14 May

Home price appreciation to fall 80% this year says RBC

General

Posted by: Kimberly Walker

The national rate of home price appreciation has averaged more than 10% in the past 2 years but that’s set to change significantly.

In its latest housing market forecast, RBC Economics predicts a rise in home prices of just 1.8% for 2018 as policy actions and interest rates conspire to cool the market.

Economists are also expecting that home resales will be weaker in 2018 than 2017 (down 4.5% following a 4.3% drop in 2017) making the second year of annual declines, something not seen in Canada since the mid-90s.

But while price appreciation is to soften, RBC Economics does not see a significant correction nationwide; this risk, it says, is contained.

Supply-demand balance is expected to be seen in most major markets including Ontario and British Columbia, with steady support coming from economic fundamentals.

The mortgage stress test’s long-term impact
The tighter lending rules created by the new mortgage stress tests introduced by OSFI at the start of 2018 “will ultimately dampen homebuyer demand in Canada” RBC Economics senior economist Robert Hogue believes.

He adds in the report that the stress test will impact homebuyers’ budgets leading to growth for the lower-priced housing types at the expense of pricier units. This, he notes, is already being seen in Toronto and Vancouver and is expected to extend to other cities.

Interest rates will also continue to impact the market, with four more hikes forecast through to mid-2019 taking the rate to 2.25%. Hogue says that this will start to have more pronounced impact later in 2018.

2 May

New Fraser Valley listings stood-up as spring market fails to show in April

General

Posted by: Kimberly Walker

SURREY, BC – Buyer activity in the Fraser Valley stayed coy throughout April despite a bump in inventory across all three major residential types.

The Fraser Valley Real Estate Board processed 1,708 sales of all property types on its Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in April, a decrease of 23.4 per cent compared to the 2,230 sales in April of last year, and a 2.6 per cent increase compared to the 1,664 sales in March 2018.

Of the 1,708 sales processed last month 413 were townhouses and 498 were apartments, together representing 53 per cent of all transactions in April.

Active inventory for the Fraser Valley finished at 5,667 listings last month, increasing 18.2 per cent month-over-month, and 15.3 per cent when compared to April 2017.

“While it’s great to see the increase in inventory we were looking for, both buyers and sellers remain careful as pricing continues to climb,” said John Barbisan, Board President.

The Board received 3,429 new listings in April, a 19.7 per cent increase from March 2018’s 2,865 new listings, and a 16.2 per cent increase compared to April 2017.

“This isn’t the same spring market we saw each of the last two years, but listings that are selling are still going fast. If you’re considering buying or transitioning from a strata to a detached home, be prepared to move quickly, and talk to a REALTOR® who can support you through the whole process.”

For the Fraser Valley region the average number of days to sell an apartment in April was 14, and 16 for townhomes. Single family detached homes remained on the market for an average of 26 days before selling.

HPI® Benchmark Price Activity

• Single Family Detached: At $1,009,200, the Benchmark price for a single family detached home in the Valley increased 0.8 per cent compared to March 2018, and increased 13.5 per cent compared to April 2017.

• Townhomes: At $549,900, the Benchmark price for a townhome in the Fraser Valley increased 1.5 per cent compared to March 2018, and increased 23 per cent compared to April 2017.

• Apartments: At $447,500, the Benchmark price for apartments/condos in the Fraser Valley increased 1.6 per cent compared to March 2018, and increased 45.8 per cent compared to April 2017.

Full package:
http://www.fvreb.bc.ca/statistics/Package201804.pdf