low in January, February and March, causing selling prices to jump as much as 20% over last year in some markets.   Now, let’s look more closely.. Continue reading “Housing market is active but will slow in summer as it ALWAYS does..”

Posted 1 Comment on Toronto 15% Foreign tax, new Rent controls… it changes nothing! Mortgage News

Toronto 15% Foreign tax, new Rent controls… it changes nothing!

15% Foreign home buyers tax, not a big deal

Last year, Vancouver introduced a 15% foreign homebuyers tax.  I predicted it would come to Toronto after 6 months.

Today, Ontario’s govt has copied Vancouver by introducing a 15% foreign homebuyers tax.   The hope is this will discourage foreign investors from buying and speculating on the Toronto housing market (by the way, there is no data to prove that foreign investors are a factor or contributing to the red hot housing market).

Vancouver tried this last year. But what happened?  The amount of sales slowed, but just temporarily. And house prices didn’t really drop.  This year, Vancouver house values are up over 3% and climbing.   Continue reading “Toronto 15% Foreign tax, new Rent controls… it changes nothing!”

Posted 2 Comments on Housing bubble is coming… again? Mortgage News

Housing bubble is coming… again?

You’ve seen them before.. but they went silent for a few years.  I’m talking about the housing bears.  The pessimists that say house prices are too high and will crash.  A housing bubble.

Are they right?  Maybe.  But here’s the thing.  We’ve been hearing that house prices are too high for over a decade.  One of the more vocal pessimists is David Madani, Economist for Capital Economics.

HOUSING BUBBLE?

Madani was on BNN this past week saying we are in a ‘Full blown housing bubble’.   Hmmm, that sounds familiar.  Let me think… when did I hear that before?  Oh, that’s right, 2011.   He said, we could see house prices drop by 25% in 2011.  And he was completely wrong. (hope you didn’t listen to him). Continue reading “Housing bubble is coming… again?”

Posted 4 Comments on Panic buying? When will the housing market slow down? Rate forecast

Panic buying? When will the housing market slow down?

 

hot-housing-marketHouses selling over asking price is becoming the norm, these days.  Kinda crazy.  Sometimes a house is just listed under market value to attract a frenzy of buyers. An old tactic that has worked well in larger urban markets.  Today, that tactic is being used in smaller communities, too.

What’s unclear is if this selling tactic is contributing to houses selling for more than they’re worth.  And what is a home worth, anyway?   I always thought a house was worth what someone was willing to pay in the open market.  That’s still true in most cases, today.

When I see reports of houses selling for $100k, $200k and $300k over asking, it makes me wonder.  How long will this market last?  Will it crash?  And if so, when?   It’s hard to make forecasts and I can’t see into the future, but let’s examine this a little.

WHEN WILL THE HOUSING MARKET CRASH? Continue reading “Panic buying? When will the housing market slow down?”

Posted Mortgage News

Finally, a tax break on Land transfer tax.

ontario-govt

Did you get a larger Land Transfer Tax rebate?

If you bought a home this year, and you’re a first time home buyer, then you’ll pay less tax..   The Ontario provincial govt has doubled the rebate from $2,000 to $4,000.   The rebate is for qualified first time home buyers only.

They also eliminated Land Transfer tax on the first $368,000 of the purchase price for first time home buyers.    Hey, this is good news.  And I applaud the govt for giving for giving first time buyers a break.

They also increased the Land Transfer Tax for homes over $2million.  Here’s the old and new tax tables.

“Old” Ontario Land Transfer Tax Rates
Home Purchase Price             Tax Rate
Up to $55,000                                 0.5%
$55,000 to $250,000                    1.0%
$250,000 to $400,000                 1.5%
Above $400,000                             2.0%

And here’s the new formula…

“New” Ontario Land Transfer Tax Rates
Home Purchase Price             Tax Rate
Up to $55,000                                 0.5%
$55,000 to $250,000                    1.0%
$250,000 to $400,000                 1.5%
$400,000 to $2-million                2.0%
$2-million and over                       2.5%

Enjoy the savings..

Kinda strange..  Remember when the Kathleen Wynne govt was considering allowing other municipalities, other than Toronto, to introduce a new land transfer tax?   NO?  Well, I do.. and you shouldn’t forget it either.. click here to remember..  Keep this in the back of your mind .. Let’s hope this isn’t some sort of strategy to catch us with our guard down..

Your best interest is my only interest.   I reply to all questions and I welcome your comments.  Like this article?  Share with a friend.

Steve Garganis 416 224 0114 steve@mortgagenow.ca