October 2015

The biggest problem in Canada’s hottest housing markets today seems to be finding something available to buy.

The Canadian Real Estate Association offered up the explanation of a shortage of listings in Vancouver and Toronto for a 2.1 per cent seasonally adjusted decline in existing home sales from August to September.

“Although national sales activity was not as strong in September as it was earlier this year, a lack of supply in some parts of the country is likely keeping a lid on transactions,” said Gregory Klump, chief economist with CREA. “The greater Toronto area and Greater Vancouver made sizeable contributions to the monthly decline in national sales activity. They also rank among the tightest urban housing markets in the country due to a

Property Tax News

The B.C. government, among others, is taking a close look at the province’s property transfer tax. But broadening or raising the transfer tax will have harmful economic consequences for current homeowners. The province should instead look to replace the property-transfer tax with less harmful taxes.

Many provinces and municipalities across Canada levy property or land-transfer taxes. The buyer pays a tax proportional to the value of the purchase. British Columbia has a progressive rate on transaction values. Buyers pay 1 per cent on the first $200,000, and then 2 per cent on the rest of the value.

Many people think that transfer taxes also curb housing speculation. But there is international evidence that transfer taxes are

The population profile of the provinces and territories could become increasingly different in the decades ahead, because of changing demographic trends.

A new article released today, titled "Recent changes in demographic trends in Canada," provides an analysis of these demographic trends at both the national and provincial–territorial levels.

From 2011 to 2014, Canada's population growth averaged 1.1% a year. However, this national average masks some major differences among the provinces and territories.

For example, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta had the strongest average population growth of all provinces during this period, for the first time since 1971.

While Alberta has had the strongest population growth in nearly all years

OTTAWA — Snowbirds beware: The federal government will use its planned border exit-tracking system to avoid paying hundreds of millions of dollars in social benefits now going to people who shouldn’t receive them due to absences from Canada.

Newly obtained memos say the Canada Revenue Agency and Employment and Social Development Canada expect to save between about $194 million and $319 million over five years once the long-anticipated system is fully in place.

Federal officials have been working quietly to satisfy privacy commissioner Daniel Therrien’s office that personal information will be properly collected, used and disclosed under the program.

Under the 2011 perimeter security pact, Canada and the United States agreed to set up co-ordinated

When you buy a home, your best results will come when you make it a point to make a 20% down payment. However, for some Canadians, that much of a down payment is prohibitive. So, what can you do if you can’t make such a big down payment? If you are willing to pay extra for your mortgage, you can get special insurance to help lenders feel better about approving you for a loan with less than 20% down.

The Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation provides mortgage loan insurance to lenders for home buyers with a down payment of less than 20%, to as low as 5%. It offers a way for borrowers to get away with putting down a lower down payment than a lender might like. It’s one way to boost home purchases in Canada.

However, it is important to note that this

To inspect or not to inspect - that is the question!

The question:

I’ve been house hunting for months and finally found a great house, but I know there’s going to be a lot of interest. I know everyone says I need a home inspection, but I’m afraid I’ll lose the house if I put any conditions on the offer. Should I ditch the inspection?

The answer:

Finding the right approach to offer conditions, is hot button topic these days, especially in the Toronto market where multiple offers have become the norm. Sellers with multiple potential buyers will often look to offers with the minimum of conditions, and the home inspection clause is often one of the first to go.

My advice: Don’t succumb to temptation or pressure to ditch a home inspection. If a

Analysts at BNP Paribas say the Bank of Canada will be forced into another interest rate cut - a negative move for the value of the CAD

Underlying U.S. dollar strength and weaker oil prices below $45 kept Canada’s commodity influenced currency near the three-week lows hit Friday.

Near-term, the loonie will take a fundamental cue in Friday monthly growth data, forecast to show the economy grew a third straight month in August, albeit barely with forecasts of 0.1 percent.

The soft growth data has not been enough to convince the Bank of Canada that rates should remain where they are.

Indeed the steady rates profile - arguably a positive for the CAD at this stage - come despite the BoC revising down growth projections for 2016 and 2017 while

High demand coupled with a lack of inventory. Sound familiar? That combination is not just the domain of the residential housing market, but also the multi-residential property market in Vancouver, as investors, big and small look to get a piece of the action.

According to Avison Young’s Fall 2015 BC Multi-Family Investment Report, demand for multi-residential properties in Metro Vancouver and throughout the province remained exceedingly strong in the first half of 2015. Private buyers – both local and foreign – and, to a lesser extent, institutional investors and REITs, were increasingly willing to accept record pricing and highly compressed capitalization rates as the cost of entry to British Columbia’s coveted multi-family real estate market.

Rising

Whats the difference between Assessed, Appraised and Market values???

Usually, market value is determined by what a buyer is willing to pay for a home, and what the seller is willing to accept. The recent agreed upon sale price of a home is usually the best determinant of a property's market value. However, there are circumstances where the price paid for a home is not the true market value. For example, there may be a special relationship between the parties which resulted in a much lower value being paid. Also, a buyer may have been willing to pay a premium for a property for some reason, and so it sold for much more than it would otherwise be worth.

There are several things to consider when determining the pricing of your home for sale. The most

Want to know which of he Kamloops communities had the most selling action in the 3rd quarter of 2015?

To see what for is for sale currently in the number 1 sub division of Brocklehurst CLICK HERE or to see all of Kamloops CLICK HERE

To see the full list of all Kamloops properties sold in the 3rd Quarter of 2015 CLICK HERE

To sign up for this information to be emailed to you CLICK HERE

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