MISSISSAUGA, ON, April 5 /CNW/ - Driven by the threat of higher interest rates down the road, first-time buyers are contributing to strong upward momentum in residential housing markets across the country, according to a report released today by RE/MAX.
The RE/MAX First-Time Buyers Report, highlighting trends and developments in nineteen major Canadian centres, found that low interest rates and balanced market conditions have provided significant impetus in 2011, particularly at lower price points. Just over 30 per cent of markets are reporting sales in excess of 2010 levels as a result, while almost 70 per cent have experienced an upswing in average price. Leading the country in terms of percentage increases in the number of homes sold are Western Canadian markets, including Saskatoon (up close to 15 per cent), Greater Vancouver (up close to 12 per cent), and Winnipeg (up just over 11 per cent). With an average price hike of close to 20 per cent year-to-date (February), Greater Vancouver continues to show unprecedented strength, followed by Hamilton-Burlington (eight per cent), Quebec City (seven per cent), Winnipeg (close to seven per cent), GreaterToronto (five per cent), and Greater Montreal (five per cent).
"Despite homeownership rates approaching 70 per cent, there is clearly room for growth as entry-level buyers make their moves from coast-to-coast, undeterred by higher housing values and changes to lending criteria" says Michael Polzler, Executive Vice President, RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic Canada. "Many purchasers intent on realizing homeownership are scaling back on expectations or are willing to sacrifice location, quality and/or size to make their dream a reality - not unlike generations before them."
Inventory levels, while tight in several larger centres, are more balanced overall, giving first-time buyers a good selection of housing product from which to choose. Not surprisingly, condominium apartments and town homes have become the first step for many entry-level purchasers, especially in Greater Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna, Edmonton, Calgary, London-St. Thomas, Hamilton-Burlington, Greater Toronto, the Island of Montreal, and Halifax-Dartmouth where average prices have risen unabated in recent years.
"With the Canadian economy on firmer footing overall, residential real estate is well-positioned moving into the traditionally busy spring market," says Elton Ash, Regional Executive Vice President, RE/MAX of Western Canada. "Consumer confidence is climbing in conjunction with economic performance, and concerns over a secondary recession fade with each passing day. The mood is cautiously optimistic, as first-time buyers enter the market."
Changes to recent financing criteria have not created the anticipated run up in activity in most markets. From a financial standpoint, most rookie home buyers remain quite prudent. Those making the leap are not doing it lightly, buying within their means. While this most recent round of policy tightening will likely have a negligible effect on demand, the message is getting across.
Affordability remains a growing concern in most markets, and—aside from first-time purchasers—no one is more in tune with that than housing planners and developers. In fact, the growing demand for reasonably-priced product is creating a shift in the country's housing mix. That trend is expected to gain traction in coming years, as builders look to create greater options for those seeking to realize homeownership. In recent years, builders have helped ease the move to homeownership by concentrating on intensification—condominium buildings with smaller suites and small-lot subdivisions offering detached, compact homes at a fraction of the cost of a traditional single-family home. On the flip side, the affordability factor is also breathing new life into tired older neighbourhoods, and that, in turn, is contributing to rising values.
As prices escalate, first-time buyers are indeed spending more—some out of necessity, but others are simply in a position to do so. Unlike in years past—a greater percentage of today's first-time buyer pool is comprised of dual-income, college or university-educated couples with solid earnings. They're spending close to average price or slightly more to secure—in most cases—a better location or a home that will grow with them. Yet, the fact remains that those on a tighter budget can get in for considerably less, with reasonable choices in every major market across the country. While some may feel discouraged by eroding affordability levels, the underlying confidence in the concept of homeownership is rising.
"While market conditions are one thing that influences first-time buyers, few things trump the fundamental belief in homeownership," says Sylvain Dansereau, Executive Vice President, RE/MAX of Quebec. "Today's entry-level buyers are steadfast in their mindset. They know they have to live somewhere, but they simply don't want to pay someone else's mortgage. Savvy or practical, they remain a driving force. The bottom line is that the demand for entry-level product will remain steady. The role of starter homes in the marketplace is becoming ever more vital."
Rick Moran, AMP, OMB # M08001997
Showing posts with label rates. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rates. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
The Rise and Fall of Mortgage Rates
Research released by the Bank of Canada Thursday, not surprisingly suggests that Canada’s largest banks are slow to pass on cuts in the Bank of Canada’s policy interest rate.
“Canadian lenders appear to be extremely slow to pass on changes in the Bank Rate to their customers,” author Jason Allen wrote in the report entitled “Competition in the Canadian Mortgage Market.”
Researchers found that “in the short run, five of the six largest Canadian banks adjust their rates upward more quickly when there are upward cost pressures than downward when costs fall,” he said.
Having market power in Canada, “there is scope for banks to coordinate implicitly or explicitly,” Allen wrote.
If costs rise they all want to increase their prices, but if costs fall they wait before reducing rates “because all the banks can earn higher profits.”
Most Mortgage Brokers agree, calling the banks’ practice of holding off discounting for longer periods “common practice.”
Banks usually lenders hold off until after the end of the month before passing on lower rates because this is when renewal notices for maturing mortgages are printed and issued in advance of the maturity date.
“Renewal notices with a higher rate printed on them provide the illusion of a potentially bigger discount that can be offered to the client – a client who most times does not want to put in the effort in the mortgage transfer process.”
Rick Moran, Senior Mortgage Consultant with Invis, adds: “Great Advantage is taken of those clients that assume they are being offered the best rate at the time. We must educate the consumers to shop – contact your expert Mortgage Broker”.
Dave Larock, a broker with Integrated Mortgage Planners-TMG in Toronto said there is another group affected – borrowers who are just about to close their mortgage transaction. “Since most rate drop policies are in effect until seven days prior to closing, it is this group that misses the savings if rate drops are delayed,” he said. “From a lender’s perspective, this group is not very rate sensitive because they are so close to their funding date that switching lenders is usually not feasible, while mortgage applicants who are earlier in the process will eventually receive the lower rate through any standard rate-drop policy, provided that the rate decrease is sustained.”
The research also indicated that borrowers who use a mortgage broker pay less, on average, than borrowers who negotiate with lenders directly. This average discount is about an additional 19 basis points.
“The conclusions of the report are very reasonable,” said Jim Murphy, president and CEO of CAAMP. “They coincide with our own research at CAAMP on discounts. Mortgage brokers play a key role in offering choice to borrowers when making their most important financial decision.”
Larock said he agrees with the paper’s overall premise that more lending competition leads to better rates and choice for consumers and that in today’s market banks can coordinate implicitly or explicitly. “That’s just the nature of an oligopoly,” he said. “If Canada’s big banks were allowed to merge they would increase their market muscle at the customer’s expense. We need more lenders, not fewer.”
The report stated that Canada’s mortgage market represents “almost 40 per cent of total outstanding private sector credit, BOC researchers said in the quarterly Financial System Review.” It is dominated by the nation’s six major national banks plus a large credit union, the Desjardins Movement, and the Alberta province-owned ATB Financial.
The “Big Eight” controls 90 per cent of the assets in the banking industry. All offer the same types of mortgage assets, the great bulk of these being guaranteed by the federal government’s Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
“The Canadian mortgage market is relatively simple and conservative, particularly when compared with its U.S. counterpart,” the report stated. “Many Canadians sign five-year, fixed-rate contracts for the life of the mortgage -- typically 25 years.”
Bruno Valko, director, national sales for Resmor Trust said there is an advantage because the mortgage broker marketplace is not dominated by a few big players.
“In the broker/wholesale channel, there’s more competition and lenders will move quicker to lower rates and attract business when the opportunity presents itself,” he said. “Furthermore, the scale of product offerings is greater, so in the event a person doesn’t qualify at the Big Eight, a broker can potentially offer solutions.
“And if we agree that the broker/wholesale channel moves quicker to lower rates when the opportunity presents itself, that's another advantage for consumers to choose mortgage brokers.”
Rick Moran, AMP, OMB # M08001997
“Canadian lenders appear to be extremely slow to pass on changes in the Bank Rate to their customers,” author Jason Allen wrote in the report entitled “Competition in the Canadian Mortgage Market.”
Researchers found that “in the short run, five of the six largest Canadian banks adjust their rates upward more quickly when there are upward cost pressures than downward when costs fall,” he said.
Having market power in Canada, “there is scope for banks to coordinate implicitly or explicitly,” Allen wrote.
If costs rise they all want to increase their prices, but if costs fall they wait before reducing rates “because all the banks can earn higher profits.”
Most Mortgage Brokers agree, calling the banks’ practice of holding off discounting for longer periods “common practice.”
Banks usually lenders hold off until after the end of the month before passing on lower rates because this is when renewal notices for maturing mortgages are printed and issued in advance of the maturity date.
“Renewal notices with a higher rate printed on them provide the illusion of a potentially bigger discount that can be offered to the client – a client who most times does not want to put in the effort in the mortgage transfer process.”
Rick Moran, Senior Mortgage Consultant with Invis, adds: “Great Advantage is taken of those clients that assume they are being offered the best rate at the time. We must educate the consumers to shop – contact your expert Mortgage Broker”.
Dave Larock, a broker with Integrated Mortgage Planners-TMG in Toronto said there is another group affected – borrowers who are just about to close their mortgage transaction. “Since most rate drop policies are in effect until seven days prior to closing, it is this group that misses the savings if rate drops are delayed,” he said. “From a lender’s perspective, this group is not very rate sensitive because they are so close to their funding date that switching lenders is usually not feasible, while mortgage applicants who are earlier in the process will eventually receive the lower rate through any standard rate-drop policy, provided that the rate decrease is sustained.”
The research also indicated that borrowers who use a mortgage broker pay less, on average, than borrowers who negotiate with lenders directly. This average discount is about an additional 19 basis points.
“The conclusions of the report are very reasonable,” said Jim Murphy, president and CEO of CAAMP. “They coincide with our own research at CAAMP on discounts. Mortgage brokers play a key role in offering choice to borrowers when making their most important financial decision.”
Larock said he agrees with the paper’s overall premise that more lending competition leads to better rates and choice for consumers and that in today’s market banks can coordinate implicitly or explicitly. “That’s just the nature of an oligopoly,” he said. “If Canada’s big banks were allowed to merge they would increase their market muscle at the customer’s expense. We need more lenders, not fewer.”
The report stated that Canada’s mortgage market represents “almost 40 per cent of total outstanding private sector credit, BOC researchers said in the quarterly Financial System Review.” It is dominated by the nation’s six major national banks plus a large credit union, the Desjardins Movement, and the Alberta province-owned ATB Financial.
The “Big Eight” controls 90 per cent of the assets in the banking industry. All offer the same types of mortgage assets, the great bulk of these being guaranteed by the federal government’s Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
“The Canadian mortgage market is relatively simple and conservative, particularly when compared with its U.S. counterpart,” the report stated. “Many Canadians sign five-year, fixed-rate contracts for the life of the mortgage -- typically 25 years.”
Bruno Valko, director, national sales for Resmor Trust said there is an advantage because the mortgage broker marketplace is not dominated by a few big players.
“In the broker/wholesale channel, there’s more competition and lenders will move quicker to lower rates and attract business when the opportunity presents itself,” he said. “Furthermore, the scale of product offerings is greater, so in the event a person doesn’t qualify at the Big Eight, a broker can potentially offer solutions.
“And if we agree that the broker/wholesale channel moves quicker to lower rates when the opportunity presents itself, that's another advantage for consumers to choose mortgage brokers.”
Rick Moran, AMP, OMB # M08001997
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