It's the first week of September which means it's a busy time for renting. Unlike past years, we now have rent controls. So how will this impact Toronto renters? This is not a panacea for Tenants, in fact, rent controls can cause a big problem for Tenants, for the short, and long term.
Sales Commentary The market continued its sales decline for the fourth straight month. Sales on TREB were 5,921 units in July, down 40% from last year’s number of 9,929. Historically, sales should be in the nine thousand range. Are we concerned? No – in fact we prefer this market to that of February and March. Back then, the market was driven by irrational behavior which was unsustainable. The current slowdown is psychological. Sellers still want March prices and buyers expect a price correction of 25%. The reality is neither will happen. Prices are down by 15% from their peak but are still 15% higher than a year ago. The question is: who will outwait the other? Our bet is on sellers! Unlike buying groceries that cannot be postponed, buying real estate can be deferred but only for so long. Real estate is not dominated by speculators and foreign buyers but ... Read More
Kitec is a brand of plastic piping used in residential construction between 1995 to 2007. That means most condo buildings built during that time frame have used it. Kitec is vulnerable to premature failure and many buildings and condo owners have elected to replace it before it causes severe water damage. So what should you do? When you discover the existence in a status certificate, I would not reject buying the condo outright. You may never find the right property for you. If it is just in the condo unit, the cost to replace it is between $5,000-$10,000. So why not do an amendment to reduce the purchase price by that amount. If Kitec is in the common condo areas, to replace that would require a special assessment of each condo owner of about $3,000-$5,000. Again, why not do an amendment to reduce the purchase price by that amount ...
Recently I had a potential seller phone to say that an agent from our Brokerage suggested a List Price that was too low and he would not be listing with us. Why would any agent suggest a list price at all? The role of the agent is to gather market information (solds and current listings) and explain the differences in these properties to the subject property. Interpreting the data is the agent expertise – not setting a list price. So, ask the seller what he would like to list at? Most sellers pick an agent based on list price and commission price versus value. Don’t eliminate yourself because of list price. If the seller wants a list price that is too high, simply say: I guess you are not in a hurry to sell. The seller will ask why?
Today I want to talk about posted listings. Posted listings are those where a Seller wants to list their property on MLS. They pay a Broker a minimum fee to put it up then other brokers have to deal directly with the Seller. RECO says that this is all right. It used to be that when you listed a property, a REALTOR® had numerous obligations to the Seller and was liable for the information posted on MLS. Not anymore with posted listings. It's the wild, wild west! Deal with the Seller direct and try and figure out what they're selling. Many agents avoid posted listings altogether. It's too much work trying to educate the Seller. Those agents who attempt it, have to do both sides of the transaction. Represent your Buyer then do all the paperwork for a non-existent listing Brokerage i.e.: double the work for half the commission.
Most of our blogs deal with Real Estate sales. That's our primary business. Today I want to talk about the rental market. Currently for every sale, there are 1.5 rentals being done downtown market. While the market is 50% bigger, I feel sorry for tenants. They need to get used to multiple offers. Rent controls won't help, they will only make the market worse. Landlords will even be more selective when choosing tenants. It's not just your income, but your lifestyle that will be scrutinized as well. In a sale, the one that offers the highest price is usually the winner. With tenants, you can offer the highest rent and still not get selected. So if you think the market is tight now, it will get even tighter down the road. Less new construction of condos and fewer condo buyers who want to rent their units out.
Everyone knows that our real estate market has changed, except for Buyers and Sellers. Sellers think the prices of March and April are still happening today, wrong. Buyers think that prices are still going to drop by another $100,000, wrong again! So, what happens when Buyers and Sellers can't agree on a price? No sales. In fact, in June Sales have dropped by over 50%. In most markets, prices drop until demand and supply, (Buyers and Sellers) come into line. That is what economists forecast in every market, but not real estate. Sellers are speaking by not lowering their price, but canceling their listing and saying that they will come back next year. Buyers can wait and hope for further price drops, or they have an opportunity without multiple offers, to negotiate hard for their preferred property, today. So, even today some properties will sit on the market for months ... Read More
With the sudden change in the market, some buyers who bought at the end of March and early April are thinking they might have paid too much. Should they just walk away from the deal and lose their deposits? Bad Idea! Walking away is the most expensive thing you can do. A Seller will then resell the property, probably for less money because you the Buyer will cover the losses. The Buyer will also pay for the extra legal fees, carrying costs of the property, extra costs for where the Seller is moving to, and so on. You get the picture, big bucks! Close now. We don't care what it costs you. The market will bounce back in September and prices will be back to March and April prices by this time next year. Remember, real estate is a long-term investment, think short-term and you can loose.