This will be very interesting to watch. The Toronto real estate market has already started to correct. Prices are down 20-30% seconds nice earlier this summer. A ton of people eager to buy "before prices go even higher" are getting creamed. Interest rates going up will only make this worse. Hold on tight!!
Prices aren't down 20-30% - you're referring to average sales price. Big difference. It's been attributed to the sales mix (people opting for condos/townhomes)
Bank of Canada increases overnight rate target to 1 per cent
61–70 of 214 posts
Re: Bank of Canada increases overnight rate target to 1 per cent
#62Informational note: The notion of fixed rate mortgages does not exist in Canada. You can lock in for about 5 years, but otherwise your mortgage rate floats with prime. If prime rates rise, borrowers can be on the hook for large amounts of defaults as incomes fail to keep up with higher payments. (canadian housing market exhibits higher sensitivity to interest rates)
That said, fixed rate mortgages almost always cost you more in the long run, though a 5 year term is probably going to screw you less than a 25+ year term.
Re: Bank of Canada increases overnight rate target to 1 per cent
#63Earlier quoted context omitted.
How would you lose value in cash in a way that you wouldn't with a bond?
When you're talking about billions: If you hold it physically, you have to store it and secure it, which costs money. If you deposit it in a commercial bank, it'll be less safe than German bonds.
Re: Bank of Canada increases overnight rate target to 1 per cent
#64The commonwealth countries are all facing a property bubble (Canada, New Zealand, Australia, etc). The household debt levels and property prices didn't taper off nearly as much following the 2008 US housing crisis and has pretty much continued unabated: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/stephen-punwasi/real-estate-bub... Which is fascinating to consider that the Bank of Canada, et al, have let this happen for so long and…
Re: Bank of Canada increases overnight rate target to 1 per cent
#65Informational note: The notion of fixed rate mortgages does not exist in Canada. You can lock in for about 5 years, but otherwise your mortgage rate floats with prime. If prime rates rise, borrowers can be on the hook for large amounts of defaults as incomes fail to keep up with higher payments. (canadian housing market exhibits higher sensitivity to interest rates)
"The notion of fixed rate mortgages does not exist in Canada." ... "You can lock in for about 5 years" what?
Re: Bank of Canada increases overnight rate target to 1 per cent
#66Informational note: The notion of fixed rate mortgages does not exist in Canada. You can lock in for about 5 years, but otherwise your mortgage rate floats with prime. If prime rates rise, borrowers can be on the hook for large amounts of defaults as incomes fail to keep up with higher payments. (canadian housing market exhibits higher sensitivity to interest rates)
"The notion of fixed rate mortgages does not exist in Canada." ... "You can lock in for about 5 years" what?
Re: Bank of Canada increases overnight rate target to 1 per cent
#67Relatedly, the Toronto housing market that kept shooting up even as the US hit its 2008 housing crisis now have hit their top: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-06/toronto-h...
Places as far as Vaughan and Milton are expensive. We're talking decent detached houses (slightly above starter home) for over 1 million.
Re: Bank of Canada increases overnight rate target to 1 per cent
#68The commonwealth countries are all facing a property bubble (Canada, New Zealand, Australia, etc). The household debt levels and property prices didn't taper off nearly as much following the 2008 US housing crisis and has pretty much continued unabated: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/stephen-punwasi/real-estate-bub... Which is fascinating to consider that the Bank of Canada, et al, have let this happen for so long and…
I believe the official stance of the bank of Canada is inflation is below target hence the low rates being acceptable for so long. What I don't understand (and I hope someone can shine some light on!) is the basket of goods they use to measure inflation doesn't seem to be very impacted by low interest rates - therefore how will the low rates increase inflation? i.e. banks will only lend to me at below 5% if I'm buyin…
The problem of conecting the economists theoretic definition of general price level is quite tricky to nail down. The commenly used CPI or even Core CPI does not perform very well.
Many economist would now argue that instread of focusing on CPI price level measure we should use either total spending directly, or use a different price level measure like the 'GDP deflator'.
What I did not talk about is that many prices are foreward looking, so prices start adjusting before demand if things are expected.
Re: Bank of Canada increases overnight rate target to 1 per cent
#69Earlier quoted context omitted.
"The notion of fixed rate mortgages does not exist in Canada." ... "You can lock in for about 5 years" what?
Mortgages are typically longer than 5 years.
Re: Bank of Canada increases overnight rate target to 1 per cent
#70Earlier quoted context omitted.
I believe the official stance of the bank of Canada is inflation is below target hence the low rates being acceptable for so long. What I don't understand (and I hope someone can shine some light on!) is the basket of goods they use to measure inflation doesn't seem to be very impacted by low interest rates - therefore how will the low rates increase inflation? i.e. banks will only lend to me at below 5% if I'm buyin…
Well, you hit on it directly. Cost of housing ought to be included in inflation measures.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2014/02/24/housing_infla...