July 2022

The construction industry and companies like SilverBeam Homes are currently pressured by the cement shortage. 

Cement, a necessary ingredient for concrete, currently in short supply, so we are seeing delays piling up. We are not the only ones behind right now. While we are waiting on deliveries, other like companies and providers are waiting too. 

When concrete contractors can’t keep up with the supply, we can’t get the tools we need to continue our construction projects. We have schedules to meet, and these delays impact our scheduled deliverables to our clients. 

What Is the Cause of the Concrete Shortage?

The ready mixed concrete Association of Ontario indicates that the culprits are:

1. Increased prices
2. Increased demand 
3. Labor shortages

With many cement plants having equipment breakdowns and malfunctions, there has been a disruption in supply. Some plants saw these issues in the beginning of July, causing projects to be delayed and some even canceled. 

With production slowed, it has been hard for us to stay up to task. With the issues of finding concrete, our project costs can change, which no customer wants to hear right now. The worst part, it seems we are still in the early stages of the shortage. 

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There are some consumer protections being entered into British Columbia that should help new homebuyers entering the housing market. They made it their objective to outline exactly what those protections looked like before they were released. 

The details of phase one were announced. The provincial minister made the announcement at a news conference in Vancouver on July 21, 2022. The measures she described are a definite first in the country. And definitely will protect home buyers from the higher risks of the housing market.  

Many home buyers feel like they need to waive all conditions when they are buying a home. But these new legal protections will come into effect on January 1st, 2023. This protection will provide home buyers with a non-waivable protection period after their offer is accepted. 

There are fees, so the seller is protected to some extent if the buyer chooses to back out. There is a rescission fee of 0.25% of the purchase price of the home. So the seller would get to keep some of the down payment for being inconvenienced. 

Introduction as a Cooling-Off Period

Anyone who doesn’t take advantage of this will only have 3 days to arrange financing, home inspection, and other things necessary to complete a home purchase. Buyers still have the ability to make offers, find financing, and schedule home inspections, but the protection period will give them some additional time to ensure they know what they are getting into if they are working with a condition free offer. 

The provincial government consulted with the British Columbia Financial Services Authority before creating their final plan. They also consulted with realtors, appraisers, inspectors, financial experts and legal experts.  

The BCREA’s Take on the Plan

Even with all the consultations, the plan is still being seen as controversial. This year, the British Columbia Real Estate Association called the plan ineffectual. They also indicated the plan was finalized without enough consultation. 

The British Columbia Real Estate Association’s CEO indicates their extreme disappointment in the policy. They indicate it goes against the advice recommended in May for consumer protection measures as a part of an overall package, instead of this a la carte style. 

They see this decision as one that undermines the independence and expertise of the regulator, and that the policy addresses concerns that have changed since the first time the cooling off period was brought up.

The BCREA doesn’t believe that the plan will stand up to the test of the market conditions which are ever changing. They additionally indicated that the best protections could not come from government interventions, but from the BCFSA’s research and decision-making. 

Without that, there is no real positive change to be expected, Koot said. The BCREA estimates that 10% increase in bids is caused because of this new system, and they indicate this will drive up prices. 

The Good and The Bad Of the Policy

One of the biggest failures of the policy is its failure to address housing affordability’s root cause. This is the lack of housing supply in the province. The plan does however give home buyers some peace of mind, and it does this will also protect the seller’s interest.   

Another good is that the province indicates they will be monitoring the impacts and will continue to study advice from the BCFSA. 

What’s your take on the policy? Are you excited about the change and the possible benefits to buyers and sellers?

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Just a week ago, the Canada Housing and Mortgage Corporation announced 260 new homes. Of the 260, only 86 of them were considered affordable. With 2 million Canadians currently priced out of the housing market, this announcement was nothing short of an insult. It seems the powers that be are more interested in protecting the status quo and are not focused on disrupting a dysfunctional market. 

This isn’t unfamiliar ground though. The last time the government invested a sensible amount into co-operative housing was in the early 1990’s. So a $1.5 billion dollar investment by the government is the biggest investment in 30 years. How far will this investment go? It will go into 6,000 new co-operative housing units. The truth is that City Councils in Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto are refusing to end exclusionary zoning. 

Young Buyers Suffering the Most

Who is bearing the brunt of all this? Younger buyers who have put all their chips to the middle of the table. These young buyers are now experiencing rising mortgage payments and are watching as their equity disappears. Even those who were waiting for the market to get better find themselves getting behind, with rising rates crushing their ability to afford their potential home. 

First time homebuyers are not seeing too much of a break, and existing homeowners are realizing an erosion in their equity as much as 30%. 

It has been a long time since we have seen a major housing announcement that helps potential homeowners get into their home. What we can’t have is business as usual. Until our government is willing to accept lower prices in British Columbia and other key markets to lower housing prices. 

Until our government is willing to make the decisions that will be unpopular, you do have the option to build your own home. Here at SilverBeam Homes, we can help you with that. Give us a call today, and let’s see how we can help you make your dream of owning a home a reality. 

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It was the intention of the Bank of Canada to do a rate hike that would cool the housing market. While also curbing inflation. We are starting to see that these high interests are subduing some sales activity. But the pain for homebuyers is now starting, as well as for homeowners too. 

Interest rates are climbing, and inflation rates are climbing as well. Homebuyers are left to carry heavier financial burdens if they decide to go ahead with their goals of owning a home. Especially affected are first-time home buyers, since they are just entering the market with no equity coming in. 

The Double-Whammy Effect 

The situation is discouraging for many homebuyers. The interest rates are increasing, but the prices for homes are still high. This means down payments and mortgage payments are going to be higher. 

Many expected the higher interest rate to affect home sales. But even though there is a slight shift to more balanced conditions, sales are still at record levels and prices are above the 2022 expectations. 

Vulnerabilities for Homeowners

Some strategists expect to see a 0.75% increase in the policy rate by the Bank of Canada. But they are also not discounting the fact that there could still be a full-point hike. The most vulnerable Canadians are those with a Home Equity line of credit or HELOC. 

Many HELOCs have variable-rate interest rates, and so when interest rates rise, buyers may find themselves with higher payments out of nowhere. In these cases, the principal is sensitive to the rate hike. This is because a bank’s interest rate on HELOcs is tied to their prime lending rate. 

Even if the lender offers a specified period where they offer a fixed-term home equity loan. This is true regardless of the increase or decrease on the principal. 

New Stipulations 

In late 2023, it is expected that the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) will need borrowers to pay principal and interest when they have a combined loan that is above 65% of the value of the home. 

Dividend Machine 

The real estate sector has been underperforming on the stock market with a 22.67% year to date. It is actually the 3rd worst performing sector, coming in after healthcare and technology. However, we are still seeing a popularity in income investigation, especially for choice properties. 

The 5.27% dividend is at $14.09 per share, and there has been the return to profitability of the $4.62 billion REIT in Q! Of 2022, thanks to positive leasing momentum and rent collections. The net income for the quarter was almost at $387 million, compared to a net loss of $62.2 million in Q1 of 2021. 

The core assets for this REIT are industrial and retail properties, but we see that the residential platform is seeing some amount of growth. Core assets and the development pipeline are or should be focused in the near term. 

Rate Hikes Have Consequences

The rules are being tightened by the OSFI. Some mortgage products are seeing this tightening to ensure that homeowners do not end up drowning in a debt that continues to place them into deeper debt. If we are to see a supersized rate hike soon, this could completely freeze the housing market and cause a decline in the value of homes on the market. 

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