October 2016 real estate market update

We’ve seen that the market started cooling down this March and it has continued to do so (see table below). The Sales/Actives Ratio is at 23% (for Greater Vancouver and all property types) which is still a seller’s market but it is returning to a more “NORMAL” market (Sales/actives Ratio between 12-20%). The real estate market is Greater Vancouver has been over-heated for a while and now it is just returning to normal.

The HPI Benchmark Price are plateauing in Greater Vancouver (see table below).

The Table below shows the Sales/Active Ratio (Supply & Demand) and the HPI (Benchmark) Price for different areas and different property types in Greater Vancouver.

The Plus (+) sign behind the number indicates it has increased over the last month.
The Minus (-) sign behind the number indicates it has decreased over the last month.
Orange indicates Seller’s Market (>20%)
Green indicates Balanced Market (12%-20%)
Blue indicates Buyer’s Market (<12%)

Source: Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver
Interestingly, even thought the Sales/Active Ratios in Vancouver East and West had dipped below 12%, the Benchmark Price still increased slightly. We are also seeing activities picking up.

Federal government changes mortgage insurance rules

Canadian key household debt ratio hits record high

Canada’s household debt is now bigger than its GDP, for the first time

Canadians now owe $1.68 for every $1 of disposable income. The ever mounting debt load is being driven by low interest rates. TransUnion suggests one million Canadians will be in trouble if interest rates rise just 1.0%.

On October 3, 2016, the Government of Canada announced changes to mortgage insurance rules. Effective October 17, 2016, all insured mortgages will now use the Bank of Canada five-year mortgage rate when calculating affordability tests.

In the same announcement, the Government introduced new requirements for taxpayers to report sales of principal residences even if they intend on using the principal residence exemption from capital gains tax. Permanent non-residents will now be disallowed from using the exemption.

Click here for more information on these changes.

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