Real eState

Appraisal company denies claims in Epic real estate probe – Saskatoon Star-Phoenix

Published

2 years ago

May 21, 2022

The appraisal company named in that report says its claims are flawed, while the prices Epic used cause wider ripples in the local housing market.

Epic Alliance Inc. founders Rochelle Laflamme and Alisa Thompson appear in a January video call to explain the company had collapsed. jpg

The owner of an appraisal company that worked with a capsized Saskatoon real estate firm insists claims made in a court-ordered investigation are flawed.

According to an Ernst and Young report into Epic Alliance Inc. released earlier this month, the company bumped up prices on its housing while doing minimal renovations. The company raised more than $200 million from investors, as appraisals typically assigned a value “well in excess of its original purchase price,” the report stated.

David Lazeski of Associated Appraisal — the appraisal company named in the report — disputes the claims.

Epic imploded earlier this year, when company founders Rochelle Laflamme and Alisa Thompson told worried investors that there was nothing left from the seemingly thriving company. That caused around 120 investors to turn to the legal system to find out what happened to millions of dollars.

Saskatchewan’s Court of Queen’s Bench ordered Ernst and Young to delve into the company’s practices and to prepare a report. The probe found spotty record-keeping and “that accurate electronic accounting records of Epic Alliance were not maintained prior to 2019.”

As well, the report stated, “(from) the Inspector’s review of appraisal documents, it appears that, despite their appraised values significantly exceeding their purchase price, many of the homes had not received significant renovations.”

According to the report, appraisals for Epic “were performed almost exclusively by Associated Appraisal Co.”

Lazeski, in an interview with the Saskatoon StarPhoenix, said his company only started doing appraisals for Epic in December of 2019. Epic opened for business in 2013. He said others were doing appraisals for Epic as well.

The investigator never reached him for comment about the claims in the report, Lazeski said.

Lazeski, who said he did not personally work with Epic, said in an interview that the appraisals were typically conducted one year after Epic purchased the homes. The time elapsed between purchase and appraisal may contribute to the price difference, he said. Another factor may be Epic finding deals on the market, he added.

“Buying that number of houses, during the pandemic, I’m assuming (Epic) probably got some good deals,” he said.

“When we’re doing an appraisal and establishing market value, it’s based on current sales. That’s really the biggest factor.”

Epic bought at least 700 properties, mostly through its “fund a flip” program under which homes were acquired in low-income neighbourhoods in Saskatoon and North Battleford and were then supposed to be renovated for sale.

Once renovations were complete, Epic would bring on an appraiser. Those properties were then sold as part of the “hassle-free landlord” program and Epic leased back the properties to be rented or used for short-term accommodation, such as Airbnb.

The Ernst and Young report compared the total mortgage on each property with the appraisal commissioned by Epic. It found that the average property’s appraised value was $11,325 over the total mortgage.

The report cited one case in which Epic hired an appraiser one year after it bought a property. Photos of the interior “showed outdated appliances, countertops, and cupboards which were not indicative of a renovation occurring. Pictures of two bedrooms had carpet that was visibly stained,” according to the report.

The home’s appraised value was $260,000 — which is $62,000 over its original price, according to the report.

Kari Calder, a Saskatoon realtor, says the price bump on Epic homes affected her business by undermining trust with clients.

She warned clients that the company offered low prices to find “desperate sellers,” then added new paint or flooring before listing the home at higher than market value. One seller lost her faith in Calder when her home sold low only for it to sell again at a higher inflated price, Calder said.

Calder won back the client’s trust by explaining the pattern she saw, but it’s a slice of a broader issue.

“I learned through a lot of trial and error that almost every Epic listing that came up as a comparable threw my evaluation off,” she said.

Calder used the example of four recent sales valued at roughly $250,000 to $265,000. If one sold for $315,000, she would include it in talks with clients to explain the overpricing of some homes on the market.

Former Epic homes may be entering the market if their owners see they’ve lost money on their investors. That could create a challenge for second-time buyers looking to sell their home for something bigger, Calder said.

“I suspect that the current owners of many of these flipped homes will be the ones taking the financial hit as they are the ones who unwittingly overpaid for the houses,” she said.

The Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority of Saskatchewan and Saskatoon police are conducting separate investigations into Epic.

The news seems to be flying at us faster all the time. From COVID-19 updates to politics and crime and everything in between, it can be hard to keep up. With that in mind, the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox to help make sure you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe.

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Greater Toronto home sales jump in October after Bank of Canada rate cuts: board

Published

1 week ago

November 6, 2024

Anne Joseph

TORONTO – The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board says home sales in October surged as buyers continued moving off the sidelines amid lower interest rates.

The board said 6,658 homes changed hands last month in the Greater Toronto Area, up 44.4 per cent compared with 4,611 in the same month last year. Sales were up 14 per cent from September on a seasonally adjusted basis.

The average selling price was up 1.1 per cent compared with a year earlier at $1,135,215. The composite benchmark price, meant to represent the typical home, was down 3.3 per cent year-over-year.

“While we are still early in the Bank of Canada’s rate cutting cycle, it definitely does appear that an increasing number of buyers moved off the sidelines and back into the marketplace in October,” said TRREB president Jennifer Pearce in a news release.

“The positive affordability picture brought about by lower borrowing costs and relatively flat home prices prompted this improvement in market activity.”

The Bank of Canada has slashed its key interest rate four times since June, including a half-percentage point cut on Oct. 23. The rate now stands at 3.75 per cent, down from the high of five per cent that deterred many would-be buyers from the housing market.

New listings last month totalled 15,328, up 4.3 per cent from a year earlier.

In the City of Toronto, there were 2,509 sales last month, a 37.6 per cent jump from October 2023. Throughout the rest of the GTA, home sales rose 48.9 per cent to 4,149.

The sales uptick is encouraging, said Cameron Forbes, general manager and broker for Re/Max Realtron Realty Inc., who added the figures for October were stronger than he anticipated.

“I thought they’d be up for sure, but not necessarily that much,” said Forbes.

“Obviously, the 50 basis points was certainly a great move in the right direction. I just thought it would take more to get things going.”

He said it shows confidence in the market is returning faster than expected, especially among existing homeowners looking for a new property.

“The average consumer who’s employed and may have been able to get some increases in their wages over the last little bit to make up some ground with inflation, I think they’re confident, so they’re looking in the market.

“The conditions are nice because you’ve got a little more time, you’ve got more choice, you’ve got fewer other buyers to compete against.”

All property types saw more sales in October compared with a year ago throughout the GTA.

Townhouses led the surge with 56.8 per cent more sales, followed by detached homes at 46.6 per cent and semi-detached homes at 44 per cent. There were 33.4 per cent more condos that changed hands year-over-year.

“Market conditions did tighten in October, but there is still a lot of inventory and therefore choice for homebuyers,” said TRREB chief market analyst Jason Mercer.

“This choice will keep home price growth moderate over the next few months. However, as inventory is absorbed and home construction continues to lag population growth, selling price growth will accelerate, likely as we move through the spring of 2025.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.

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Homelessness: Tiny home village to open next week in Halifax suburb

Published

3 weeks ago

October 24, 2024

Anne Joseph

HALIFAX – A village of tiny homes is set to open next month in a Halifax suburb, the latest project by the provincial government to address homelessness.

Located in Lower Sackville, N.S., the tiny home community will house up to 34 people when the first 26 units open Nov. 4.

Another 35 people are scheduled to move in when construction on another 29 units should be complete in December, under a partnership between the province, the Halifax Regional Municipality, United Way Halifax, The Shaw Group and Dexter Construction.

The province invested $9.4 million to build the village and will contribute $935,000 annually for operating costs.

Residents have been chosen from a list of people experiencing homelessness maintained by the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia.

They will pay rent that is tied to their income for a unit that is fully furnished with a private bathroom, shower and a kitchen equipped with a cooktop, small fridge and microwave.

The Atlantic Community Shelters Society will also provide support to residents, ranging from counselling and mental health supports to employment and educational services.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 24, 2024.

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Here are some facts about British Columbia’s housing market

Published

4 weeks ago

October 17, 2024

Anne Joseph

Housing affordability is a key issue in the provincial election campaign in British Columbia, particularly in major centres.

Here are some statistics about housing in B.C. from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s 2024 Rental Market Report, issued in January, and the B.C. Real Estate Association’s August 2024 report.

Average residential home price in B.C.: $938,500

Average price in greater Vancouver (2024 year to date): $1,304,438

Average price in greater Victoria (2024 year to date): $979,103

Average price in the Okanagan (2024 year to date): $748,015

Average two-bedroom purpose-built rental in Vancouver: $2,181

Average two-bedroom purpose-built rental in Victoria: $1,839

Average two-bedroom purpose-built rental in Canada: $1,359

Rental vacancy rate in Vancouver: 0.9 per cent

How much more do new renters in Vancouver pay compared with renters who have occupied their home for at least a year: 27 per cent

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2024.

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