Day: February 23, 2017

Calgary Real Estate News

Investing in Alberta is better than buying stocks

Homes provide shelter and refuge, but they are also most Albertan homeowners’ single largest investment. Housing represents 47% of total assets for the average Alberta family – much higher than stock market investments and pension plans combined (29%). Why is this important? Because homeownership benefits the economy as a whole, as well as individual homeowners. Let’s look at this in the context of the most recent stats on Alberta’s real estate, reported by the Canadian Real Estate Association.

Investing in housing in Alberta is better than buying stocks

Over the last 18 years, house price appreciation in Alberta has outpaced Toronto stock market returns. Between 1999 and 2016, with average annual residential sales of roughly 57,000, house price growth in Alberta (6.6%) outpaced yearly returns on stocks traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (6.4%).

Average residential prices up 3.1% in Alberta in January

Total residential sales across the province were up 17.7% year-over-year, totalling 2,679 resale transactions in January 2016. Roughly 3.4 out of every 10 newly listed homes were sold, translating into a sales-to-new listings ratio (SNLR) of 34%. And the average residential sales price rose 3.1%, to $383,040.

Increased home equity = increased net worth

What’s so great about house prices being up? Rising house prices mean homeowners are building equity in their homes. Home equity represents the current market value of the house, minus any remaining mortgage payments. Equity is built over time as the homeowner pays off their mortgage and fluctuates with the market value.

Rising home equity benefits homeowners individually, and the Alberta economy as a whole. By how much? More than $40 billion in 2016.

 

Calculating Returns to Equity

Using Statistics Canada’s data on Alberta homeowners’ mortgage balances (Surveys of Financial Security), we calculated equity shares by age group. Equity shares multiplied by user costs (average two-bedroom apartment rents used as proxy) provided the income generated (returns to equity) per homeowner, by age class. The annual income generated by homeownership was then derived by multiplying the number of homeowners by age group in Alberta with returns to equity per homeowner.

For those under 35, the income generated by homeownership reached $11,000 a year per homeowner


Over the past five years (2012-2016), the annual income generated by homeownership averaged roughly $57,000 per homeowner (all ages) in Alberta. Returns on equity per homeowner ranged from annual income generation of $11,000 for homeowners under the age of 35 (generally considered as first-time buyers), to roughly $14,000 for those above 65 (annual average).

REALTOR® Tip: First-time buyers build equity in their home as they pay off their mortgage – roughly $11k a year!

Collectively, annual returns on equity (ROE) for all homeowners in Alberta reached roughly 38 billion dollars, or 12% of GDP

Thirty-eight billion dollars a year represents roughly 12% of Alberta’s nominal GDP and 85% of Government of Alberta’s annual revenues. When people build equity in their homes, they borrow against that equity through a home equity loan, or home equity line of credit. An increase in the value of their homes increases the amount of collateral available to households, leading to higher credit. Rising house prices, which imply higher housing equity, may encourage consumers to borrow more, causing a rise in consumer spending. Looking at the data, we know this to be true.

The increase in consumer spending following a rise in in house prices has been referred to as the marginal propensity to consume (MPC) from housing wealth. We found that, for every $1 increase in average residential prices, Albertans raise their personal spending by 6.7 cents, which collectively amounts to roughly $5 billion a year (2012-2016 average).For every $1 rise in housing prices, Albertan homeowners raise their personal spending by 6.7 cents – collectively $5 billion a year

Five billion dollars a year is 1.5% of provincial GDP, and 11% of government revenues. This is a significant boost to Alberta’s economy. A 3.1% price gain, like the one we just saw in Alberta this January, equals an average increase of $11,420. The associated rise in consumer spending that could come out of that is $868 per homeowner per month, or $10,415 per homeowner per year, or a collective increase of $616 million a year. 

-Regine Durand.  Economist

Calgary Real Estate News

How to buy a home when you haven’t sold yours yet

You’ve found the perfect new home for your family, but your current house hasn’t sold yet. You can’t afford to carry two mortgages, or maybe you were counting on money from your sale to help with the down payment and closing costs.

Before you let that dream home slip away, consider these strategies to help bridge the transition:

MAKE AN OFFER THAT’S CONTINGENT ON THE SALE OF YOUR HOUSE

A seller may be persuaded to accept your offer with the caveat that you’ll have to sell your house before closing on theirs. You’ll strengthen your chances of getting a seller to take a chance on you if you can show that your home is priced properly and has a solid marketing strategy, says real estate broker Dayolin Pratt with Re/Max Advantage Plus in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Successful contingency offers depend on good communication between the real estate agents representing both sides, Pratt adds. It’s up to you and your agent to reassure the seller that the closing won’t be delayed.

Obviously, in hotter housing markets with potentially multiple bids, it can be harder to get sellers to accept such an offer.

OFFER THE SELLER A RENT-BACK OPTION

One way to buy yourself extra time to complete your sale is to offer to buy the new house, then rent it back to the seller after closing, Pratt says. A rent-back agreement is typically for just a month or two. But this arrangement can give sellers extra time to move — or to find a new house of their own — while putting a little money in your pocket and keeping you from having to pay two mortgages at once.

TAP THE EQUITY IN YOUR CURRENT HOME

If you have a high credit score and considerable equity in your house, you could free up some of the latter with a home equity line of credit. A HELOC lets you use up to 85 per cent of your home’s value, less the balance remaining on your mortgage, and is fine-tuned based on your credit profile and income. Most HELOCs have a variable interest rate, so it’s in your best interest to pay off the loan as soon as your current home sells.

This strategy may let you buy a house before you sell, but it’s not a last-minute option. A HELOC requires an appraisal, income verification and a thorough credit check, so it takes time — generally 30 days or more — to qualify, says Tim Beyers, mortgage analyst with American Financing in Aurora, Colorado. If you’re thinking of going this route, make sure you run the numbers with an expert upfront, Beyers says.

To qualify for the new loan, a lender will evaluate your current mortgage payment, plus the HELOC payment and your new monthly mortgage payment, to calculate your debt-to-income ratio for the new mortgage approval, Beyers says. If your income is high enough to have a debt-to-income ratio below 40 per cent with all those payments and other monthly expenses taken into account, only then should you consider a HELOC, he adds.

“Once you start dipping into your home’s equity, that changes the equation when you apply for a new mortgage,” he explains. “Taking too much out can hurt your qualification chances on a new mortgage. Don’t make an offer, then try to scramble to do the math.”

ADD A HELOC TO YOUR NEW MORTGAGE

With this strategy, you break up the financing on your new home with a first mortgage for the amount you need, plus a HELOC to make up the difference in your shortfall for a down payment, says Elise D. Leve, senior mortgage banker at Citizens Bank in New York.

Once you sell your current home, you can pay the HELOC portion off in full and end up with the single mortgage you wanted in the first place, Leve says.

 

-NerdWallet: Deborah Kearns

Calgary Real Estate News

Things to Consider When Buying an Old House.

It’s like a love affair; some older homes make your heart skip a beat. It is hard not to fall in love with an older home’s historic unique architecture, gabled roofs, hardwood floors, crown moldings and antique light fixtures—older homes definitely have their charm.

The plastered walls, leaded glass windows, original chandeliers, and oak paneling make an old home as attractive as it can possibly be. If you found your love you should be aware of the following money pitfalls of old houses. You do not want to discover that beneath the surface of your dream home lays a dilapidated wreck.

This article provides you with some valuable tips to help you identify potential problems and some renovation rules, should you decide that this love affair is going to be your Gold Mine.

Foundation
The foundation is the most important aspect of any home especially for older ones. One problem that is common for older homes is called the “sulphate attack”. This can occur as a result of a chemical reaction between the soil and the concrete, which causes the foundation to crack and crumble and that can be very problematic. Another major concern with older homes is that the centre beam of the home can begin to sink. This can result in a sagging roof, bowed walls, and sloping floors. If the old house has a bad foundation then renovating it can be very expensive where the cost can range from several thousand dollars to approximately $50,000 depending on the size of the home. Also, in some cases, one might need to jack up the house to replace the foundation and shore up the centre beam.

Electrical Wiring
When buying an older house, it is very important to find out if there are any problems with the state of the electrical and lighting system. Do the lights flicker? Is the current steady or do the lights fluctuate between bright and dull? Is there adequate lighting in the home? It’s important to have the wiring carefully inspected. Also, many older houses use aluminum wiring, which is cheaper than copper wiring but it is a serious fire hazard. Ensure that you factor the cost of rewiring into your offer price. Also, you should consider whether there are enough outlets in the home to suit the needs of a modern household. Install more outlets in order for you to run a number of devices at once like a television, computer, stove, etc.

Lead Paint
In older homes, lead paint is very common as lead was used as a white pigment in paint until the mid-1950s. If you are planning to repaint the home, call in a professional renovation firm as they know the safety precautions needed to be taken when repainting the house. Children and pregnant women should not be in the home during renovations.

Asbestos
Asbestos is a mineral that makes a very effective fire and heat-resistant material that was discovered to cause lung disease. When the tiny particles of this mineral are inhaled, over a period of years they begin to damage the tissue of the lungs. In old homes, asbestos was used in carpet underlay, textured paints, roofing felt, electrical wiring insulation, acoustic ceiling material and insulation. Getting the house checked for asbestos is critical.

Galvanized Pipe
Galvanized pipes are known to rust very quickly. Most insurance companies now refuse to cover water damage caused by leaks in a home with galvanized pipes.

Condition of the Older Home
Just like people, years will eventually take a toll on homes as well. An older home may begin to sag and slope, which is why it’s very important to know about the conditions of the house you’re planning on purchasing.

Older homes may be beautiful, but they aren’t designed for modern living without a total update or upgrade. Make sure the house structure can be modified easily to suit a current living style.

For older homes, renovations are a challenge. To determine the price you are willing to pay, add up the estimated costs to renovate the property based on a thorough assessment of the house. Then, subtract that from the home’s market value after renovation. Allow for an additional 5% for cost overruns and unforeseen problems plus inflation.

Preserve the Charm of Your Old House
If you have already fallen in love with this old house, then make sure you follow the golden rules in repairing your dream home and preserve its historic features and value.

  1. The golden rule of remodeling is, “do no harm”. As you update your older home, make sure to preserve its historic details. Reuse existing materials. Keep historic moldings and hardware. Wire gas lamps for electricity. Keep distinctive examples of craftsmanship. Restore marbling, stenciling, and carvings.
  2. Don’t try to undo long-ago renovations. Most buildings change over time, and alterations to your house may have historic significance in their own right.
  3. Whenever possible, repair rather than replace. Don’t throw away that old claw foot bathtub—have it re-glazed. Fix damaged doors, refinish old cabinets and patch cracking plaster.
  4. If historic features cannot be repaired, look for a similar item at an architectural salvage centre, or buy a new item that matches the old in design, colour, texture, and other visual qualities.
  5. And best of all make sure you hire a contractor that shares your passion and understands your love affair with your old house.

Good luck, you may have found your Gold Mine.

 

-News4realty.com