Monday, December 30, 2013

Calgary strongest major housing market in Canada

Calgary has reclaimed its title as the strongest major housing market in the country after correcting several years ago, says a new report released Thursday by BMO Economics.
The report, Canadian Housing Update: Tale of Four Cities, examined the state of the housing markets in Canada’s four largest cities: Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal.

Sal Guatieri, senior economist with BMO Capital Markets, said listings are lean in the city, giving sellers the upper hand right now on prices.
“Three main factors. Strong economy. Strong population growth. And good affordability. Those are all driving Calgary’s housing market now and likely in the future,” said Guatieri.

“We don’t see bad things happening to Calgary’s economy any time soon, barring a big drop in oil prices for example. And we think Alberta for one will definitely lead economic growth perhaps for the next couple of years riding the energy boom. As a result, Canadians from across the country will likely continue to migrate to Alberta and Calgary looking for work. That can always support the housing market.”

According to the Calgary Real Estate Board, year-to-date up to Wednesday, there have been 22,489 MLS sales in the city, up 10.85 per cent from a year ago. New listings of 31,366 are up by 0.75 per cent but active listings of 3,034 are down 19.27 per cent. So far this year, the median selling price of $400,000 has increased by 5.26 per cent while the average sale price of $456,680 has risen by 6.60 per cent.

“Calgary’s resale housing market has been strong this year,” said Ben Brunnen, an economic consultant in the city. “A lot of people are moving to our city and finding that rents are high but the economy is good. Under these conditions, homeownership makes sense.
“Unlike the last housing market expansion a lot of current homeowners are staying put, which keeps inventories low. Strong confidence in Alberta’s economic prospects and the threat of higher housing costs in the future could also be pushing more people into the market.”

The BMO report said new home construction has picked up but housing starts have barely kept pace with an exploding population.
“Inventories of new homes are very low, while benchmark prices are climbing the fastest among major cities and have now all but retraced the 16 per cent collapse from 2007 to 2009, said BMO.
Guatieri said that despite “heady price gains” they remain reasonable at about four times the median family income and mortgage costs “consuming a manageable” 23 per cent of earnings.

“About half of the increase in prices is supported by rising income. Hourly wages in Alberta are up 4.4 per cent year over year in the first 10 months of the year, double the national rate,” he said.
BMO said immigrants and young Canadians are flocking to the city, drawn by better job prospects, faster wage growth, and healthier housing affordability than in Vancouver and Toronto.
“Strong economic and population growth will encourage an upward trend in Calgary’s house prices, though higher borrowing costs will moderate the gains,” added Guatieri.
 
The report listed Calgary’s median family income at $100,500. The other three cities surveyed had median family incomes of $72,400 in Toronto, $72,800 in Vancouver and $73,200 in Montreal.
The ratio of house prices to annual family income in Calgary was 4.1. It was also 4.1 in Montreal, 6.6 in Toronto and 8.3 in Vancouver.
The mortgage service costs as a percentage of family income were: 23.1 in Calgary, 39.3 in Toronto, 50.2 in Vancouver and 23.1 in Montreal.

                                                                                                                                                                                   By Mario ToneguZzi, Calgary Herald

Factors combined to boost Calgary housing market in 2013

                                                                                                                                  By Amanda Stephenson, Calgary Herald December 29, 2013

Calgary’s housing market grew twice as fast as expected in 2013, the result of what some realtors have dubbed a “perfect storm” of market factors.

Calgary Real Estate Board president Becky Walters said it’s unlikely 2014 will see the same kind of growth witnessed this year, when a combination of the June flood, a tight rental market, and an influx of newcomers to the city drove sales and prices higher.

As of Dec. 29, Calgary housing sales year-to-date were up more than 10 per cent from the year before. The average selling price was $456,686, up 6.5 per cent from 2012. “They were pretty much double what we had anticipated, and that was probably the biggest surprise to us this year,” Walters said.

Darren Abrahamson, a realtor with Royal LePage, said 2013 “hasn’t been what anybody expected.”
The June flood took an estimated 500 secondary suites off the market and forced more than 1,000 Albertans to seek temporary accommodation — driving down the rental vacancy rate and driving up the demand for homes to purchase.

A second surprise in 2013 was migration. In a report released early in the year, the Calgary Real Estate Board predicted a net increase of 15,000 new Calgarians this year. But the latest figures from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Commission show a projected net increase of 30,000 by the end of 2013. Those unexpected newcomers are adding to the tight rental market and driving home sales even higher.

“It was almost like the perfect storm, really,” Abrahamson said. “Everything just kept coming and taking away from the supply.”
Still, Calgary’s housing sales have not yet reached the heady levels of 2006 and 2007, when nearly every deal was met with multiple offers. That’s good, said Abrahamson, though he acknowledged affordability is becoming a concern for buyers.

“Even as a realtor, when you see first-time buyers spending $450,000 to $500,000 on a first home, you’re like, ‘This is nuts.’ But the thing is, our wages and salaries are a lot higher than other places in Canada,” he said. “So I don’t think the growth we’ve seen this year has been crazy.... And that’s good, because nobody wants to have crazy growth.”

The Calgary Real Estate Board expects sales growth to continue in 2014, but at a more sustainable rate — likely in the range of 3.5 per cent. Price growth is expected to increase 4.3 per cent.
“It is still very affordable in comparison to income levels, so we feel it is something we’ll be able to sustain,” Walters said. “The economy in general is so strong here.”

Earlier in December, BMO Economics called Calgary the strongest real estate market in the country, beating out Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. The financial institution predicted a strong economy and further population growth will continue to drive a healthy Calgary housing market into the future.
Still, Abrahamson cautioned that the local real estate market is still hugely influenced by the energy sector. And he said housing prices could suffer if Alberta oil producers continue to struggle to get their landlocked bitumen to market.
 
“That’s why I think it really hinges on one of these (proposed) pipelines,” he said. “If one of these pipelines goes through, then things will continue. And I hate say it, but if none of these pipelines goes through, then in the next year or two I think we’re definitely going to have a problem.”

Monday, December 9, 2013

SOLD 西北区 MacEwan Glen 西南向walkout地下室 474,900 (购买价$460,000)

                                            C3588098    31 MACEWAN PARK CI NW

Beautiful fully finished 2 storey walk out with rear lane access as well and a double front attached garage. The home has 2300 sq ft of living space with a a new deck, fence, roof, hot water tank, dishwasher & bathroom sink and faucets all within the last 2 years. There is new carpet and the hardwood was just refinished. The home features a bright kitchen with a breakfast nook, family room & living room & formal dining room. Upstairs is 3 bedrooms, full bath, master en-suite with walk in closet. The walkout basement has a rec room, office, & 4th bedroom & a full bath with jetted air tub. Also included is an air exchanger and wiring for surround sound in the livingroom. 12km to downtown and only a block and half to Nosecreek Park. OPEN HOUSE SUN NOV.17 1-3PM!!!

SOLD 东南区Cranston 新建两层屋 $569,000 (挂牌原价售出)

                                                     C3592034  48 Cranarch CM SE

Priced well for a 2547 Sq.Ft brand new Cardel home in estate area of  Cranston. This gorgeous two storey home has been extensive upgraded over  $50,000 including stucco & stone exterior, exposed aggregate driveway &  sidewalk, 9' ceiling on main floor & upper level, 8' doors on main, 15' depth cabinets, soft close drawers & doors,oversized double garage, added windows   to breakfast nook, laundry room & master en-suite, etc. Walking in spacious  foyer, you will find big size former dinning room, main floor den, granite  kitchen counter tops, stainless steel appliances, dark warm hardwood  floors throughout, gas fireplace with added backing for TV mount, double  patio doors to a sunny south backyard. The upper level has three generous  bedrooms, bonus room & laundry room, two full bathrooms (5 piece master  with dual sinks, shower and separate tub). Builder take care of the front  landscaping and tree. Enjoy piece of mind with builder warrantyon site, Call for viewing today.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

2013年十一月份房地产统计


伴随新挂牌量的增加,房地产销售也上涨

------持续 第五个月两位数字增长

 

Calgary, 十二月二日, 2013  民宅11月份共成交1,730 套,比去年同期涨19%

伴随着又一个月份的活跃交易,自年初自今成交量总计22,322套,比长线趋势水平高了11%

其中比较明显的原因是大量蠢蠢欲动的买家,还包括很多首次购房者开始在未来价格增长更多之前进入市场、正在租赁的买家,以及贷款利率的潜在上调。目前的房主们也利用价格的增长来升级内部装修,以更好满足他们的生活需求。

11月份共有1,823套新挂牌,比2012年同期涨了12%。在售房源仍然低于长线水平,总的在售房源比每年这个时期的状况低。

紧俏的市场状况促使卡尔加里所有的房地产产品都呈现出超过预期的价格增长。在城市界内,只有独立屋完全恢复了,并且涨高于2007年的峰值水平。同时,排屋、公寓价格仍然低于2007年峰值水平。

11月份独立屋市场基准价为$470,600 比去年同期涨 8.5%。同时,公寓、排屋市场基准价基本保持不变在 $279,600 $305,700 ,比2007年峰值时期低6%

从年初至今,独立屋共成交15,533 套,比去年同期涨8%。远远超过预期的成交量主要因为下半年的活跃交易。

日渐吃紧的共管公寓市场在11月份得以缓解,因为年初至今新挂牌涨了23%,成交总量涨幅20%。可售单元仍然比2012年水平低26%,但是在近几个月新挂牌持续降低的情况下,11月份还是改善了不少。从年初至今共成交3,787单元,比去年同期涨15%

从年初至今,排屋共成交3,002套,比去年同期涨21%。它是卡尔加里所有房屋类别中市场份额最少的那部分,但却是成交增长最多的。

总体来说,卡尔加里周边小镇的成交超过了城市界内。因为,价格更有承受力、也适合家庭居住。

充满活力的卡尔加里就业市场,在过去的两年里吸引了大量移民涌入。再加上紧俏的租赁市场状况、乐观的城市长线发展宏图,这些都促使了整个城市今年房地产的走强。 

有关价格承受力的担忧经常和房屋市场潜在价格联系起来,尽管短期价格上涨不少,但是仍然比六年前的市场要更有承受力。

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Housing affordability eroding, RBC says

The Canadian Press Posted: Nov 27, 2013 8:50 AM ET 

The Royal Bank says higher prices and an increase in mortgage rates have made home ownership less affordable for the average Canadian family.

RBC's latest research on the proportion of average household income needed to maintain a home — mortgage payments, utilities and municipal taxes — increased over the summer for a second consecutive quarter.

The level of deterioration differs from region to region and on the type of home, but RBC says that for the average bungalow the affordability measure rose to 43.3 per cent of a family's pre-tax income — up seven-tenths of a percentage point.

The bank says on two-storey homes, the affordability reading rose 0.6 of a percentage point to 48.9 per cent, and condos remained the most affordable by far with at 28 per cent of pre-tax income.

But city affordability issues were the worst in Vancouver, where it would take 84.2 per cent of an average household's pre-tax income to maintain a home.

That compared with a still high affordability measure of 55.6 per cent in Toronto.

Elsewhere, affordability scales that were closer to historic norms, with Montreal at 38.3 per cent; Ottawa at 37.3, Calgary at 33.7 and Edmonton at 32.9 per cent of household pre-tax income.

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Calgary leads country in new home price increase. Highest annual hike since July 2007

                                                                                                                                                                    By Mario Toneguzzi, Calgary Herald November 14, 2013

CALGARY - Calgary led the country in September with the highest increase year-over-year in new home prices.

The New Housing Price Index, released Thursday by Statistics Canada, said prices in the Calgary area were up 6.3 per cent from a year ago, which represented the highest annual hike since July 2007.
Nationally, prices rose 1.6 per cent.
On a monthly basis, prices rose by 0.5 per cent in Calgary from August while they were flat across the country.

“The largest monthly price increase in September occurred in Calgary . . . where builders reported that rising material and labour costs as well as higher land development costs contributed to the price gain. New home prices in Calgary have been increasing since December 2011,” said the federal agency.

The Alberta Condo Owners Association (ACOA)

Did you know Calgary had more than 600 active condo listings in November alone?
Condos are a vital part of the residential housing market in Alberta, and now you can help give them a stronger voice.
The Alberta Condo Owners Association (ACOA) is seeking new members to help condo owners join together with a focused voice and a visible presence that is acknowledged by industry and service providers.
Established in August, the ACOA is working toward its vision of condo owners experiencing a fair and equitable, financially responsible and peaceful condominium lifestyle.
You can support the ACOA by signing up for an annual membership for $20 per year. An ACOA membership is also a great holiday gift idea for clients or friends. ACOA will keep members informed of all major initiatives they undertake.  One example is the Alberta Condominium Property Act revision process, which has legitimate implications that can affect property values, condo lifestyle and overall financial investment for property owners.
The ACOA also distributes a monthly newsletter that provides condo owners and members with helpful information and education, articles on condo living and ideas about how to live the “dream condo life.”

SOLD 东南区Forest Lawn 连体屋 $259,900


                                                              C3588640   2023 40 ST SE


LOWEST PRICED HOME IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD,PRICED TO SELL, EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY FOR FIRST TIME BUYER/REVENUE PROPERTY!!! Rarer!!!...Two-story style attached half-duplex!!The spacious living room features hardwood and newer paint! The sundrenched kitchen has plenty of cabinets and large nook area that leads to the large backyard deck!!The neutral decor continues upstairs where you find the three bedrooms, more hardwood and vaulted ceilings! The large master bedroom is complete with a romance  balcony, walk-in closet and a cheater door to the main bathroom!!This bathroom boasts recent upgrades complimented vaulted ceilings! Lower level is waiting for someone's creative touch. The fully fenced West facing backyard is landscaped. Located on a quiet street!!!!! Call for your private showing.

Friday, November 15, 2013

Calgary's hot market challenging for 1st-time home buyers

                                                                                                         CBC News Posted: Nov 14, 2013 9:14 PM MT
Buying a home in Calgary is expensive and there are growing concerns that the hot market is leaving some people behind.

"It's been a long road," said Nicole Imeson, who is buying her first home. "I have been doing research and saving for my down payment over the last year fairly aggressively." "It's pretty difficult.... I was putting 25 to 30 per cent of my income away every month and I was able to save up in about two years."

A five per cent down payment on the average Calgary house is more than $25,000.
"I don't see any issue getting a good return on my investment, so at that point I was OK with the higher price tag, knowing that I would eventually get that back," said Imeson.
Imeson's realtor says, with incomes in some sectors on the rise, many people in Calgary still manage to buy but not everyone can.

"I do have clients that are quite successful in life, self employed, driving brand new vehicles, and go to talk to their mortgage broker and find out they only qualify for about $160,000," said Raena Gartner. "And so they're looking at maybe Airdrie or Cochrane for a nice condo in that price range."

David Watson, who heads Attainable Homes Calgary — a city program that helps people with down payment, says saving that money is often the biggest barrier.

Average home costs $517K

"They're going to have to rent. Or they're not going to come to Calgary," he said. "Or they're going to come to Calgary and make some money and go back to where they came from."
Watson says the issue is only getting worse, especially because the rental market is also sizzling.
"The gap between housing prices and income was widening and widening — making it harder for people that had real jobs to actually get ownership in Calgary," he said. "We certainly have noticed just in the last six months of this year that that has got even larger."

This year, the average home in Calgary sold for more than $517,000. An average townhouse costs $341,000 and an apartment-style condo costs nearly $300,000 on average.
Watson says home ownership in the city may be out of reach for Calgarians with moderate incomes.

"You end up seeing larger cities that are based with very rich people at the top and very poor people at the bottom, and the people that make the city run can't afford to live there," he said.
With economic forecasts showing no signs of the housing market slowing down, many more people may find themselves priced out of home ownership.

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Calgary region housing starts forecast to rise in 2014

                                                                                                           By Mario Toneguzzi, Calgary Herald October 31, 2013

Total housing starts in the Calgary region are forecast to fall this year by 8.9 per cent before rising by 12 per cent in 2014.

The Calgary Housing Market Outlook, released Thursday by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., said starts will dip to 11,700 units in 2013 before increasing to 13,100 in 2014.

“Following a nine per cent reduction in 2013, total housing starts in 2014 are forecast to rebound with gains in both single-detached and multi-family construction,” said Richard Cho, senior market analyst in Calgary for the CMHC. “Continued job creation and heightened net migration throughout the forecast period will contribute to the demand for new homes.”

Single-detached starts in 2013 are on pace to reach 6,200 units, up four per cent from 5,961 units in 2012. “New home buyers are capitalizing on low mortgage rates and increased equity gains towards their next home purchase. In addition, new home inventories remain relatively low, creating opportunities for more units to be started,” said Cho.

In 2014, single-detached starts are forecast to increase five per cent to 6,500 units.
Multi-family starts are projected to decline 20 per cent to 5,500 units in 2013, mainly due to a decrease in apartment construction. But, an increase is expected in 2014. Rising house prices will have some buyers looking to the multi-family market where prices on average are lower, while others will be buying for lifestyle reasons, said the CMHC.

Meanwhile, with rental vacancies expected to remain low and rents increasing, demand for multi-family units from renters and investors will also increase. These factors are expected to push up multi-family starts by 20 per cent in 2014, reaching 6,600 units, it said.

By the end of 2013, existing home sales in Calgary are forecast to reach 29,200 units, up 10 per cent from 26,634 in 2012. In 2014, job creation and net migration will continue to be key drivers of the resale market, said the report. Employment growth in 2014 will remain strong for the fourth consecutive year, while migration will be coming off a record high in 2013. MLS residential sales are forecast to increase 2.7 per cent in 2014 to 30,000 units.

The average MLS residential price in Calgary is forecast to finish at $436,500 in 2013, up 5.9 per cent from $412,315 in 2012. Price growth should moderate to 2.4 per cent in 2014, with an average price of $447,000.

Ring road deal may be a boon for Calgary real estate

                                                                                                                                                               By mario toneguzzi, Calgary Herald October 31, 2013

CALGARY - The new southwest portion of the ring road is expected to be a boon for residential real estate near the proposed roadway.

“Transportation accessibility is key to location — which is everything in real estate. And the Ring Road is all about transportation accessibility: access to downtown, other parts of Calgary, the mountains,” said Scott Bollinger, broker for the ComFree Commensense Network.

“Recent studies in Edmonton and California show us we should expect housing and property values around the ring road to increase. The interesting thing about the Calgary example is that much of the adjacent property is already developed and has been constrained by limited infrastructure and access for many years. That means that, unlike other major freeway projects, most of the gains in property value in Calgary’s example may be felt by individual homeowners as opposed to developers.”

He said the studies show that prices may increase but not until well into the project’s construction or even completion.

“My gut tells me that southwest Calgary might be different,” said Bollinger. “This project has been in the planning stage for decades and will now impact established communities. The increases in value may be priced into the market sooner than we’ve seen in other examples.

“Why do property values increase? A lot of it comes down to commute times and accessibility to recreation areas, shopping options and job centres. We’re measuring these times not in miles or kilometres now, but in minutes. And when you can cut the minutes it takes to drive to a favourite restaurant, or a hockey arena in the northwest, or Sunshine Village on the weekend, that time saved is reflected in the price you’re willing to pay for a property.”

But it’s not just existing residential communities that will benefit, said Bollinger, adding that a significant amount of land on the extreme southwest edge of Calgary sits undeveloped, under-utilized and likely undervalued.

“This deal has the potential to double or triple land prices in that area and we are already beginning to see a rise in activity as developers and speculators gain confidence that the area will eventually be accessible by the Ring Road,” he said.

The Calgary Transportation Effect report, released this year by the Real Estate Investment Network, said overall transportation improvements in the city will deliver a 10-20 per cent enhancement of real estate values in the regions most affected. In the future, these areas will outperform the rest. If the market goes up everywhere, these areas will increase by about 10-20 per cent more. If the values drop, these will drop by 10-20 per cent less, said the report.

Don Campbell, senior analyst with the Real Estate Investment Network, said transportation arteries become increasingly critical in a city growing as quickly as Calgary.

“When the arteries become clogged, the flow of goods and people not only slow down but so does the economic growth. In today’s economy, distance is measured in minutes, not kilometres,” he said.
“The completion of the first three-quarters of the Calgary Ring Road is already having a positive effect on the repositioning of office, retail and commercial space. No longer is it simply a consolidation into the downtown core. The City of Calgary, its citizens and its businesses now have more and quite frankly more strategic options for location. We are already witnessing this especially in the north and southeast quadrants where full live/work communities are forming thus taking pressure off older transportation arteries.”

Saturday, November 2, 2013

2013年十月份房地产市场统计


价格的上扬刺激了新挂量的增加
 

Calgary, 十一月一日 2013  民宅本月共成交1,953 套,比去年同期涨幅18%。自年初至今,成交量涨幅为10%

然而,从年初至今整个城市的交易量远低于2005-2007年的水平。大家应该已经注意到了很多房屋成交的价格高于挂牌价格,并且成交的很快。尽管我们看到很多乐观的迹象,但是始终不是2006年的翻版。

今年从年初至今,民宅成交前在市场上的天数为37天,却比去年同期低了16%(大约多出6天),比2006年的平均在市场上20天的天数多了不好啊!另外,成交价/挂牌价的比率虽然有涨幅,但是仍然比7年前的水平低一些。

十月份整个城市新上市挂牌量为2,522套,比去年同期增加9%,但是仍不足以带动整个库存房源的涨幅。不过,过去的四个月份和2012年相比,新挂牌量仍然是增长的。

价格增长,以及日渐紧缩的市场条件共同促使新挂牌量增加,从而缓解了紧缩的市场状况。尽管市场有所改善,但仍然是卖方市场。

历经了前十个月份,独立屋共售出14,340套,比2012年涨7%。超过预期的成交量的增长 ,主要源于新挂量的增加,而上半年的新挂牌量涨幅太有限了

从年初至今,共管公寓apartments共售出3,482单元,排屋townhouses共售出2,774单元。毕竟公寓市场仅占整个市场的一部分,从年初至今成交量涨幅为18%

市场基准价和去年同期、以及上个月相比都没有变动。独立屋市场基准价为$468,000, 共管公寓apartments 和排屋townhouses分别为$276,100$302,200

共管公寓apartments价格上涨得速度比独立屋快多了,不过价格仍然峰值时期7%。但是,独立屋的价格却高于前次的峰值了。(告诉我们什么呢,公寓如果还没解套的,还可以继续等待。投资,现在买公寓还来得及。)独立屋、排屋价格涨幅为8%,而共管公寓涨幅为11%

就业率的上涨、新移民的强势增加、租赁房屋的稀缺,加上低贷款利率共同促使了过去两年来消费者对房屋需求的增加。同时,供给却跟不上,所以导致价格上扬。

尽管短期我们仍然预期价格往上走,但并不是2006年的翻版。因为经济形势是两码事了。

Monday, October 28, 2013

Northwest hottest for resale

                                                                                                                    By Josh Skapin, Calgary Herald October 25, 2013

The city’s northwest outpaced all areas of the city for sales of single-family resale home between July 1 and the end of September, says the Calgary Real Estate Board.

The board’s Zone A, which roughly covers the city’s northwest, saw 1,546 homes change hands in the third quarter of this year. Total sales in this zone were largely driven by three communities. Coventry Hills led the way with 108 sales, while Tuscany and Panorama Hills had 92 sales each. The next busiest community was Evanston with 73 transactions.

From July 1 to the end of September, homes in this zone sold for an average price of $522,946. The next highest sales in the city were also on Calgary’s west side.

The board’s Zone C, which roughly translates to the city’s southwest, reached 1,245 sales. Evergreen topped all communities in the zone, with 92 homes changing hands. At $658,328, the zone had the highest average price of any area in the city in the third quarter.

Five communities in Zone C had an average sale price of more than $2 million. Bel Aire was the priciest, racking up four sales at an average price of $2,501,375. The other averages were $2,219,166 in Britannia, $2,045,500 in Eagle Ridge, $2,116,428 in Elbow Park/Glencoe and $2,120,468 in Mount Royal.

Meanwhile, neither zone representing quadrants in Calgary’s east end had more than 1,000 sales in the third quarter.

The board’s Zone D, which mostly covers southeast Calgary, saw 909 homes change hands between July 1 and the end of September. The homes sold at an average price of $473,167. Three communities master-planned by Brookfield Residential Properties had the highest sales in this area. There were 109 deals in McKenzie Towne, while Auburn Bay had 78 sales and Cranston had 73.

The fewest sales in the city were in the board’s Zone B, which roughly covers northeast Calgary. In this zone, 741 homes changed hands at an average price of $330,688. The most sales in this zone was in Saddleridge with 67. The highest price in this zone was in the new community of Redstone, where the average sale was for $429,780.

Southwest tops list for resale

                                                                                                                                                     By Josh Skapin, Calgary Herald October 25, 2013

Sales of resale condos in southwest Calgary topped all areas in the city between July 1 and the end of September, says the Calgary Real Estate Board.

The board’s Zone C, which largely covers the quadrant, reached 963 sales in the third quarter of this year. These homes sold for an average price of $343,920.
The zone’s sale totals were driven by the inner-city community of Connaught, where there were 127 transactions. The neighbourhood with the second highest sales was Victoria Park with 52 sales.
Despite leading the city in sales, activity in Zone C between July 1 and the end of September eased 20 per cent from the previous quarter. Between April 1 and the end of June, there were 1,163 sales in the zone.

The next busiest area for sales last quarter was also on the city’s west end.
The board’s Zone A, which roughly consists of northwest Calgary, finished with 558 sales. The average sale price in the zone was $306,746.

Panorama Hills had the highest total in the zone at 37 sales, with the second busiest community consisting of Country Hills Village with 34 moves.
The zone also saw a drop-off from the previous quarter. The board’s Zone D, which roughly covers Calgary’s southeast, had 276 sales in the third quarter of this year. The condos sold for an average price of $280,208.
The established community of McKenzie Towne led the way with 78 sales. New Brighton saw the second highest sales where 27 condos changed hands.

Zone D was the only area to see more condo sales from July 1 to the end of September than the previous three months. There was a five per cent increase compared to the 262 deals between April 1 and the end of June.

The fewest condo sales in the city in the third quarter came in northeast Calgary. The board’s Zone B, which mostly covers northeast Calgary, finished with 144 moves. This was a 20 per cent downturn from the second quarter, when there were 173 sales.

The average price in this area in the third quarter was $200,939. The zone was led by Taradale, which had 19 condos changing hands.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

SOLD 西北区 Hawkwood 西南向walkout 后院$529,900



                                                  401 HAWKTREE CI NW C3588243

MAGNIFICENT 2 STORY SPLIT WALK-OUT IN HAWKWOOD!  This 4 bedroom home is inviting with rich warm colored engineered hardwood just installed through living/dining & family room areas! The kitchen's bright with Loads of counterpace & Stainless appliances!  The Breakfast nook overlooks the family Room! From the kitchen step out onto your HUGE Sunny SW upper deck ...Large decks are a rare find!!  A 4th bedroom/office, laundry room & ½ bath are also on MAIN level.  Upstairs enjoy a large Master bedroom with W-I closet & a 4 pce ensuite! Then a 4pce bath & 2 more Lg sized bedrooms complete the upstairs. The fully developed lower Level features newer carpeting, a 3 pce bath & several big bright windows to benefit the Walk-Out Feature onto your sprawling backyard! New 50gl H20! Underground sprinkler! RI Vacuflo! RI Alarm system! Live on a QUIET street in this gorgeous home, close to schools, parks & a 2 min walk to transportation! Don't miss this one..call today!

Friday, October 4, 2013

SOLD 西北区Ranchview 独立屋两层楼 $367,900


                                                  C3584435  8016  Ranchview Drive NW

A VERSATILE AND CLEAN  4 LEVEL SPLIT HOME!  MAIN FLOOR CONSISTS OF A LIVING ROOM / DINING ROOM AREA (CURRENTLY USED AS A HUGE DINING ROOM),WITH AN ADJOINING KITCHEN AND 2PC BATHROOM WITH PARQUET FLOORING THROUGOUT.  THE SECOND LEVEL BOASTS A  LARGE FAMILY ROOM WITH A FIREPLACE AND THREE VERTICAL WINDOWS.  THE UPPER LEVEL HAS A GOOD SIZED MASTER BEDROOM WITH A WALK-IN CLOSET, TWO BEDROOMS AND A UPGRADED BATHROOM. BASEMENT HAS LARGE WINDOWS AND  CAN BE USED AS A DEN/OFFICE OR  A  FOURTH BEDROOM. BRANDNEW GRANITE COUNTER TOPS IN KITCHEN!!!  NEWER PAINTING, CARPET, STOVE AND HOT WATER TANK. A YARD WITH A LARGE DECK, DOUBLE DETTACHED GARAGE. CLOSE TO SHOPS, SCHOOLS AND TRANSPORTATION!

2013年九月份房地产市场统计


新挂牌量上扬,防止了二手房市场进一步吃紧

   

Calgary, 十月一日, 2013  九月份卡尔加里民宅共成交1,923套, 比去年同期涨19%,比长线均价高出14% 过去三个月的成交量都高过长线均值,只不过九月份比七八月份低一些。

受洪水影响,七八月份成交量猛涨,不过迹象表明这些突加的需求正在减少。尽管如此,成交量增长保持强劲,部分原因是移民人口增长超过预期,而租赁市场有供应短缺。

在目前卡尔加里保持卖方市场的情况下,新挂牌房源正在起变化。自2011年起每月新挂牌量就始终下降,但是过去的三个月来新挂牌量逐步改善,增长量并不能够明显改变市场上在售房源量,但是仍然缓解了日渐紧缩的市场状况。

增加的新挂牌房源给与买家更多选择,无论从社区地段上、还是物业类别、价格上。寻求独立屋低价位段的买家不得不时常调整方向,或者转向周边社区,或者调整物业类别。很多买家认为卖方市场状况导致挂牌价格偏高,所以他们对于价格还是很敏感的。在低价位段房源选择相对有限的情况下,高价位房源选择却多了不少。

共管公寓/apartment、排屋/town houses市场前三个季度分别成交3,147单元、 2,494单元,比同期独立屋市场成交量超两倍。

公寓市场为市内的居民提供可承受价位的房源,其成交量的增长就说明了这点。但是我们要注意的是,市政界内的公寓市场还不足整体民宅的三分之一。

独立屋前九个月共售出13,006 套,比去年同期涨 6.7%。第一第二季度成交平稳,和去年相差无几,第三季度略有涨幅。

紧缩的市场条件支撑了卡尔加里房地产价格的上扬,但是每月不停的增长步伐在九月份放缓了些。

在价格和去年相比还是上涨的情况下,如果新挂牌持续提升,成交价、成交量都回相对平稳过渡到年底。

本月共管公寓市场基准价为$272,900,比2012年涨9.5%,比八月份仅涨0.9% 独立屋市场基准价为$463,700,和八月份相差无几。

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Calgary region sees total housing starts decline in August

But single-detached market increases
                                                                                                                                                                     By Mario Toneguzzi, Calgary Herald September 10, 2013

CALGARY — Total housing starts in the Calgary region were down in August, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.

The agency reported Tuesday that starts of 982 in the Calgary census metropolitan area were off from 1,039 in August 2012.
The single-detached market saw starts rise from 505 last year to 571 this year but the multi-family market experienced a decline from 534 in 2012 to 411 in 2013.

“The trend in single-detached construction remains steady as new home demand benefits from job creation, equity gains in the resale market and rising incomes,” said Richard Cho, senior market analyst in Calgary for the CMHC. “Many prospective buyers have taken advantage of the options in the new home market, especially with mortgage rates relatively low and a decline of active listings in the competing resale market.

“Multi-family starts had declined on a year-over-year basis in August, with fewer semi-detached, row, and apartment units breaking ground. Despite the decline from the previous year, August multi-family starts are not far off from historical averages.”

Year-to-date, total starts are down to 7,929 from 8,993 for the same period last year.
The single-detached market has seen year-to-date starts increase from 3,941 in 2012 to 4,228 this year while the multi-family market has seen a decline to 3,701 this year from 5,052 a year ago.
Cho said multi-family starts are expected to total 5,200 units for the year, down 24 per cent from 2012. Single-detached units, on the other hand, are forecast to increase four per cent in 2013, reaching 6,200 units

“The flooding in June is not expected to have a big impact on the total housing starts number this year,” said Cho. “There have been a number of other factors supporting new home construction and a majority of the housing starts in Calgary takes place in the suburbs, which were less affected by the flooding.”

Across Canada, the seasonally-adjusted rate fell to 180,291 units from 193,021 in July.
Benjamin Reitzes, senior economist with BMO Capital Markets, said Canada’s housing market remains in good shape despite the larger-than-expected decline in August housing starts.

“Indeed, through the first eight months of 2013 starts are averaging 183,200, essentially right on demographic demand. Building permits have also remained healthy in recent months, hinting at some near-term upside for starts. While higher mortgage rates are going to restrain housing sector activity in the second half of the year, the soft landing story remains intact,” he said.

“Alberta accounted for the bulk of the drop in the Prairies, as perhaps the flood cleanup is diverting resources away from new home construction.”

David Onyett-Jeffries, economist with RBC Economics Research, said new home construction in Canada has been fairly stable in 2013 despite monthly gyrations.

“As we move toward 2014, our expectation is that a modest deterioration in housing affordability will weigh on demand and lead to a moderation in starts. We expect housing starts will drift lower over the next year and finish 2014 at levels that are more consistent with household formation in Canada,” he said.

Francis Fong, economist with TD Economics, said the pullback in August is mostly consistent with the bank’s view that the extended period of overbuilding in the Canadian housing market is likely on its last legs.

Fong said a number of factors will keep a lid on construction going forward: the trend pace of homebuilding remains slightly above the rate of household formation and a rising interest rate environment will weigh on the price support needed for builders to continue putting shovels into the ground.

“Ultimately, our view is that housing starts will likely remain close to their current levels for the remainder of the year, but fall to 175,000 units by the end of next year,” said Fong.

Friday, September 6, 2013

成功案例--- 第三次递offer后,成功拿下131万

这是目前最难谈的一套房子,并不是因为递了三次offer,而是买卖双方对价格要求都高!
 

第三次出offer时,客户顺便提了一嘴:“也有朋友介绍其他经纪人给我们,但是我们还是决定跟着你,因为你做了大量工作”。之后自己查了查客户档案,好家伙,到十月份就跟了一年了,现在是10个月。客户都这样说了,更得好好给人家议价啊!!! 

回头说起啊,什么房子呢? 是西北区靠近市中心的inner city 独栋近3000平房尺的两年新房子。第一次出offer时这套房子要价还是1,389,000, 因为客户每回加价后都说这是最高的了,所以卖方代理就跟我说:“你的客户说了两次了,还有新价格,目前这个价格我们成交不了”。 最后我客户的价格是1,335,000,卖家要么接受,要么一拍两散。 

卖家代理呢,我们成交过一套房子,打过交道。实话说,因为前次打交道时,搞不明白我的虚虚实实,所以第二次和我打交道的老外经纪在谈判前就有些心悸,绝对不是对付小菜一碟的那种心态。这种事,是第二回经历了,前次和成交过的西南区Signature  Park一套房子的卖方代理再次打交道时,他就暗示了。总之,因为对方知道我的“厉害”J ,所以回价时比较谨慎了,轻易不敢说漏嘴任何信息。而且,卖家的价格降得太慢太少,双方差距几万呢。总之,我最后告诉卖方代理,如果卖方不能接受1,335,000的话,我的客户就会和房主联系续租三个月,大家一拍两散! 这招好用,代理还真是整明白了现状,但是同意价格的来电晚了一天。我客户的老婆不肯签了,因为看了城市的assessment 120几万,她不肯1.335M买了。 

之后,我们就接着再看看房子,但是没有适合的。所以,大约一个半月后第二次出了offer。不过卖方降价了,目前要价1.349M。这次呢,客户不肯1.335M 买了,因为三个月房租就近13000。而且他们知道卖家能够接受1,335,000,所以,他们希望1.3M内拿下。我们也不肯能从1.2M起谈吧,卖家都知道我们能够接受1.335M了,所以索性1.28Moffer,卖家take it or leave it!  但是,不好用,卖家代理仍然回复给我们1.345Mcounter offer。到offer截至前,双方谁都没有主动联系谁!爱谁谁得,我只好告诉客户,我们不适合主动联系。这种情况下,谁主动联系谁在谈判中就处于被动地位。(从前两次的交锋中,我知道从业34年的卖家代理,确实轻易不会泄露任何信息的。是个难缠的对手!) 

再之后,客户扩大房源范围,还是没有适合的。所以,想在租约再次到期前把房子的事定下来。接到客户想再次出offer的电话时,我都傻眼了。根本没有平时客户要付offer时的那种兴奋,因为知道将是一场非常艰难的谈判! 这时候,谈判策略就相当重要了!!!电话中和客户研究好的策略是,以经纪人自私的角度出发,向卖家代理透露私心,实在累了总是带客户看房子,看看我们双方经纪人是否能够合作起来,配合把交易完成。要不,我这买家代理得忙活到什么时候啊?!为什么要这样切入呢?因为,你想啊,前两次是我客户真心想买,出了offer,两次都没有谈成啊!再出第三次,那卖方、卖方代理心态那个好啊,肯给我们低价成交嘛??? 而且,只有价格低,我的客户才肯签字啊!!!所以,谈判切入点是这次谈判是否成功的要素!

等真的即时演习时,想好那招,一张嘴就变了。打电话时,已经晚上9点了。我告诉卖方代理,我的客户刚和我通过电话,想再次续租三个月。那我这买家代理还不傻了啊,有是三个月。大量带看,也许出offer,也许什么都不会发生。所以,我想跟他深入沟通沟通,看看目前这种情况,我们双方经纪人是否能够齐心配合,把生意促成?他那个高兴啊,非常同情我。说了,会尽最大能力配合我。这当然也可能是他的最后一次机会了啊!然后还给我支好招了,如何做能好些,卖方好接受些,好议价。(注意,要点是,一定要以经纪人的角度切入。要是对方知道是我客户再次出offer了,价格就不好谈了。) 

但是,仍然不那么顺利。按照卖家代理的提议,我们1,305,000offer,这样不会侮辱卖家,一下子又给他们气得不判了。实话说,买家客户真是配合啊,对我相当信任!要是他坚持1.291.3的起价,我也没有办法。但是,因为我知道买家这样做有多不容易,而且买家透露给我:房子要拿下,只是价格越低越好,你去谈吧! 那哪是我去谈吧,是客户出钱啊!所以我轻易不肯加价啊,第一次对方回价1.345;我只加了1000,到1.306M;因为我的加价太少,第二次对方回价到了1.335,也就是我们前次同意的价格;我再次加价20001.308M,不过买家给我的指示是1.315M内拿下就行。接着卖家继续回价1,329,900,我当时就有种不知能够谈到啥时的感觉,心真累啊! 而且,尽管卖家代理想促成交易、和我配合,但他仍然在试探我客户的底线,因为他们的回价明显离我们想成交的价格太远!进展太慢!所以,我不想再加价了,我就讲明了,客户已经从上次的1.28升到1.308了,他们不加了,卖家爱咋地咋地!!! 这招好用,最后对方回复1.31M!!!给买家省了5000J 

这是我目前最难谈的案例,同一套房子出了三次offer才谈成。因为买家“出尔反尔”,卖家都知道我们的底线了,我们还要“厚着脸皮”再往低了谈J 。我始终都是不怕任何困难的人,深信谈判是有技巧的JJJ