Research shows home prices are at their least affordable in the past three decades. New buyers are facing a number of challenges, one of which is affordability. For many, it is a race to try and keep up with home prices. A race they are losing as home prices continue to increase.
Property values have seen a notable drop in our market and many other markets year to date. But prices are still higher than their pre-COVID levels. The onset of the pandemic caused a housing market boom in Canada.
In August 2022, the Housing Affordability Index showed that Canadians had less affordable homes available to them. The available numbers were fewer than at any point in the last 30 years. Many Canadians are now left with the sad reality that owning a home is now out of their reach.
The National Bank noted in August that Canada was seeing its “worst deterioration” in affordability in 41 years. This was for the second quarter of this year alone. This was the sixth successive quarterly decline. The National Bank further indicated that on average 63.9% of income was necessary to maintain a mortgage. This level has only been seen in 1982 prior to now. We can blame rising internet rates for this. This further caused a significant slowdown in the market, causing home prices to slide below 12.8%.
Vancouver was among the cities to witness the biggest deterioration in the second quarter. The most modest declines were registered by Calgary and Quebec.
What to Expect
The National Bank noted that with home prices falling and with the five year mortgage rate being stabilized, affordability could improve as we close out 2022.
Robert Hogue, economist at the Royal Bank of Canada, predicted that home prices are likely to hit their lowest in spring. We expect to see the most significant price declines in Ontario and British Columbia.
What HomeBuyers are Doing
Many homebuyers are now seeking co-signers for their mortgages. While this is an unconventional method, it has gotten popular with the affordability challenges that people are facing. While it may not be fun for you to ask a parent or friend to co-sign, it is what can help you get into the housing market, and that for many is worth it.
Cosigning is also beneficial to the lender as they reduce their risk because they are loaning to you a first time homebuyer so if you run into difficulties paying you have the option of the co-signer stepping in to make those payments for you. The lender has the additional security with a co-signer that can boost your chances of getting the loan.
As a matter of fact, the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce revealed that close to the end of last year 30% of new buyers had help from a family member or friend when purchasing their home. We see gifted amounts increasing as the prices in the market surged up. ⅔ of new buyers received a financial gift to add to their principal source of funds. In fact, over $10 billion was provided in gift payments, according to one report from the CIBC. The report also indicated that 5% of the relatives doing gift payments were doing so through debt and for the most expensive markets in Toronto and Vancouver.
Other Options for First HomeBuyers
If you feel like you have been priced out of the market and have no options for owning a home. Don’t give up just yet. Contact us here at SilverBeam Homes and let us help you see through the possibility of building your home from the ground up.
When you work with us, you can build a customized home that specifically meets your needs, and we work with you to stay on and under budget while giving you the best home to move into. If the market is currently giving you the blues, all hope is not lost. Call us and let us talk.
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