At the height of the coronavirus pandemic, many potential homebuyers sat on the sidelines, waiting for a COVID-19 discount. Activity declines dramatically in March and April, but the delayed spring market came roaring back, igniting record-setting growth for both residential sales and prices. From Halifax to Toronto to Vancouver, many of the nation’s real estate markets have reported monthly double-digit percentage gains, suggesting that a lot of Canadians potentially missed out on a deal, if they waited too long. Is all hope lost? Not quite. Ontario still has some affordable real estate in several municipal housing markets.
Although average prices may have surged upwards from what they were a year ago, these cities continue to offer opportunities for first-time homebuyers. With interest rates at historical lows and consumer trends changing as people work from home, now could be a good time for first-time homebuyers to make that leap into the Ontario real estate market.
First-Time Homebuyer? Check Out These Affordable Real Estate Markets in Ontario
Windsor
You may have learned by now that one of the hottest real estate markets – provincially and nationwide – is Windsor. The municipality, which had long been ignored by homebuyers, has turned into a seller’s market, with homeowners cashing in on the dramatic surge in prices. Does this mean you missed out on affordability? Not quite.
The average price of homes sold in 2020 (based on January-October data) was a record $406,861, up 21 per cent over 2019, according to the RE/MAX 2021 Housing Market Outlook Report. When you consider that this price will not get you any house or condominium in Toronto or Vancouver, this market could be considered a steal for first-time homebuyers.
Windsor is experiencing rampant development, a population boom, and consumer and business interest. Is Windsor the next major urban centre in Ontario?
Sudbury
The city of Sudbury has been embarking upon an affordable housing strategy to support the municipality’s low-income population. Despite this strategy, the city has witnessed monumental price gains over the past year. But for newcomers, especially from the big cities, average prices remain a lot cheaper than in Ontario’s large urban hubs.
The price of an average home sold in Sudbury in 2020 (January-October) reached $311,940, rising nine per cent over 2019 prices. Once again, this dollar figure would buy you very little in nearly all the red-hot cities.
With more development expected to occur in Northern Ontario amid the strengthening demand, there might be no better buying opportunity than right now.
Thunder Bay
For years, Thunder Bay was ranked as Ontario’s most affordable housing market. With the coronavirus reshaping the Canadian real estate market, is the northwestern Ontario town still affordable for homebuyers? Despite everything that has transpired this year, Thunder Bay may remain a desirable destination for those looking to dip their toe into real estate, whether as an investor or occupant.
In 2020, the average sale price for Thunder Bay homes homes rose 7.4 per cent to $248,462 (January-October) compared to 2019’s full-year figures. Sure, Thunder Bay is a long way from Toronto, Hamilton or Montreal, but when more households have remote work freedom, this picturesque city on the shores of Lake Superior could be a fantastic municipality to plant roots.
Kingston
Kingston has ranked consistently high nationally as one of the best places to retire. It makes sense as all the criteria give Kingston a substantial boost: great affordability, access to health care, moderate weather, rich culture, diverse community and low crime. But if it is great for seniors, what about everyone else?
RE/MAX reported that Kingston’s average residential sale price in 2020 (January-October) was $464,083, up 11 per cent over 2019’s average sale price. Much of this price creep is attributed to spiking demand in the Kingston market. With another 10-per-cent price increase forecasted for 2021, first-time homebuyers who are looking at this market are advised to jump in while they still can.
Housing Boom, Housing Affordability
Real estate in Canada has been the envy of the world. On the one hand, the country has some of the hottest markets on the planet, with sales activity and residential valuations climbing to record levels. On the other hand, 75 per cent of the nation’s regions are undervalued. This suggests that housing affordability continues to be the most appealing characteristic for the Great White North. Put simply, you should not be deterred by the monumental surge in prices in the major urban centres – or anywhere else, for that matter. Why? Borrowing costs are down, unconventional markets are becoming the most lucrative, and the slightest hiccup in the broader real estate market could be a tremendous buying opportunity.
TORONTO – One expert predicts Ottawa‘s changes to mortgage rules will help spur demand among potential homebuyers but says policies aimed at driving new supply are needed to address the “core issues” facing the market.
The federal government’s changes, set to come into force mid-December, include a higher price cap for insured mortgages to allow more people to qualify for a mortgage with less than a 20 per cent down payment.
The government will also expand its 30-year mortgage amortization to include first-time homebuyers buying any type of home, as well as anybody buying a newly built home.
CIBC Capital Markets deputy chief economist Benjamin Tal calls it a “significant” move likely to accelerate the recovery of the housing market, a process already underway as interest rates have begun to fall.
However, he says in a note that policymakers should aim to “prevent that from becoming too much of a good thing” through policies geared toward the supply side.
Tal says the main issue is the lack of supply available to respond to Canada’s rapidly increasing population, particularly in major cities.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17,2024.
OTTAWA – The Canadian Real Estate Association says the number of homes sold in August fell compared with a year ago as the market remained largely stuck in a holding pattern despite borrowing costs beginning to come down.
The association says the number of homes sold in August fell 2.1 per cent compared with the same month last year.
On a seasonally adjusted month-over-month basis, national home sales edged up 1.3 per cent from July.
CREA senior economist Shaun Cathcart says that with forecasts of lower interest rates throughout the rest of this year and into 2025, “it makes sense that prospective buyers might continue to hold off for improved affordability, especially since prices are still well behaved in most of the country.”
The national average sale price for August amounted to $649,100, a 0.1 per cent increase compared with a year earlier.
The number of newly listed properties was up 1.1 per cent month-over-month.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 16, 2024.
MONTREAL – Two Quebec real estate brokers are facing fines and years-long suspensions for submitting bogus offers on homes to drive up prices during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Christine Girouard has been suspended for 14 years and her business partner, Jonathan Dauphinais-Fortin, has been suspended for nine years after Quebec’s authority of real estate brokerage found they used fake bids to get buyers to raise their offers.
Girouard is a well-known broker who previously starred on a Quebec reality show that follows top real estate agents in the province.
She is facing a fine of $50,000, while Dauphinais-Fortin has been fined $10,000.
The two brokers were suspended in May 2023 after La Presse published an article about their practices.
One buyer ended up paying $40,000 more than his initial offer in 2022 after Girouard and Dauphinais-Fortin concocted a second bid on the house he wanted to buy.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
