Thursday, February 11, 2021

Drivers and Challenges Impacting 2021 Real Estate Market in Canada

 Economic conditions will continue to improve over the course of 2021, albeit with a temporary blip downwards for GDP and employment growth in the first quarter as we work our way through the remainder of the necessary public health measures, including lockdowns and stay-at-home orders.

In the second half of 2021, once vaccine uptake is more widespread and case counts recede, expect the sectors most impacted by COVID-19, including hospitality and entertainment related sectors, to improve.
Very low borrowing costs will be sustained throughout 2021 to support continued economic recovery. Because of this, negotiated mortgage rates will remain low throughout the year as well. It is possible that mediumand longer-term fixed rates could start edging upward later in 2021 as recovery takes hold and underlying Government of Canada bond yields trend upwards anticipating rate hikes from the Bank of Canada in 2022 and beyond.
Looking longer term, immigration and net growth in non-permanent residents will trend to record levels once the pandemic has subsided with global uptake of the various vaccines. The GTA will continue to be the single-greatest metropolitan beneficiary of immigration into Canada, as the substantial federal government immigration targets take effect.
Population growth will be especially important for the condominium market.
Newcomers looking to purchase their first home or rent a condominium apartment from an investor, will see both condo ownership demand and rental demand pick up substantially, thereby helping to absorb any excess inventory of units available for sale.
The key challenge to the housing market over the next year and beyond will be a familiar one: lack of supply. Policymakers at all levels of government have acknowledged the need for a greater supply of housing and a greater diversity of housing types.
TRREB looks forward to continuing their work with policymakers to find solutions to bring more housing online

A Quick Glance at TRREB’s In-Depth Report

 2020 Market Year in Review :

The first quarter of 2020 started off strong until the pandemic hit in mid-March followed by the province-wide shutdown, which resulted in historical low market activity. However, sales growth quickly rebounded in the latter half of the year, which is a testament to the resilience and flexibility of the regional economy and population. For 2020 as a whole, 95,151 sales were reported through TRREB’s MLS® System, an increase of 8.4% year over year, whereas new listings were up only by  2.6%. The disconnect between new listings and sales accelerated the growth of price. The overall average selling price increased by 13.5% to $929,699 in 2020. Outlook for 2021 Home ownership will remain strong in 2021. Looking ahead, total home sales are expected to range between 100,000 and 110,000. In addition, the overall average selling price for all home types and areas combined will eclipse the $1,000,000 mark for the first time. 

Renting in the GTA :

Despite the economic uncertainty resulting from COVID-19, the demand for rental accommodation remained very strong in the GTA in 2020. However, the number of condominium apartments listed for rent at one point during 2020 almost doubled compared to 2019. Increased supply resulted in more negotiating power for prospective tenants, as well as a decline in average rents for condominium apartments. But looking forward, as economic growth continues to strengthen and population growth starts to accelerate, based on immigration and non-permanent migration, demand for rental units in the GTA will remain strong and potentially accelerate. 

Industrial, Office and Retail Sectors: 

 A shift in commercial market activity was experienced in 2020. Altus Group found that lockdown restrictions and gathering limitations due to COVID-19 posed challenges to the office and retail sectors, which saw year-to-date volumes drop by 61% and 20 %, respectively. However, pent-up demand drove activity in multi-family and residential land markets, and demand for logistics space to keep up with e-commerce sales led to strong investor preference for industrial assets. Investors are cautiously optimistic that 2021 will see a recovery in the second half of the year, driven by continued growth in industrial and multi-family assets, and economic improvement as a result of the vaccine.

Climbing New Home Sales:

 Altus Group also reported a solid year for new home sales. The market saw overall sales grow by 5% to almost 38,000 homes, which is above the 10-year average and the best year reported since 2017. Demand occurred across the built-form spectrum, including detached, semi-detached and row townhouse units, with both townhouse and detached sales almost doubling last year’s volumes. However, strong sales have eroded supply and have put upward pressure on prices. Sales growth was strongest in the 905 regions, with more single-family homes sold in York Region in 2020 than in the entire GTA in 2018. Looking ahead, single-family new home sales are expected to remain active, but will be impacted by declining inventories and rising prices. 

The Mortgage Industry and the Deferral:

Cliff The federal government’s response to the pandemic included the mortgage deferral program, which led 768,000 homeowners to defer their mortgage in 2020. While there were predictions of a “deferral cliff,” there has been no evidence of widespread mortgage delinquencies. Instead, Mortgage Professionals Canada found there was a rebound in activity, and similar to Realtors, mortgage brokers also had a busy year. Even in December, a time we would usually see a seasonal slowdown, activity was still strong with record-high real estate transactions. Healthy activity in the real estate sector with the continuation of low interest rates is expected in 2021. 

Bridging the Gap:

 Between Detached Homes and High-Rises As a result of municipal zoning restrictions, the majority of our urban areas lack a variety of housing – they are mostly occupied by low density single-family homes. Urban Strategies Inc. found that increasing the amount and variety of housing, or in other words, addressing the “missing middle,” in those areas could significantly, and quickly, alleviate the tight housing supply. Allowing secondary units in all Toronto neighbourhoods could result in the rapid addition of 300,000–400,000 units. Increasing the missing middle can stabilize the population in these areas and also help sustain social and retail amenities. The Urban Strategies report demonstrates excellent examples of efficient and aesthetically pleasing missing middle types of development in both urban and suburban settings. 

A Call for Action:

While some things changed, many did not. Housing affordability and tight housing supply, in addition to the variety of supply, continue to remain key issues across our communities. We also heard from consumers, and we know that demand is stronger than ever. With that said, TRREB will continue to call on policymakers to make a stronger commitment to turn the GTA’s housing challenges into long-term solutions

2021 Buying Intentions and Housing Market Outlook:

Ipsos Home Buyers Survey Results In November/December 2020, Ipsos polled GTA consumers on their home buying intentions in 2021. While COVID-19 presented a period of uncertainty, the pandemic does not appear to have dampened home buying intentions. The share of survey respondents who indicated they were likely (combined very likely and somewhat likely responses) to purchase a home to live in over the next year was 30% – in line with the 29 per cent share reported in the fall 2019 and 2018 surveys. Home buying intentions were highest in Peel Region and Toronto – over 30%

Concluding Thoughts on Market Outlook:

 1. As frontline health care workers became the first recipients of vaccines across the globe in December, raising optimism of an end to the pandemic in the coming months, we expect to see continued healthy activity in the real estate sector into 2021. 

2.The governor of the Bank of Canada has reassured Canadians that their overnight rate will likely remain at the effective lower bound until 2023, and continue with their quantitative easing through debt purchasing to ensure continued low interest rates in the credit markets. 

3.While bond yields will increase slightly with market optimism about a return to normal, the fiscal policy of the Bank of Canada and federal government will ensure mortgage rates will also remain near historic lows through much of the coming year and possibly beyond.

 4.With the mortgage deferral programs also appearing to have wound down without large foreclosures required, the mortgage market will remain strong, with our banks and lenders well positioned to continue to extend credit at very low rates. 

5. And as immigration returns and with the federal government’s increased targets for newcomers, demand should remain strong through 2021.

2021 Housing Market Outlook :

The latest Ipsos Home Buyers survey results suggest that home buying intentions for 2021 remain strong from a historic perspective. With this in mind, the following are key points summarizing TRREB’s housing market outlook over the next year: 

1 Combined home sales reported through TRREB’s MLS® System for the GTA, south Simcoe County and Orangeville are expected to range between 100,000 and 110,000 in 2021, with a point forecast of 105,000 transactions.

 2 The pace of new condo apartment listings will start to ebb, especially in the second half of 2021. With single family listings remaining constrained, expect total new listings to range between 155,000 and 165,000, with a point forecast of 160,000. 

3 The overall average selling price for all home types and areas combined will eclipse the $1,000,000 mark for the first time on a calendar year basis. TRREB’s point forecast is $1,025,000, representing a year-over-year increase of 10%.

Looking Ahead :

 Forecasting activity during a pandemic is challenging – leaving uncertainty around the impact from the pandemic on the housing market in 2021. While demand for housing in the GTA is expected to be robust, a softening rental market, restrictions on short-term rentals and sharply rising resale inventories for condominium apartments are expected to dampen demand. Single-family new home sales are expected to remain more active but will be impacted by declining inventories and rising prices. Townhouse units are expected to remain in high demand, given the relative affordability compared to apartment units, but overall sales volumes are expected to dip given the lack of supply. 

GTA REALTORS® RELEASE JANUARY 2021 STATS

 • January 2021 home sales amounted to 6,928 – up by more than 50 % compared to January 2020. This strong start to 2021 included sales growth across all major segments including condominium apartments, both in the City of Toronto and surrounding GTA regions.

• New listings were also up on a year-over-year basis in January, but not by the same annual rate as sales. This means market conditions tightened compared to January 2020, resulting in the continuation of double-digit growth in the MLS®Home Price Index and the average selling price.

• The average selling price for January 2021 was up by 15.5 % to $967,885 year-over-year. The MLS® HPI Composite Benchmark was up by 11.9 % over the same period.

• Price growth was driven by the low-rise market segments, while the average condo apartment price was down in Toronto. However, if we continue to see condo sales growth outstrip condo listings growth, we could start to see renewed growth in condo prices later this year.







Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Wealthiest Neighborhoods of Canada

Canadian Business Magazine compiled a list of the wealthiest neighborhoods  of  Canada 

Bridle Path, Toronto ( torontolife.com)








Toronto

Lawrence Park North

Lawrence Park is known for being one of Toronto’s first garden-planned communities. The small neighborhood is nestled among rolling hills integrated with several parks. Local residents enjoy amenities found at the nearby Yonge and Lawrence streets, famous for both their shopping opportunities and food. Residents also spend time at the exclusive Granite Club, a local recreation center.
In 2011, Lawrence Park was named the wealthiest neighborhood in Canada. The money flowing through Lawrence Park historically runs deep. Wealth for the area can be traced all the way back to the early 20th century when it was known for being Canada’s aristocratic neighborhood.

The annual household income for Lawrence Park North residents is $906,266, and home prices average $2.81 million. The neighborhood has a variety of home styles ranging from English Tudor style to Georgian and Colonial homes. Many of the residents in the area are current or former Toronto athletes from the Blue Jays and Maple Leafs, as well as high profile business leaders. The neighborhood even houses Canada’s first female astronaut, Roberta Bondar!

Forest Hill South & UCC 

Forest Hill South and UCC (Upper Canada College) are considered one of the most affluent neighborhoods in Toronto with an annual household income of $629,972 and average house prices at $3.18 million. Much like many other affluent neighborhoods, there is a link to a high percentage of married couples at 88%, as well as a focus on education and neighborhood amenities and a sense of community.

Historically, in the 1930’s, wealthy Jewish immigrants began moving into Forest Hill South.  People of the Jewish faith now account for more than 30% of the population, double that of the next cultural background, Russians.  Today, the area is popular with prominent business people, doctors, lawyers, and politicians. Many of the streets are wide and designed to keep traffic slow and at a minimum. This isn’t a necessarily bad thing, as passersby have the opportunity to see the distinguished and intricate landscaping of many of Forest Hill South’s larger and grander homes.

Sunnybrook

Sunnybrook had once been the estate of a well-known horseman named Joseph Kilgour, which also contributes to Sunnybrook’s’ residents love of horses and horse-riding, which is immediately present as you drive among stables and magnificently well-bred horses with pedigrees nearly as strong as their owners’. After Kilgour’s death, the land was donated to the city, and is now used as a riding school and a park for residents to hike, bike, play with their dogs, or go on picnics.

Sunnybrook is also home to one of Canada’s largest hospitals with a staff of over 10,000, which also is testament to the number of doctors and surgeons who live within Sunnybrook’s boundaries.

The average household income is $311,979, seemingly low for one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Canada. However, the disparity in middle class to extreme wealth is apparent, as Sunnybrook also has an average household net worth over $20 million. In addition, the average house prices are $2.29 million.

York Mills-Windfields,

The York Mills , takes its name from Windfields, the historical estate of famed Don Mills developer E.P. Taylor, which today houses the Canadian Film Centre.

York Mills is part of millionaire’s mile which encompasses the nearby neighborhoods of Bridle Path, Forest Hill, Lawrence Park, and Rosedale. York Mills is a unique neighborhood in the idea that it has gone through what many would call a gentrification of the community. Essentially, through the process of tear-down and rebuild, the affluent coming into the neighborhood have pushed out the lower income and middle class by simply making York Mills too expensive to live in. While apartments and condominiums are home to nearly 30% of the residents, those residents pay high premiums with condos ranging from $350,000 to over $2-million.

With several palatial estates in York Mills it can boast the highest average house price in Canada at $3.4 million. Luckily for the residents, average household income is $1,212,275, giving them just enough to afford the estate-style homes that make York Mills one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Canada.

Bridle Path

Bridle Path is the most affluent neighborhood in Canada, and situated along millionaire’s row with affluent neighbors York Mills and Lawrence Park, which also made this list. Formerly known as North York, Bridle Path is typically known for its multi-million dollar homes and large plot sizes that average two to three acres per residence. Bridle Path, a rather late-comer in the area, wasn’t developed for affluent homes until the late 1930’s and early 1940’s as the needs of the affluent began to expand in the area.

Bridle Path is home to some of Canada’s biggest media moguls, celebrities, doctors, and engineers. Its proximity to the Sunnybrook Health Centre can also explain the high number of health professionals who live in the area.

The average household income is $936,137 with house prices averaging $2.24 million. However, it is the average household net worth that is mind bogglingly incomprehensible at $22.2 million, which explains why Bridle Path is clearly at the top of this list.

Rosedale

Rosedale is an affluent neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which was formerly the estate of William Botsford Jarvis, and so named by his wife, granddaughter of William Dummer Powell, for the wild roses that grew there in abundance.

It is located north of Downtown Toronto and is one of its oldest suburbs. It is also one of the wealthiest and most highly priced neighbourhoods in Canada. It is known as the area where the city's 'Old Money' lives, and is home to some of Canada's richest and most famous citizens, including Ken Thomson who was the richest man in Canada at the time of his death. Rosedale's boundaries consist of the CPR railway tracks to the north, Yonge Street to the west, Bloor Street to the south, and Bayview Avenue to the east. The neighbourhood is within the City of Toronto's Rosedale-Moore Park neighbourhood. The neighbourhood is divided into a north and south portion by the Park Drive Ravine.

Moore Park

Moore Park is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It lies along both sides of St. Clair Avenue East between the Vale of Avoca section of Rosedale ravine and Moore Park ravine (formerly Spring Valley ravine). The northern boundary is Mount Pleasant Cemetery and the southern the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks. Moore Park is one of Toronto's most affluent neighbourhoods.

The neighbourhood takes its name from its developer, John T. Moore. To encourage buyers, he built two bridges in 1891: the original steel bridge on St. Clair over the Vale of Avoca, and the original wooden bridge on Moore Avenue over Spring Valley ravine. He also helped establish railway service to the neighbourhood.

According Canadian census 2006 , the neighbourhood has 4,474 residents, down 2% from the 2001 census. Average income is $154,825, one of the highest incomes of all Toronto neighbourhoods, and not far below neighbouring Rosedale. The neighbourhood is almost entirely English speaking.

Hoggs Hollow, Toronto

Hoggs Hollow is one of the most affluent neighbourhoods in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located in the Don River Valley and centred on the intersection of Yonge Street and York Mills Road/Wilson Avenue. Hoggs Hollow is named after Joseph Hogg, a Scotsman who settled in the area in 1824. Hogg operated a whisky distillery and a grist mill, and was viewed as the most successful of all the millers in the valley. The name is usually written without the apostrophe as Hoggs Hollow, but sometimes appears as Hogg's Hollow.

Let's see more weathiest  neighbourhood of other Provinces of Canada

Kerrisdale, Vancouver, British Columbia

In 2011, New Jersey Monthly magazine named Ho-Ho-Kus Borough as the best town to live in in New Jersey. This is because of its low crime, excellent schools, proximity to high-profile urban areas (such as New York City), and of course its affluence. Residents of this borough have a surprisingly relaxed and quiet retreat as stunning early 20th century homes lay hidden among large wooded plots of land. With a small-town life, residents enjoy the best of both worlds as the proximity to shopping and the bustle of city life is only a short distance away.

The population of Ho-Ho-Kus is just under 5,000, with a median household income of $165,827 and average home values of $775,000. The borough has an exceptionally low poverty level, with the majority of its residents being considered upper class or middle upper class.

With its proximity to several urban areas, Ho-Ho-Kus is a popular area for finance and business leaders such as David Duffield who has founded numerous companies, notably PeopleSoft.

Shaughnessy Heights, Vancouver, British Columbia

Shaughnessy Heights is an almost entirely residential neighborhood in Vancouver. The annual household income is $777,184, with average home prices at $3.09 million. This neighborhood has beautiful historic homes, with more than half of the homes built prior to World War II.

The neighborhood was created in 1907 as an alternate affluent community to the West End, which at the time was the elite of Vancouver. With a population of only about 3,000, the town has growth policies that inhibit commercial development as well as property subdivision and multiple dwelling homes, and instead promotes large plots of land for single-family homes.

The neighborhood is home to the exclusive Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club, well positioned to provide the neighborhood the country club feel of the mid-century. This 18-hole championship golf course is a picturesque park-like and forested setting which has hosted numerous Canadian and Pacific Northwest championships, as well as the PGA Tour Bell Canadian Open.

Westmount, West Vancouver, British Columbia

Average Household Net Worth: $8,956,821
Average Annual Household Income: $393,746
Average House Price: $3,165,139

The homeowners of this tony neighbourhood, making their debut on the ranking, would seem to prefer experiencing foreign cultures from the comfort of their multi-million dollar homes: They’re the most likely amongst B.C.’s rich residents to drink European wine (14.4% of households do), but the least likely to have visited the Continent.


Sunnyside & Edgehill, Westmount, Montreal ,Quebec

Sunnyside and Edgehill are neighborhoods located within Canada’s 2nd most populated city, Montreal. The average annual income made by inhabitants is $503,935, and the average home price is $2.49 million. The average individual net worth of Sunnyside and Edgehill homeowners is the second wealthiest in Montreal and the home prices are the most expensive in the city. Massive stone homes reminiscent of English country manors sit on large wooded lots often set back upon rolling hills and terraced gardens.

When not working, 17.8% of residents enjoy their time downhill skiing at nearby Bromont, a mountain less than an hour outside of Montreal, or across the U.S. border at Jay Peak, a mountain in Vermont. Both locations are known for their excellent skiing, amenities, and affluent clientele. Sunnyside and Edgehill residents are both affluent and adventure-seekers, not afraid to hit the 4,000 foot mountains in their free time.

 Lexington Avenue, Westmount, Montreal, Quebec

One of the three Westmount neighborhoods on this list, Lexington Avenue, is notable for many reasons. First, it is home to St Joseph’s Oratory, a Catholic basilica famous for being the largest church in Canada. St Joseph’s is also known for offering one of the most breathtaking views of Montreal. Within the same area of the basilica, the neighborhood is also home to Greene Avenue, known for its upscale shops, fine dining restaurants, and antique stores.

Lexington Avenue residents enjoy the luxuries of an average annual household income just over $590,000 and home prices worth $1.8 million on average. Homes on Lexington Avenue exude luxury, known for being colossal stone structures sporting second and third floor stone balconies.
   
 Summit Park, Westmount, Montreal, Quebec

Much like neighboring Westmount neighborhoods Sunnyside and Edgehill, Summit Park residents enjoy downhill skiing almost as much as the picturesque views from their homes. About 17% of residents claim they are regular downhill skiers.

The Summit Park neighborhood is named after the 57-acre park and bird sanctuary that is situated atop Westmount’s highest peak. Views from Summit Park are some of the more spectacular views of the city, as the homes in this neighborhood look out over one of the city’s highest points. As Quebec’s richest neighborhood, Summit Park is also noted for having the largest percentage of drinkers of craft beer and is ranked as most likely to own a swimming pool.

Residents of Summit Park have an average annual household income of $906,659 with house prices averaging $2.4 million. Average net-worth for residents is around $11 million.

King George Park, Westmount, Montreal, Quebec

Average Household Net Worth: $7,574,692
Average Annual Household Income: $534,971
Average House Price: $2,467,316

The truly old-money locals still call this area Murray Hill Park after the gentleman farmer, William Murray, who sold this land to the City of Westmount in the 1920s. Straddling King George Park (it was renamed in 1939 to mark a royal visit), it runs from Forden Crescent in the north to Grosvenor Avenue in the south. These are the most cultured Montrealers on this list: they were most likely to have visited an art gallery, or to have attended the symphony or ballet in the past year.

Britannia, Calgary, Alberta

Average Household Net Worth: $7,984,224
Average Annual Household Income: $1,334,970
Average House Price: $2,386,579

The neighbourhood of Britannia was designed from the very beginning to be an upscale community: in 1952, when the average Calgary lot was going for $250, building lots in Britannia, which hugs the East bank of the Elbow River, were sold for up to $5,000. Today it remains a landmark collection of some of the best examples of mid-century modern architecture in the city, and it has the real estate prices to prove it, with average home prices of almost $2.4 million. While the residents of Britannia rank 15th in terms of average net worth, their average annual income, at over $1.3 million, makes them the highest-paid on the entire ranking. They’re also the most enthusiastic skiers of their wealthy Calgary peers, with nearly a third hitting the slopes come winter.

Upper Mount Royal (North), Calgary, Alberta

Average Household Net Worth: $7,720,307
Average Annual Household Income: $1,266,518
Average House Price: $1,883,551

These residents leapfrogged their neighbours just a few blocks south to claim a spot on the ranking for the first time. Mount Royal was originally, and somewhat unimaginatively, dubbed “American Hill” because of the large numbers of Americans who had settled there. Perhaps content with this bit of foreign provenance, the residents are among the least likely among Alberta’s rich to spend their vacations abroad.

Elbow Park, Calgary, Alberta

Average Household Net Worth: $7,611,156
Average Annual Household Income: $479,285
Average House Price: $1,987,126

Leadership lives in Elbow Park. At least two twentieth-century premiers lived in the area; in modern times, the neighbourhood has formed the heart of the provincial Calgary-Elbow riding, represented by both Ralph Klein and Alison Redford. But earlier this year, voters chose Greg Clark, the only member of the centrist Alberta Party to be elected to the provincial legislature.

Roxboro, Calgary, Alberta

Average Household Net Worth: $7,368,972
Average Annual Household Income: $810,847
Average House Price: $1,517,409

Calgary’s richest neighbourhoods follow the course of the Elbow River, and Roxboro, a tidy set of tree-lined streets, is the furthest downstream. Bordered by the river to its north and St. Mary’s Cemetery to the east, Roxboro is often mentioned in the same breath as Rideau Park, a similarly affluent riverside eighbourhood to the west.

Heubach Park, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Average Household Net Worth: $5,270,675
Average Annual Household Income: $296,912
Average House Price: $708,541

This neighbourhood’s net worth surged in 2015 to become the wealthiest neighbourhood in the city, despite only placing second by average annual income and average house price (the homes in South Tuxedo park are $200,000 dearer). The former town of Tuxedo’s first mayor was Frederick W. Heubach, and this neighbourhood straddles the south side of the park that still bears his name today.

South Tuxedo Park (West), Winnipeg, Manitoba

Average Household Net Worth: $4,922,681
Average Annual Household Income: $500,102
Average House Price: $916,657

The residents of this part of Tuxedo are a worldly lot—they’re more likely than any of their wealthy peers to have taken an international vacation in the last year. They were four times more likely to have gone to Asia, and almost twice as likely to have gone to Europe. They’re not snobs though; compared to the other rich Winnipeg neighbourhoods on this list, they drink the most beer and are least likely to hit the ballet or symphony.

Tuxedo Park (North), Winnipeg, Manitoba

Average Household Net Worth: $4,254,246
Average Annual Household Income: $250,811
Average House Price: $521,175

All of Winnipeg’s most prosperous neighbourhoods are clustered in what was once the well-heeled town of Tuxedo. The neighbourhood’s spiffy name was chosen to draw upper-crust buyers at the beginning of the 20th century, and the moniker still holds today. By the standards of this list, Tuxedo Park’s denizens are relative teetotallers, but when they do drink, they choose European wine over beer.

Assiniboine Park, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Average Household Net Worth: $4,647,095
Average Annual Household Income: $262,101
Average House Price: $575,082

On the western edge of the Tuxedo neighbourhood, Assiniboine Park is home to Winnipeg’s zoo, where visitors can gawk at Hudson the playful polar bear or admire the red kangaroos. Residents who prefer a more manicured version of nature can test their swings on the 18-hole Tuxedo Golf Course.

Beaufort Avenue South, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Average Household Net Worth: $4,009,219
Average Annual Household Income: $205,278
Average House Price: $891,646

Halifax’s top five richest neighbourhoods are all located in the city’s South End, and the city’s wealthiest inhabitants favour the waterfront property along the Northwest Arm, the inlet that houses such swell hangouts as St. Mary’s Boat Club, the Halifax Rowing Club, and the Waegwoltic Club. The area owes its secluded enclaves to the blasting process that cleared the space for the nearby railway line; those tracks are now the basis of the Halifax Urban Greenway.


Courtsey :  thefinancialword.com, wikipedia, Canadian Business

Thursday, November 3, 2016

How REALTORS® do the Homework


When selling your home, what you see your REALTOR® doing is only the tip of the iceberg. The years of study and experience allow your Realtor to provide immediate value for home sellers





Things to Consider: Buying



Questions to ask when buying
  • Has this area ever flooded?
  • Can we rent the basement out?
  • Can a housing development spring up in those fields?
  • Where exactly is the property line?
  • Is overnight street parking legal for owners?
  • How close will the new highway be?
  • Can we put an addition on the house?


Resale Issues Buyers Don't Think About

Resale Issues Buyers Don't Think About

Remind your clients that even if these “adverse situations” wouldn’t bother them as home owners, they could be the bane of their existence as sellers.

In 2002, when I first got my real estate license, I took a class at my brokerage about how to show properties. Seems silly, right? How hard is it to unlock the door? But this class was about practical ways to make sure the buyer focuses on the most important factors of a home. I still follow some of the tips from this class today. One of them was to advocate caution to a buyer considering a house with an “adverse situation.”
What’s that? It’s a condition that will affect the resale of the property. I remember the instructor saying, “When my past clients call me up and ask me to sell the house I helped them buy, I don’t want to then explain to them the fact that they back to a major road will affect their value.” That hit me. No, it’s not the agent’s job to choose the home for the buyer, but they do deserve to know that if they purchase a home with an unchangeable adverse situation, it will always sell for less than similar homes and may stay on the market longer.
Selling is stressful no matter what the market is like, but in a flat or down market, it is 100 times worse. So since we can’t predict the future, I prefer to talk to buyers up front about adverse situations — deal killers, I call them — so they know what they’re getting into. And what might those deal killers be? These are the six I run into most often in my business. If you’ve dealt with others, leave a comment at the bottom of the article.
  1. Power lines: I hadn’t considered this one a deal killer until one of my first buyers backed out of a sale contract because she feared the power lines behind the home would give her cancer. Then I learned just how popular this myth is, as buyer after buyer has brought up a similar concern ever since. Just like fears about cell phone radiation, people have come to worry that the low-level radiation from high-voltage power lines will make them sick — even though governmental studieshave not found such a link. But perception is everything in the pursuit of a sale. Many people also find power lines aesthetically displeasing, so you may want to warn your buyers of the trouble they could face at resale.
  2. New subdivisions: Brand-new homes are a big draw for many buyers, but if your clients are looking in a subdivision that will be under construction for years to come, you may want to advise them that resale could be difficult for the foreseeable future. They’ll be competing with brand-new construction for however long developers are building in the area, and that will make their lives difficult for many reasons. Beyond the appeal of new homes, builders also have deep pockets and can offer many incentives to buyers that traditional sellers can’t. Don’t set your clients up to compete with that if they might want to relocate in five years.
  3. Neighboring a business: I once had a neighbor whose home backed up to the rear of a grocery store. Guess when grocery stores get their deliveries? All night long. Those delivery people didn’t care who was sleeping at 4 a.m. or whether they were being too loud for the new mom next door with a baby she was trying to put to sleep. Now, not every business is going to be this disruptive all night long, but just let your buyers know that if their neighbors aren’t home owners just like them, they may have issues to deal with.
  4. Environmental concerns: In my area in Arizona, the west-facing backyard is an immediate deal killer. During summer sunsets — a time of day when many people are home — the back of the house heats up even hotter than it usually is around this neck of the woods. Not an enjoyable experience when you’re trying to relax after a long day. It also makes barbecuing on the back patio unbearable. Your location may have different adverse situations depending on the environment in your state. In Washington, where my brother sells, he tries to avoid homes in forested areas that might be in danger of burning down.
  5. Subtle noises: When buyers tour homes, they’re listening for noise from nearby airports, train tracks, or highways and major roads. They’re probably a little more oblivious to the barking dog next door or the neighbor with parrots and a full aviary in their yard — or a chicken coop. Sometimes these noises are only passing aggravations and aren’t permanent, but you should tell your clients that if they hear it now, they’ll probably hear it in the future. And that can affect the next buyer’s opinion when they’re ready to sell.
  6. Peculiar ideas of privacy: Speaking of noise, highways and major roads are an obvious problem at resale, but some buyers prefer backing to a busy road rather than another home for privacy reasons. If your client is one of these people, you should tell them they’re a rare breed. For most people, the privacy benefit won’t outweigh the disturbance of the noise. Make sure your buyers understand the tradeoff they’re buying into.
With all that said, you’ll have buyers who won’t mind any of these adverse situations. My home, for example, is in the flight path of a small nearby airport. It occasionally sounds like these planes are landing on my house. Why would I buy such a home knowing how it will affect my resale? It was an awesome deal — and I mean awesome. I was lucky enough to find it right at the bottom of Arizona’s market in 2011. I knew what I was buying, and I know what I will face when I sell. For me, the value was there. So while you should keep your buyers informed of the challenges homes might pose at resale, at the end of the day, you always follow their lead.