Posts Tagged ‘Canada’

A Supporting Hand for the Canadian Economy with Interest Rates to Stay Steady

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

The existing level of interest rates is to stay at 0.25% after the last rate announcement in October by the Bank of Canada. Many specialists agree with the Bank of Canada’s judgment.

The low figures have already been in operation for 6 months and the bank expect to keep it for another 8 months at least. As any real estate agent would tell you, one of the major factors in the property market recovery and continued prosperity in that area are these low interest rates.

Nevertheless, there are already voices shouting for an interest rate hike. While we are seeing a massive bubble forming around the world this is making some people decidedly uncomfortable. Rather than risk the bubble bursting, many reckon it can be headed off by hiking interest rates. Taking this into account, even with increasing prices in the housing market and faster turnover, the experts still agree that the Bank of Canada has made the right decision.

We need to look at the logic of why the experts don’t believe the interests rates should increase and the main reason is that although the BoC indicated a 2% rise in the third quarter of 2009 the actual GDP growth is completely different. While there are still large debts within the domestic industry, experts believe that increasing interest rates will damage the recovery which is already tortuously slow.

Also, financial indicators don’t show any signs of growing leverage (the risky use of debt to raise return on investments). There is more confidence around due to inflation running at roughly -1%. The other ingredient, is all this is the housing market, which doesn’t seemed to have crashed as expected. Property prices are growing nicely with a good supply on offer on realtors books. A backlog of properties that are now selling are causing an increase in prices as properties are more and more in demand.

It’s more than feasible that the Bank of Canada will not break its promise and will hold down interest levels for at least eight more months. This means reassuring news to any probable condo buyer.

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A Boost for the Canadian Economy with Interest Rates to Stay Steady

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

The Bank of Canada is sticking to its promise to hold interest rates at the current rate of 0.25% after the latest rate announcement at the end of October. Experts concur it is not the time to change it.

The bank is expecting to keep the current rate until at least June 2010 which will mean the level will have been low for over a year. As any real estate agent would tell you, one of the major factors why the Canadian real estate market has seen a good rebound from the recession, is the attractiveness of these low interest rates, which is allowing consumers to buy properties.

However, there are already voices crying out for an interest rate increase. While we are seeing a large bubble forming around the world this is making some people decidedly uncomfortable. Rather than risk the bubble bursting, many think it can be headed off by increasing interest rates. Despite rising prices and a quicker pace in the real estate trade, most of the experts say it is not the time to raise rates.

We need to look at the logic of why the experts don’t believe the interests rates should increase and the main reason is that although the BoC predicted a 2% rise in the third quarter of 2009 the actual GDP growth is completely different. One of the other aspects concern the domestic industry which is still observing very high levels of trade deficit and therefore a slower improvement.

The use of leverage, which is a means of using debt to increase investment, is still poor and there are no signs of it increasing. There is more calmness around due to inflation running at roughly -1%. Lastly the housing market has remained fairly steady without the massive fall that has been feared by all. Prices are growing, but the stock flow remains stable. With the housing downturn last winter there was a backlog of properties which are now selling, as the demand is larger so the prices rise.

It’s more than plausible that the Bank of Canada will not break its promise and will hold down interest charges for at least eight more months. At least now the house buyer can feel assured in purchasing their new property.

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Canadian First Time Home-Buyers Tax Credit: Never a Laughing Matter

Saturday, November 7th, 2009

First Time Home-Buyers Tax Credit was one of the governments action promotions to help with the property depression. In contrast to the USA tax incentive plan, the Canadian plan seems to come a meagre second. So do we find it just one big mick take?
Let’s start by looking at both the tax credits on the table. The Canadian Federal government are presenting a Tax Credit founded on a $5,000 deductible. If you intend to purchase property in Canada and haven’t owned property in the last four years, then this deductible is multiplied by 15% – total net of $750.

On the other hand, the American tax credit can be as high as 10% of the real estate’s value, to a maximum of $8,000. In Canada the amount is deducted from the tax base whilst in the USA it is deducted from income tax owing of the consumer. When the tax owing doesn’t exceed the maximum plan then the new property purchaser can look forward to the money being cashed back to them. This tax credit is open to those who haven’t owned housing in the three years prior to taking advantage of the tax credit.

While the Canadian real estate market recuperation is credited by professionals generally to the Bank of Canada interest rate cut, the (still quite shaky) recovery of the American market was indeed fueled by their gigantic tax credit. The American plan decreased the pressure of finding a down payment for a property and paved the way for first time buyers to get on the property ladder. Seeing the benefit of the US incentive, the first thought is shouldn’t Canada be looking more closely at these ideas?

What Canadians need to ask themselves, is “do we require it”? Whilst both Canada and the US have both been in recession there has been a marked dissimilarity in the result of it. The Canadian market bounced back within a few months with the main losers being housing investors and estate agents; but the Americans have seen the decline hit home owners with a lot of short sales and forclosures.

Now we need to think about public funds and debts. In the US there is a massive budget deficit and with over a million taxpayers claiming this aid it impacts on lost tax revenue.

To study the rest, please follow our original article “Is the First Time Home-Buyers Tax Credit Really as Good as It Sounds?” Thank you.

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The Plan to Improve Canada’s Economic Circumstances: Real Estate

Tuesday, October 27th, 2009

With the economic slowdown worldwide many countries as well as Canada have special policies to deal with this. This is acknowledged as Canada’s Economic Action Plan. Now we need to look at the Canadian housing sector as 90% of the initiatives through the fiscal year 2009-10 have already been actioned.

There are hundreds of little projects within the action plan which provide spending to amass sales in the market. Reaching around 4.2% of Canadian GDP, it is one of the largest stimulus packages around the globe, surpassing even what is spent in the USA.

Tax responsibility and how to lower it

Perhaps the most important part of the Plan is tax reduction. The tax reduction inducements related to the housing market are: – Property renovation tax credit: $2.5 billion (for the year 2009-2010). – $15 million to be assigned for the increase in Home Buyers’ Plan withdrawal restrictions. – $175 million assigned for First-time Real Estate Buyers’ Tax Credit.

These three tax reduction inducements have already been smoothly carried out and millions of Canadian citizens already benefit from some of these. Since earlier in the year, whilst not the most important, the First-time Property Buyer’s Tax Credit helped energize a very quick property rebound all over Canada. In addition, the property renovation credit has helped people to increase the value of their property and strengthen their position in the very competitive environment of the resale housing market and improved the overall quality of housing stock.

Thoughts on how to stimulate the housing developments

In spite of the fact that some realtors specializing in resale homes are not too inspired about new developments, in the long term it is definitely important for a healthy real estate environment and also for real estate agents themselves. Notwithstanding the previously mentioned tax relief, which stimulate private property ownership and stimulate the construction industry and thus the whole economy, construction has also been encouraged by direct spending on thousands of projects.

Beginning with over 4,000 projects, the action plan aims to start another 3,000 bringing the number to 7,000 housing and infrastructure projects. There is an additional 1 billion dollars (for the fiscal year 2009-2010) being allocated for approximately 300 social housing projects.

The resources for this area is greater than $9 million. Realtors are finding these measures encouraging due to the property market impact. In one of our recent articles MoveOntario2020 we discussed the details on how infrastructure projects affect values of properties in their vicinity. Social housing broadens the supply of homes and alters both the resale and rental market, introducing more affordable real estate for low income social groups.

This is especially valuable mainly for realtors that specialize in directly influenced neighbourhoods lying within the effective closeness of a specific project. All these inducements have a knock on effect towards the average person; increased housing means more construction jobs, which mean more dollars in your pocket and the ability to finance your own home.

How successful is this action plan?

The slump is now seeing an upward turn with the property market being one of the first areas to see a revival. A lot of realtors believe that it was the monetary policy which helped to kick start the real estate market. Despite this, monetary stimuli also plays a part. The national economy is shown by a healthy housing market, so any monies put into the property market, however pricey, will show as a healthy economy.

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Canada: The Housing Market

Sunday, October 4th, 2009

A current article in the Scotia Capital gave a very genuine outlook at the Canadian property market. They are curious: Why is the Canadian real estate market head and shoulders above other global real estate markets? Does this mean that Canadian housing is on climbing or the rest of the world is on the way down?

Good conditions in the Canadian market are indicated by several factors. A big improvement in listings stock from the spring was expunged within a very short time span. It goes hand in hand with the stock of unabsorbed newly constructed homes, which dived mainly due to the certain reductions in developers’ margins. There is little in the way of hidden stock of foreclosed homes. These hidden listings represent the biggest problems in the US market.

Although the reasons behind the health of the real estate market is in dispute, it is accepted that the incentives given to buyers over the last year have helped it. In Canada the tax encouragement packages do not have an expiry date, whilst in the US these are only for a restricted time.

We are talking about RRSP withdrawal limit increase, first-time home buyers’ tax credit, home renovation tax credit or energy and home retrofit tax incentives and rebates, not to mention local encouragements. The Canadian property market was in a fantastic situation compared to the rest of the world, made even better by the dynamic thinking attitude of the Bank of Canada.

The upward flow of the property market are what are demonstrated with these points. Even though the situation looks great, as with anything there is always some things to stay away from. The condo outlet in Canada is a cause for worry Scotial Capital experts think. Thirteen per cent of property construction is condo builds. This market for some reason is not selling as well forging a build up of unsold apartments. The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation have published estimated statisics about these apartments and professionals think there is a growing pressure for condo prices to drop to halt this build up.

Real Estate investor portfolio’s should contain house from Canada as it has brilliant potential. The condo market is an area that investors need to observe closely. Whether the property market continues in an upward path or starts dropping down depends on the federal government. The effect of all these property incentives are not going to go on endlessly. Trying to get everyone to take up these inducements now could lead to an issue with listings at a later time. Therefore these policies should be taken away cautiously and gently.

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