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Monthly Real Estate Update
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The Globe And Mail
"I didn't understand the Home Buyer's Plan. What now?" By John Heinzl
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I contributed $25,000 to my registered retirement savings plan for the sole purpose of withdrawing the funds under the Home Buyers’ Plan to buy a condo. Later I learned there is a 90-day waiting period for withdrawals. Does that mean I will not be able to use the money for my down payment? Is there any way I can access these RRSP funds?
The Home Buyers Plan is a great tool for first-time home buyers. It allows you to withdraw up to $25,000 tax-free from your RRSP to buy or build a qualifying home, and to repay the money to your RRSP over a period of up to 15 years. However, your predicament underscores why it’s important to read the fine print before you make any important financial decision.
The Canada Revenue Agency is very clear on the rules. “Your RRSP contributions must remain in the RRSP for at least 90 days before you can withdraw them under the HBP, or they may not be deductible for any year,” the CRA’s website says.
For example, if you made your RRSP contribution on Sept. 1, you would have to wait until Nov. 29 to withdraw the money, or you would not qualify for an RRSP deduction for the funds. (This is assuming you did not have any other money in the RRSP before you made the $25,000 contribution.)
There may be ways around the problem, however, says Camillo Lento, a chartered accountant and lecturer in accounting at Lakehead University.
For example, you could try to delay your closing date and withdrawal until after the 90-day period has passed. The CRA would then allow you to deduct the $25,000 from your income, potentially creating a tax refund.
You need to be aware of another rule, however. Before applying to withdraw funds under the HBP you must have a written agreement to buy or build a home, with the condition that your final withdrawal under the HBP can be no later than 30 days after the closing date. Any withdrawals after the 30-day period would be included in your income and subject to tax.
Keeping these rules in mind, Mr. Lento suggests another option: You could plan to close your home purchase, say, 62 days after you made the RRSP contribution, using a line of credit to make the down payment. You could then withdraw the $25,000 under the HBP 29 or 30 days later and pay off the line of credit. That way, you would meet both the 90-day and 30-day conditions and qualify for a refund.
“If he hasn’t purchased the house yet, he can probably make it work,” Mr. Lento says.
If you’ve already bought the house and it’s not an option to delay the closing, you can still access the $25,000 for your down payment by bypassing the HBP and just making a regular withdrawal from your RRSP, he says. In that case, you would be subject to withholding tax on the funds, but you would qualify for a deduction and tax refund. Ultimately, it would be a wash, because the $25,000 RRSP contribution and $25,000 withdrawal would cancel each other out.
Before you make a decision, I recommend you consult the CRA or a tax professional.
OREA - Realtor Edge
November 2011
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Royal LePage's Quarterly House Price Survey & Report |
CANADIAN HOUSE PRICE RALLY EXTENDED AS LOW RATES AND RELATIVELY STABLE DOMESTIC ECONOMY BRACE CONFIDENCE
Softening seen in some regions but suggestions of impending US-style correction unfounded, according to Royal LePage
TORONTO, October 5, 2011 - The Royal LePage House Price Survey released today showed the average price of a home in Canada increased between 5.7 and 7.8 per cent in the third quarter of 2011, compared to the previous year. The strength of home price appreciation in the third quarter defied expectations as very low interest rates buoyed consumer confidence in a comparatively stable Canadian economy. Year-over-year gains appear deceptively strong in comparison to a weak third quarter of 2010.
"The strength in Canada’s national housing market conceals signs of predictable softening in some regions," said Phil Soper, president and chief executive of Royal LePage Real Estate Services. "The third quarter saw a return to a normal seasonal business cycle as price appreciation slowed in many areas – with some average values even falling slightly – after the busy spring trading season. A broader slowdown is expected in the months ahead but fears of a US-style correction are completely unfounded."
In the third quarter of 2011, the national average price of a detached bungalow rose 7.8 per cent year-over-year to $349,974, while standard two-storey homes rose 7.7 per cent to $388,218 and standard condominiums rose 5.7 per cent to $239,300.
"To best provide Canadians with an accurate look at the housing market, Royal LePage uses year-over-year comparisons as the housing market follows a seasonal pattern. It is important to note that our 2011 third quarter results benefit greatly by going head-to-head with what was by far the previous year’s weakest period," continued Soper.
Sustained demand from foreign buyers helped drive prices up in the country’s largest markets as Vancouver’s standard two-storey homes rose 16.9 per cent year-over-year to $1,142,500 while detached bungalows in Toronto climbed 9.4 per cent to $518,433. Conversely, while the volume of homes trading hands has increased in Alberta, house prices in the province remained soft with detached bungalows in Calgary falling 1.0 per cent in the third quarter. Similarly, detached bungalows and standard two-storey homes in Victoria fell 2.0 and 1.1 per cent respectively.
"Canadian home owners have turned a deaf ear to the negative economic situation shaking housing markets in Europe and the United States," added Soper. "A resilient domestic economy coupled with the stimulative effect of ultra low interest rates has extended the post-recession bounce in house prices, but there is evidence of over-shooting in some markets. Although some commentators are predicting that the sky will fall on the Canadian housing market in a US-style implosion, we lack the structural conditions that precipitated the housing crash in the United States six years ago."
REGIONAL MARKET SUMMARIES
In Atlantic Canada, while other major markets remained relatively flat year-over-year, Halifax posted healthy gains in all three housing types surveyed with standard condominiums increasing 10.4 per cent. Similarly, standard condominiums in Saint John also witnessed an increase of 10.4 per cent. This is attributable to sales of higher-end waterfront listings.
Continued confidence in Montreal’s residential real estate market remained strong as year-over-year prices for standard two-storey homes rose 4.4 per cent to $367,500 while standard condominiums rose 7.6 per cent to $236,333.
Healthy price appreciation was witnessed in all three housing types surveyed in Ottawa, as standard two-storey homes rose on average 8.4 per cent. Standard condominiums and detached bungalows increased 7.9 per cent and 7.0 per cent respectively.
Toronto witnessed impressive price gains across all three housing types surveyed due to a lack of supply. Standard two-storey homes increased 7.6 per cent year-over-year and detached bungalows 9.4 per cent over the same period. Standard condominiums increased a healthy but more modest 6.0 per cent as demand was more easily met with a higher level of inventory.
Population growth is fueling Winnipeg’s healthy price appreciation as standard condominiums increased 6.4 per cent, detached bungalows increased 5.1 per cent and standard two-storey homes increased 4.4 per cent.
Both Calgary and Edmonton remained relatively flat year-over-year except for standard condominiums, which increased 3.2 per cent and 3.9 per cent respectively. Two storey-homes in Edmonton also posted a gain of 3.8 per cent.
Vancouver’s traditional housing types performed exceptionally well as detached bungalows rose 17.0 per cent year-over-year and standard two-storey homes rose 16.9 per cent. Condominiums in the city increased a more modest, but healthy, 5.1 per cent due to higher inventory.
Royal LePage’s quarterly House Price Survey shows the annual change of prices for key housing segments in select national markets. Click here to download the chart 
About the Royal LePage House Price Survey
The Royal LePage House Price Survey is the largest, most comprehensive study of its kind in Canada, with information on seven types of housing in over 250 neighbourhoods from coast to coast. This release references an abbreviated version of the survey which highlights house price trends for the three most common types of housing in Canada in 90 communities across the country. A complete database of past and present surveys is available on the Royal LePage Web site at www.royallepage.ca. Current figures will be updated following the complete tabulation of the data for the third quarter 2011. A printable version of the third quarter 2011 survey will be available online on November 4th, 2011.
Housing values in the Royal LePage House Price Survey are Royal LePage opinions of fair market value in each location, based on local data and market knowledge provided by Royal LePage residential real estate experts.
Royal LePage Q3 2011 House Price Survey - Data Chart
About Royal LePage
Serving Canadians since 1913, Royal LePage is the country’s leading provider of services to real estate brokerages, with a network of 14,000 real estate professionals in over 600 locations nationwide. Royal LePage is the only Canadian real estate company to have its own charitable foundation, the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation, dedicated to supporting women's & children’s shelters and educational programs aimed at ending domestic violence. Royal LePage is a Brookfield Real Estate Services Inc. company, a TSX-listed corporation trading under the symbol TSX:BRE.
For more information, visit www.royallepage.ca.
For further information, please contact:
Michael Gotzamanis
Fleishman-Hillard Canada
(416) 598-5788
michael.gotzamanis@fleishman.ca
Tammy Gilmer
Director, Global Communications & Public Relations
Royal LePage Real Estate Services
(416) 510-5783
tgilmer@royallepage.ca |
Canadian Mortgage & Housing Corporation
News Release
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Canadian Housing Market to Remain Steady in 2011
OTTAWA, August 24, 2011 — Housing starts are forecast to remain steady in 2011 and 2012, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) third quarter Housing Market Outlook, Canada Edition.1
“Housing starts have been strong in the last few months, but are forecast to moderate closer in line with demographic fundamentals,” said Mathieu Laberge, Deputy Chief Economist for CMHC. “Despite recent financial uncertainty, factors such as employment, immigration and mortgage rates remain supportive of the Canadian housing sector.”
Housing starts will be in the range of 166,300 to 197,200 units in 2011, with a point forecast of 183,200 units. In 2012, housing starts will be in the range of 161,700 to 207,200 units, with a point forecast of 183,900 units.
Existing home sales will be in the range of 425,000 to 472,500 units in 2011, with a point forecast of 446,700 units, essentially the same level as in 2010. In 2012, MLS®2 sales are expected to move up modestly in the range of 407,500 to 510,000 units, with a point forecast of 458,000 units.
The average MLS® price increased in the first half of 2011 partly as a result of more higher-end homes sold during that period. For the remainder of 2011, the average MLS® price is expected to moderate. Nevertheless, the annual average MLS® price will experience an overall increase in 2011 compared to last year. As the existing home market moves to more balanced markets, growth in the average MLS® price in 2012 is expected to be more modest.
As Canada's national housing agency, CMHC draws on more than 65 years of experience to help Canadians access a variety of quality, environmentally sustainable and affordable housing solutions. CMHC also provides reliable, impartial and up-to-date housing market reports, analysis and knowledge to support and assist consumers and the housing industry in making informed decisions.
1 The forecasts included in the Housing Market Outlook reflect information available as of August 12, 2011. Where applicable, forecast ranges are also presented in order to reflect financial and economic uncertainty.
2 Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) is a registered trademark owned by the Canadian Real Estate Association.
Information on this release:
Charles Sauriol
CMHC Media Relations
613-748-2799
csauriol@cmhc-schl.gc.ca
Top 1% in Ottawa & Canada
for 39 Consecutive Years
Top Selling Agent - Again!
"We would like to congratulate Mrs. Joan Smith once again for being the top salesperson for the MLS districts comprising Kanata for Royal LePage Team Realty for the calendar year 2010. Joan just completed her 40th year in real estate and, incredibly, she has ranked in the top 1% of our franchise colleagues nationally across Canada for 39 consecutive years and is #58 out of over 14,000 agents. This is an astounding achievement that, to the best of our knowledge, is unparalleled in our industry.
It is often said that the best predictor of future success is past results. Through all industry innovations and market fluctuations, Joan has remained at the forefront through adaptation and dedication. Joan's ability to serve and satisfy home sellers and buyers for 4 decades is an awesome achievement that speaks to her continued professionalism and dedication.
Congratulations Joan & Team!"
Kent Browne Randy Oickle, B.A., LL.B.
President & Broker of Record V.P., Broker & General Manager
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