2012, The Year of the Dragon in Chinese astrology, has been compared to 1992, The Year of the Monkey, and the year when the Toronto condominium market, having famously and disastrously crashed under the combined weight of unrealistic and unreasonable speculative expectation and increasing interest rates, was declared dead by many pundits. The two, like Dragons and Monkeys, could not be more unlike. ...
Posted by Robert Atkinson
on May 7, 2012
Greater Toronto REALTORS® reported 9,690 sales through the TorontoMLS system in March 2012. This result was up by almost eight per cent in comparison to the 8,986 deals reported during the same period in 2011.
“The GTA resale market has not suffered from a lack of willing buyers this year. Buyers have been spurred on by the positive affordability picture brought about by low mortgage rates,” ...
Posted by Robert Atkinson
on April 28, 2012
By Mark Weisleder, Toronto Real Estate Lawyer and columist | Fri Jan 27 2012
I believe there has never been a better time to buy a home. I’ve been in the industry for 28 years as a lawyer and I haven’t seen so many positive signs for housing, whether you are thinking or buying or locking in a mortgage.
Here’s why:
Mortgage rates at historic lows: They can’t ...
Posted by Robert Atkinson
on February 16, 2012
Greater Toronto REALTORS® reported 4,567 sales through the TorontoMLS® system in January 2012. This number was 8.8 per cent higher than the 4,199 sales reported in January 2011. Sales growth was strongest for low-rise home types in the regions surrounding the City of Toronto. “A favourable affordability picture bolstered by very low posted fixed mortgage rates has kept home buyers confident ...
Posted by Robert Atkinson
on February 14, 2012
A new study says home owners won’t see their utility bills drop until they’ve conducted four or more energy upgrades. Here are projects that will give you the greatest bang for your energy buck.
Energy is like saving calories: Small measures add up, until a Thanksgiving pecan pie — or a dazzling holiday light display — wrecks a year’s worth of small though consistent ...
Posted by Robert Atkinson
on January 4, 2012
Home buyers who found it difficult to make a deal in the spring and summer due to a shortage of listings have benefitted from increased supply in the fall which has resulted in a continued upswing in prices. The average selling price through the TorontoMLS® in October was $478,137 – up eight per cent compared to October 2010.
Sellers’ market conditions remain ...
Posted by Robert Atkinson
on November 7, 2011
The most common question I hear in real estate is "When will prices drop?" Apparently not for anytime soon as evidenced by a report from Stats Canada stating that home prices continued their climb in August.
Fuelled by a healthy demand, sound underlying economic fundamentals, as well as a continuing low interest rate environment that contributes to supporting affordability, August marked ...
Posted by Robert Atkinson
on October 14, 2011
I was following up on a report from Scotia Capital about the world economy and was pleased to see something that matched what we in the industry have been seeing first hand....Canada continues to have a good economy and is a great place to be invested in real estate. Below is a direct quote from the report which I have included a link to further down in my blog.
"Canada’s housing ...
Posted by Robert Atkinson
on September 28, 2011
Greater Toronto Realtors reported 7,542 sales through the TorontoMLS® system in August – a 24 per cent increase over 6,083 sales in August 2010. New listings, at 12,509, were up by 20 per cent compared to August 2010. So what this means is there were 20% more homes for sale but 24% more homes being sold meaning the market is favoring sellers over buyers.
"Home sales in the GTA have stood ...
Posted by Robert Atkinson
on September 13, 2011
Lately I"ve been asked by friends, family and even people I meet on the street who find out I"m in real estate, "I hear prices are going to drop by 25%. Prices are so high, it's about time."
My general response is the same. Yes, prices might drop by 25%, or they might go up even more! When we look at the information that is causing the prices to go up it really doesn't seem possible ...
Posted by Robert Atkinson
on August 10, 2011