Each week, The Glenn Team provide highlights from the weekly CP office meeting to provide a balanced overview of the Toronto and GTA markets and relevant issues affecting real estate markets. Meetings are overseen by Chestnut Park's CEO and Broker of Record, Chris Kapches, LLB, who provides weekly analysis and commentary. Additional input is provided by the CP Toronto office Realtors who give a day to day, real life perspective of the local markets.

MARKET ANALYSIS

Because TREB has continued it's weekly/mid-month stats fillabuster, Chris has created his own analysis method based on MLS data for the 416 only. As September progressed, there were more active sales and avgerage sale prices were up. As an example, b/w Sept. 22nd and 29th, the average sale price increased from about $782,000 to $809,000. Between August and September, sales volume also increased from 2480 to 2514 properties. That 2% increase coupled with an 11% increase in average sale price from August is the first time in 4 consecutive months that we've seen a positive variance in both categories.

Additionally, The Bank of Canada posted yet another increase in interest rates and though the press says that may be the last we'll see before 2018, Darlene Hanley of Hanley of Hanley Mortgage Group, says they're expecting at least one more before year's end. Couple that with the new proposed stress test which, will require those paying less than 20% down to qualify at a rate of 4.94% and one would expect that sale prices won't reach the bloated values seen in April; we're still about $160-170,000 off the pace from there.

So for the moment, we seem to be headed into a healthier market. However, CP Realtors working in the 416 are reporting high numbers at open houses and buyers feeling a need for more product, so at least in the 416, we're likely to continue to see market activity and sales numbers increase. Contrast that with the 905, where at least one Realtor representing a prime property had less than 4 showings in 4 weeks. The hope is that any increase in sales going into 2018 in both the 416 or 905 areas will be sustainable (in the 3-5% range) and not the 11-20% range that got us here.

BANKABLE RESULTS

In a report published by CIBC, economists are coroborating Chris' sentiments for a rebounding Toronto market, siting Toronto's sale prices increasing, economic growth rates of 4.5% and lower unemployment numbers. The report indicated that 90% of home buyers are earning between $58-108,000/yr. (classified "middle-class"), and about 75% of mortgage holders made downpayments of 10% or more. An analysis run by Chris from 2010 indicates that Toronto home owners have been prudent in their housing purchases given the relative increase in average sales prices since that time and the releatively consistent interest rates from that time to today. All of this would seem to corelate with the data coming from CIBC. 

RBC economists however, feel that Toronto will follow Vancouver's market recovery, which only recently posted year over year gains of 22%. However Chris was quick to point out that those gains were seen before further increases in bank rates. That kind of growth would be reminiscent of April's gains which Chris called "a terrible period and not something we want to experience again". 

Have a differing perspective on the market? We'd love to hear from you! Feel free to comment below or send us an email at theglennteam@chestnutpark.com

Each week, The Glenn Team provide highlights from the weekly CP office meeting to provide a balanced overview of the Toronto and GTA markets and relevant issues affecting real estate markets. Meetings are overseen by Chestnut Park's CEO and Broker of Record, Chris Kapches, LLB, who provides weekly analysis and commentary. Additional input is provided by the CP Toronto office Realtors who give a day to day, real life perspective of the local markets.

NO MORE WEEKLY/BI-MONTHLY TREB STATS

TREB announced this week that they will no longer provide weekly or mid-month reports sighting they didn't want the data to misrepresent the current state of the market. Not surprising perphaps given the way the media has used TREB stats to make big headlines and possibly influence government action. Chris has begun to put together his own set of stats, though admittedly they may not be quite up to TREB standards as they only now cover the Central, East and Western districts of the GTA which don't take into account the numbers in the 905. Not wholly accurate but at least reflective of true Toronto prices. 

CASE STUDY: BUYERS WHO FAIL TO MEET CONTRACT

Though only one of two instances in our CP offices where deals have failed to close, a deal in Muskoka went south when the buyer failed to complete an inspection condition and didn't deliver the deposit within 24 hours of acceptance. In this instance, many Realtors may feel that a mutual-release from the contract would be best however, our on-staff lawyers, Richard Stewart and Chris Kapches disagree. As a breach of contract has clearly transpired and the sellers ability to re-market the property and potentially lose money on it's subsequent sale, there are clearly grounds to sue on breach of contract. As a better solution to the problem, a Notice of Default was instead issued and a clause for a non-refundable deposit was included in the deal. 

IS RBC'S MORTGAGE PORTFOLIO CAUSE FOR CONCERN?

Citing an article from the Globe and Mail, Chris detailed how RBC's CEO assesses their risk in the mortgage market. A fascinating look into what many rarely glimpse, Dave McKay doesn't seem concerned about the over $100B in uninsured mortgages or the $106B in insured mortgages that, should they default, be the responsibility of the Canadian government to bail-out. Find out more about how RBC heges their mortgage bets.

Each week, we are bringing you highlights from the weekly CP meeting. We present analysis of the Toronto and GTA markets from the perspective of Chestnut Park's CEO and Broker of Record, Chris Kapches, LLB and the CP Toronto office staff.

NO NEW TREB DATA

As we've yet to get TREB's weekly or mid-month stats for September there isn't much to discuss in terms of stats. Anecdotally however, last week saw both bully and multiple offer situations from at least a few realtors in the office. The National Bank of Canada seems to agree. It came out with a report said that The ratio of Toronto house listings compared with monthly sales has moved back into long-term balance, limiting the potential for significant further price corrections in the region. The report (published early September) goes on to indicate that the ratio of listings to sales were finally in balance and had been for some time, comapred to the April market highs which clearly favoured sellers. This report gives more credence to what CP agents seems to be experiencing. More information on that report here. Once the mid-month data comes in, we'll have a better indication of exactly where the market is. Chris feels we have enough data to indicate that we've hit the bottom of the market lows. 

HOUSING SHORTAGE

The Toronto Star reported that Mayor Tory and the Minister of Housing announced that it's moving forward on creating 2000 market-rent and affordable rental housing units. Based around surplus lands (in the West-Donlands) that the province intends to sell, developers anticipate paying less for these lands due to the developments being used for affordable housing and the city intends to waive the tax levies associated with the property, which would amount to just under $28M. Of the first phase of development (approx. 600 units), 30% will be allocated for affordable housing; renting at 80% or below the average rental price in the city (about $1,600). The reality however is that the current waiting list for affordable housing is around 181,000, and critics like Kenneth Hale, director of legal service with the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario, said that most families may not even be able to afford those units. Chris feels this isn't money well spent. We'd be curious as to your thoughts!

RESIDENTIAL TENANCIES ACT CHANGES

New guidelines to the Residential Tenancies Act continue to roll out. Among them are changes to how landlords deal with termination notice to tenants and how that might affect buyers of these properties. For any existing landlord, or purchasor of a property with an existing tenant, temination of occupancy is required after 60 days of being served an N12 (Notice of Termination) form; where the termination date can't precede the last day of a fixed term tenancy. However, the guideline states, After being given the notice, the tenant is allowed to terminate the tenancy at an earlier date by giving give the landlord ten days written notice. Effectively, this means that a propsective buyer may forfeit their last month's rent if provisions in the agreement of purchase and sale have not provided for it's payment on closing day. Fortunately, we've drafted such a clause at CP so clients can feel better about those situations. 

For more clarification on any of the above information, please get in touch! theglennteam@chestnutpark.com or 416-925-9191.