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Bank of Canada Holds Interest Rate

Real Estate

Bank of Canada Holds Interest Rate.  The Bank of Canada kept its trend-setting Bank Rate at 1.25 per cent on January 17th, 2012. This marks the 11th consecutive policy meeting in which borrowing costs have been left unchanged.

While recognizing that the outlook for the global economy had deteriorated and that uncertainty had increased since it released its October Monetary Policy Report (MPR), the Bank also made those same observations at its previous meeting on December 6th.

Economic growth in Canada had more momentum in the second half of 2011 than the Bank projected in its October MPR, but it expects the pace going forward to slow by more modest than previously expected, due largely to factors outside Canadian borders. This reiterates statements made in December 2011. On the upside, the Bank said that “very favourable financing conditions are expected to buttress consumer spending and housing activity.”

The Bank releases its updated forecast for Canadian economic growth. It now estimates that the economy grew by 2.4 per cent in 2011 compared to the initial estimate of 2.1 per cent, owing to the better than expected end to the year.

The Bank projects growth of 2.0 per cent in 2012 compared to 1.9 per cent in the October MPR, and 2.8 per cent in 2013, down slightly from the previous 2013 forecast of 2.9 per cent, with the big picture being that past and current growth estimates have been revised upward at the expense of future economic growth.

“The Bank said it expects the pace of growth going forward to moderate by more than initially thought, but the forecast for growth this year has actually been raised slightly,” said CREA Chief Economist Gregory Klump. “That reflects a weaker than previously expected growth profile for the first half of 2012, followed by an acceleration in the second half of the year.”

“The Bank reiterated that its outlook remains subject to downside risks from the sovereign debt issue in Europe. Recent credit-rating downgrades to much of the euro zone point to potential contagion by way of a drop in financial market liquidity,” he added. “The bottom line is that the Bank rate is not going to be going up anytime soon, and we may see rates lowered should downside risks materialize.”

The Bank noted that “while the economy appears to be operating with less slack than previously assumed, it is only anticipated to return to full capacity by the third quarter of 2013, one quarter earlier than was expected in October.” Overall, inflation expectations remain “well-anchored.”

A number of financial institutions have recently dropped their five-year lending rates to a record low of 2.99 per cent. This is down considerably from the advertised five-year rate of 5.29 per cent when the Bank last met on December 6th, 2011.

The Bank will make its next scheduled rate announcement on March 8th, 2012.

http://creastats.crea.ca/natl/interest_rate_trends.htm

Your Local Alliston Real Estate Agents

Real Estate

Your Local Alliston Real Estate Agents.  Did you know that on average home owners are 26 times wealthier than renters?  Just imagine if you owned a $150,000 house with 5% down ($7500) and house values increased by just 3%. In one year you would have had an increase in equity of over $5,000.  As property values increase, so does your equity.

If you have been turned down for credit and cannot get a traditional mortgage you may qualify for a Rent to Own home. For many, the rent-to-own home may be the best option. Also called a lease-to-own house, the process works similarly to a car lease : Renters pay a certain amount each month to live in the house, and at the end of a set period — generally within three years — they have the option to buy the house. Each month of rent they pay is income for the seller, while a portion of it goes toward a down payment to eventually buy the home.

Although each Rent to Own agreement is different, most agreement require the renters  to pay an option fee and then a rent premium. The option fee is a set amount that the renter pays the seller. If, at the end of the lease period, the renter buys the house, the option fee becomes part of the down payment. If the renter doesn’t buy the house, the option fee becomes income for the seller. Rent premiums are an amount slightly above the typical rent, with a portion of that money going toward a down payment.

Understanding how the Rent to Own plan works is based on a typical sample, as shown; The average house is worth $300,000, and typical rent would be $1,500 a month. Someone who’s renting to own might pay $1,700 a month in rent and then receive a $200 rent credit each month. Add the option fee, in this case $5,000. On a three-year lease, the renter would earn $7,200 in rent credits. Adding the earned rental credits to the option fee, the renter has accumulated $12,200 for a down payment.

Even though you will be technically renting the home you will still require a deposit to qualify for a Rent to Own property. The monthly payment for a rent-to-own agreement will depend on your budget.  The larger your payments, and the longer you make them for, the larger the accumulated downpayment will be when you exercise your purchase option and get a mortgage in your own name.

At the end of your rent-to-own agreement your credit should have been improved enough for you to obtain your own mortgage.  Then the sum of your initial deposit and your monthly payments will count as a downpayment for your own mortgage.  To know exactly how much of a downpayment you will need to consult with a mortgage broker to discuss getting the best possible rate.

Your local Alliston Real Estate agent can help you find a property that will fit your budget.  Choosing a Professional agent with local knowledge and experience will greatly enhance your real estate shopping experience.  Choose from our Best Alliston Real Estate Agents to ensure your receive the best possible advice when making your next property investment.

Buying or Selling a Home in Innisfil

Real Estate

Buying or Selling a Home in Innisfil. There are a lot of emotions involved when buying or selling a home, but negotiating the price shouldn’t be.  Having a plan prior to negotiating is key to preventing stress during the turbulence involved in high-stakes negotiations.  Your Innisfil Real Estate Agent can guide you and advise you but eventually you must make the final decision.

First time home buyers get a lot of tips from friends, family and co-workers, much of which is probably good advice gleaned from their own home buying experiences.  Your Professional Innisfil Realtor has bought and sold hundreds of homes and is more prepared to advise you on many obstacles that may arise and often do.  The more you know, the better equipped you are to negotiate.

Plan your attack.  Determine what features you want and what they are worth to you. Know in advance the most you’re willing to pay, and with your agent work back from that number to determine your initial offer, which can set the tone for the entire negotiation. A too-low bid may offend sellers emotionally invested in the sales price; a too-high bid may lead you to spend more than necessary to close the sale.

When selling your home you want to present the best possible view of  your home.  Most Professional Innisfil Real Estate agents will help you in this area using their years of experience to guide you.  From making minor repairs to plumbing, electrical, caulking, sidewalks and painting, what your prospective buyer first sees when initially walking through your home is what is most likely the deciding factor in whether to entertain an offer.  Some Realtors will suggest you have your home Professionally staged to improve your homes presentation.

Most upscale homes now use professional staging companies to fully stage the property.  These professional companies supply furniture and accessories to enable prospective clients to see the home in the best light possible and so they can envision themselves living there.  Some Home Staging companies advertise that many of their homes will actually sell for more than the listing price.

People who earn a good salary but fail to qualify for a typical mortgage are frequently turning to the Rent to Own option, Rent to Own has become very popular in the Innisfil Real Estate market. A rent to own transaction is when a landlord agrees to lease a home to a tenant and the tenant has an option to buy the home for a pre-negotiated price before the end of the lease. The primary components of a rent to own transaction are the rental term, the purchase price, the upfront deposit, and the monthly rent credit.

When deciding to start looking for a new home, the first step you should take is getting yourself pre-approved by your financial institution of choice. When seeking preapproval, talk to a few different mortgage lenders to find the best mortgage package that suits your needs. Two or three lenders is usually enough to give you a reasonable idea of the amount of money to can afford to spend on a new home.

Your local Innisfil Real Estate Agent can share his knowledge and expertise to allow you to get more money from the sale or to save you money when buying your next property.  Utilize their tools and expertise and help ensure your next real estate transaction is a pleasurable experience with the knowledge that you got the best price possible whether buying or selling.

Bank of Canada raises key rate to 1%

Real Estate

Cites U.S. weakness as main risk to Canadian growth

The Bank of Canada raised its target for the overnight rate by one quarter of one percentage point to one per cent on September 8th, 2010. It was the third consecutive quarter point hike. The Bank rate was raised to 1.25 per cent and the deposit rate is now 0.75 per cent.

The Bank noted that, while the global economic recovery is proceeding, it remains uneven. The main downside risk cited in the Bank’s announcement was the recent weakness in the U.S. recovery, saying, “In the United States, the recovery in private demand is being held back by high unemployment and recent indicators suggest a more muted recovery in the near term.”

Owing largely to the weaker profile for U.S. activity, the Bank now expects Canadian growth to be “slightly slower” than it had previously forecast in July. The Bank downplayed the small revision to the outlook, however, saying, “consumption growth is expected to remain solid and business investment to rise strongly. Both are being supported by accommodative credit conditions, which have eased in recent weeks mainly owing to sharp declines in global bond yields.”

While the outlook for the Canadian economic recovery has changed slightly, inflation in Canada has remained in line with the Bank’s expectations. The Bank noted that, while the monetary policy measures undertaken since April have had the effect of modestly tightening financial conditions in Canada, they nevertheless remain “exceptionally stimulative.”

As of September 8th, the advertised five-year conventional mortgage rate stood at 5.39 per cent. This is down 0.1 per cent from a year earlier, and stands 0.4 per cent below where it was when the Bank made its previous interest rate announcement on July 20, 2010. It is also 0.1 percentage points below where it stood at the beginning of the year.

The statement ended with the message, “Any further reduction in monetary policy stimulus would need to be carefully considered in light of the unusual uncertainty surrounding the outlook.” The Bank had previously characterized the uncertainty in the outlook as “considerable.”

Most analysts now expect the Bank to hold off on any further rate hikes this year while it gauges the effects of recent tightening on the domestic economy, and watches the very uncertain situation south of the border. However, the overall tone of the Bank’s statement was more hawkish than expected, and this has led some economists to suggest this may not be the last hike of the year. Much will depend on economic data out over the next month and a half in advance of the Bank’s next decision on October 19th.

The Bank’s next Monetary Policy Report will be published on October 20th. The Bank will make its next scheduled rate announcement on October 19th.

http://creastats.crea.ca/natl/interest_rate_trends.htm

(CREA 09/09/2010)

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