Bank of Canada Interest Rate Announcement

The Bank of Canada announced this morning that it is maintaining its overnight rate at 0.5 per cent. In the press release accompanying the decision, the Bank cited that inflation and economic growth were evolving roughly in-line with expectations, though household vulnerability to economic shocks has moved higher due to high debt burdens.

The Canadian economy got off to a very strong start and will likely end up recording real GDP growth above 3 per cent for the first quarter of the year. However, much of that growth was front loaded and more recent data has been weaker. Growth is expected to slow sharply in the second quarter as a result of the wildfires in Alberta and their impact on oil production before rebounding in the third quarter and ramping up to end the year. Slower growth through the summer months will keep the Bank on the sidelines though a probable tightening of monetary policy by the US Federal Reserve as early as June may add some upward pressure to Canadian long-term interest rates.

Copyright BCREA – reprinted with permission 

Nelson, BC Single Family Home Sales

According to KREB sales statistics (5/12/2016) over the past 6 months there have been 61 single family homes sales in Nelson.  Only 10 of those sold for more than $450,000.

BC Home Sales Continue to Smash Record Book

The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that a record 12,969 residential unit sales were recorded by the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in April, up 30.3 per cent from the same month last year. Home sales last month beat March’s record of 12,560 units. Total sales dollar volume was $9.64 billion in April, up 52.7 per cent compared to the previous year. The average MLS® residential price in the province was up 17.2 per cent year-over-year, to $743,640.

“Housing demand is exceptionally strong across the southern regions of the province,” said Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist. “Consumers appear to be particularly active in the Vancouver Island, the Fraser Valley and the Thompson/Okanagan regions.“

“Strong employment growth is helping underpin consumer confidence,” added Muir. The BC economy employed more than 78,000 additional workers during the first four months of the year, an increase of 3.5 per cent compared to the same period last year.

The year-to-date, BC residential sales dollar volume increased 64.3 per cent to $31.2 billion, when compared with the same period in 2015. Residential unit sales climbed by 36.2 per cent to 28,028 units, while the average MLS® residential price was up 20.6 per cent to $761,860.

Copyright BCREA - reprinted with permission 

Contract Changes Benefit Real Estate Consumers

Consumer awareness took a step forward with the announcement of new requirements for real estate contracts.

Following on a promise made by Premier Clark in March, as of May 16, 2016 the government will require contracts prepared by real estate licensees to include clauses stating that the contract cannot be assigned without the written consent of the seller, and that any profit from an assignment goes to the initial seller. Clients can instruct licensees to omit or change the clauses.

"Real estate consumers now have a tool to help them decide whether they want their contracts to be assignable," says BC Real Estate Association (BCREA) President Deanna Horn. "Like many other provisions in the contract, buyers and sellers have the option of keeping the new paragraph, changing it or striking it out completely—but at least the conversation is more likely to happen now."

BCREA supports the new requirements. To help consumers and REALTORS® with the transition, the Association is adding the following paragraph to the residential and commercial Contracts of Purchase and Sale:

The Seller and the Buyer agree that this Contract: (a) must not be assigned without the written consent of the Seller; and (b) the Seller is entitled to any profit resulting from an assignment of the Contract by the Buyer or any subsequent assignee.

"Assignment" is the practice of someone assigning their rights in a contract to someone else before the transaction completes. In simple terms, someone can buy the right to step into the original buyer's shoes to complete the contract. Assigning one's right to a contract is a legitimate practice, allowed by common law and also by section 36 of the Law and Equity Act.

Also today, Minister of Finance Mike de Jong announced that, starting in June 2016, the provincial government will begin collecting citizenship data of real estate owners through the Property Transfer Tax form.

"BCREA is pleased that the government will collect this information, in which there is obviously a lot of public interest," says Association CEO Robert Laing. "Strong policy is based on solid information, and we look forward to learning more about this aspect of the real estate market."

Copyright BCREA – reprinted with permission 

Canadian Housing Starts

Canadian housing starts declined 5 per cent in April following several months of robust construction activity. Total housing starts were 191,512 units at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR).   The six-month trend in Canadian housing starts of 195,064 was down slightly and remains roughly in-line with growth in Canadian households.

Housing starts in BC continued at a torrid pace in April, rising 14 per cent to 45,591 units SAAR. New home construction was driven higher by growth in apartments and other multi-family units, which were up 34 per cent on a year-over-year basis while single-detached starts were 2 per cent higher in April.

Looking at census metropolitan areas (CMA) in BC, total starts in the Vancouver CMA were up 37 per cent year-over-year in April as a result of a 45 per cent increase in multiple unit starts. In the Victoria CMA, housing starts were up 9 per cent year-over-year with strong gains in both single and multiple starts. New home construction in the Kelowna CMA dipped 19 per cent, dragged lower by fewer multiple units starts compared to last April.  Housing starts in the Abbotsford-Mission CMA were up 21 per cent in April due to a surge in multiple units starts.

Copyright BCREA – reprinted with permission