Hot Water Heater Rentals

We just had our Hot Water Heater (rental) replaced. After the installation I read the back:(. Apparently if we ever want to change companies or buy our own we will have to buy out the hot water heater from the company at a prorated cost depending on age. If you are buying a property and don't want the hot water heater in the property then be careful in your agreement of Purchase and Sale that you are not agreeing to assume the contract from the Seller. This will cost you extra $ when you change it. If you don't assume the rental then the seller will have to remove the hot water heater. Of course upon taking possession you will have to arrange for the new heater to be installed if you want hot water. Count your pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves:)

Market Slowdown was expected!

Market slowdown!
This was anticipated and I believe the market will pick up in September after kids have returned to school; most cottages are closed for the winter, summer vacation is over, teenagers have settled in university and nursery’s swing into full operation. There is a lot of preparation in August for the beginning of our fall routine which starts after the Labor Day weekend. If you are participating in any of the above it’s hard to divide your time into other activities. Real Estate has for the 24 years I have been selling is slow this time of year.
Now let’s add the implementation of the HST which slowed our market even more. The anticipation of the new tax caused a “run” on properties in the spring. Our market corrected for the extra activity through the summer same as it did with the implementation of the GST.
Utility surprises when we opened our bills in July with the new tax and remember Hydro announced in June a 17% increase. That takes a little getting used to!
TGSO, thank god summer’s over! and we return to a normal market.
Is our market going to take off and go crazy? No I think we are going to experience a steady balanced market. If you are selling make sure your property is priced right and you have followed “prepare you home for showing” checklist found at www.link2realty.ca/articles/PreparingYourHomeForShowing.pdf (copy paste in your browser)now is a great time to prepare for the after Labor Day movement!

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This is a copy paste from LSTAR Bulletin...exciting news

Home Ownership Assistance Program
Good news for your clients who are low-to-moderate income earners! This year, the City of London offers again the Affordable Homeownership Assistance Program. This successful program consists of an interest free loan for qualifying home buyers to assist with downpayment and closing costs.

To be eligible, households must have a gross household income of $55,000 or less, and must be approved for a mortgage at a recognized financial institution. The selling price of the home must be no higher than $140,000. New this year is an increase to the closing cost assistance, which has been raised to 3% from 1%.

The Homeownership Assistance Program is a partnership between the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and the City of London through the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program (AHP) which offers people with low-to-moderate earnings the opportunity to purchase a home in London and Middlesex County.

The federal and provincial governments have set the deadline of December 31, 2010 to expend the funding allocated to the City of London. Call me for more details

90% Rule HST

CRA is offering HST seminar’s to help us understand the new charges and changes coming. I went to one last week hoping to learn something, meet new people and well you never know where your next listing or purchaser will come from! The course was highly informative I suggest you attend one. I am predicting a flurry of activity especially in the renovation business as we approach the HST start date July 2010. Real estate is affected. Anything that had GST is now subject to HST. That adds to the cost of selling a home and to the cost of buying a home.
Like anything there will be a transition. Today I am writing about the 90% rule. If 90% of the service has been performed before July start date then no HST is applicable. Say you list and sell a house in May conditionally. It firms up in June but doesn’t close until August 15th. As the listing agent 90% of your service or work has been completed before July 1st therefore no HST is applicable.
That makes sense to me but to be sure I suggest you document your work just in case 1 day 5 years later you are been audited. My opinion; a lot easier reviewing notes than trying to remember old sales.

Quick thoughts...

Lots of rain followed by lots of sales. 1 floor homes in Old North and Old South have experienced multiple offers, sales are strong i thnk stronger than other summers. Can this continue? Where are all the jobs coming from? I hear Fanshawe is going crazy with the 2nd career programs. Inteerest rates are really really low. UWO is under new leadership sounds like a new direction. Interesting times ahead.

What are your thoughts?

Bricks & Mortar REAL ESTATE REPORTER

My June 2009 edition of Bricks & Mortar Real Estate Reporter is now available. Visit here to read.

To receive my newsletter by email, drop me a line at tom@dampsy.ca.

Home sales on the rise

Sales of detached homes in April topped the same month last year. According to the London St. Thomas Association of Realtors (LSTAR), 666 detached homes sold last month, compared to 654 last April. Total units sold decreased 4.5% because only 138 condos sold compared to 188 in April 2008.

This is the third consecutive month of improvement since January when total sales were down 35% compared to the year before. Prices have also seen improvement; average price of homes sold from January to April is $207,591, down only 1.8% from the same period last year.

New tax credits and programs allowing homebuyers to draw money from their RRSP for home purchases were a big driving force in the market - attracting first-time homebuyers. And with London's diverse economy, we've been more insulated from a sharp downturn in house prices hitting some other cities such as St. Thomas. Heavily dependent on the auto industry, they're really feeling the pinch with a 27% drop in sales in April, compared to same month last year.

Home sales are important economic generators in themselves. A new national study shows each home sale generates $46,400 in additional spending on furniture, appliance, and renovation moving and legal fees. Past recessions have shown that real estate sales typically rebound before the job market and general economy.

Home energy efficiency...consider a voluntary energy audit

Mary and I just came back from 2 ½ intensive days taking a passive solar course in friendly, rainy Truro Nova Scotia. Make sure you stop in at Murphy’s fish and Chips located on the Esplanade. There is a reason it is rated Atlantic’s best! I am not going to build a passive solar home, but I am going to use and adapt the principles in the course to help make my living conditions more comfortable and cost efficient.

When my buyer is seriously considering a property I encourage them to call the utility companies. This gives you a starting point for the energy costs for that property. I say a starting point because too many questions are unanswered; How hot did they keep the house? How old are the occupants? Who is there during the day? How many hours watching TV? The answer to these questions helps us understand the routine of the house.

An energy audit will help. The government’s new position now makes energy audits voluntary rather than mandatory (yes, that's right; no more mandatory energy audits!). Consider doing one and sharing with prospective buyers, not only will it help the buyer; they may forgo doing a home inspection! Everywhere you look today it is “green” this and “green” that. You can even receive rebates for making your property more energy efficient.

I ask my sellers to tape the heating bills to the furnace. Sharing the costs helps answer a basic buyer question. The rest is educating…you know…for every 2° over 70 can increase your heating bill as much as 15%. Babies and elderly people often keep their homes between 72 & 76. Programmable thermostats reduce heating costs when used properly and increase costs when not.

Back to the passive solar course, I re-learned the angle of the sun between winter and summer and its efficiency time, roughly high noon and 15°- 30° either way. In the winter allow the sun in during the day and let it warm something that can radiate heat. In the summer keep it out to help keep your home cooler. The result is less energy needed to heat or cool your home. I learned a lot this past weekend. Living in an old house our forefathers knew a lot about this emerging technology; history does repeat itself. A penny saved is a dollar earned!

Two similar properties offered for sale, 1 costs $500.00 more to heat…if you were on a budget which would you choose? Which is worth more?

Do you have any tips to share? Are you doing anything to reduce your utility costs without giving up your comfort? Please share.

My thoughts on the new mandatory energy audits

Energy Audits before you sell your home, I’m not sure on this one.

Pro: Lets the buyer know the efficiency of the property they are buying?
Con: Can be used against the seller in negotiating a final/fair price.

Pro: Shows the buyers where improvements can be made to save money on their energy usages.
Con: Forces the seller to spend $

Pro: National Association of Green Agents and Brokers apparently has a kit for a preliminary examination which points out areas in which small changes can help reduce energy costs and improve a property’s score.
Con: Question: could anybody “cook the books” for a better score?

Pro: Only licensed auditors will perform these audits.
Con: Exactly what does the licensing entail? Licensing plumbers, electricians and carpenters take several years; will an auditor be as educated? After all, they are providing a professional opinion indirectly on these trades.

I read that new windows don’t necessarily save money (energy) compared to old. I believe most building inspectors will tell you my 100 year old windows should be replaced. I get a little anal sometimes and this winter we tested out my “grandparent theory”… Close the drapes! Our living/dining room is 30 feet by 16 feet with 2 large windows facing south and 2 large windows facing west. Our experiment involved opening the drapes one evening, and closing them the next. We found a 4-5° difference in temperature. Our grandparents were right, 5° warmer with the drapes closed! So if you want to be warmer…close the drapes. If you want them open, understand the extra cost associated. It’s your money!

My drapes would be closed for an energy audit. Would I pass or fail? How would we know if any standard testing could be strictly adhered to? Impossible! I am all for reducing costs through education and choices but I don’t believe we should be forced.

Comments Please?

Can't we all just get along?..

I just returned from visiting my mom in Winnipeg. The Winnipeg news featured 3 top stories throughout the weekend. The flood and how the communities are pulling together helping one another, Susan Boyle the singing sensation from Britain’s Got Talent show - over 35 million views on You Tube within the week - showing us anything is possible, and the unions comments about the Chrysler bail out.

I hate win lose situations; I much prefer win-win. The union has publicly announced they will not negotiate anymore with the government. The fate of the company hangs while this game continues to play out. Windsor with 14% unemployment does not want to afford another plant closing. I hope it is the workers in that plant that are voting for their fate. You see, they are not just voting for their fate, but the fate of many businesses and communities these workers and this company supports. The decision to keep working and take less money during this downturn should be the decision of the people working at the plant…those affected the most.

I know someone who owns a company with a fairly large workforce. The union contract is up in the fall; apparently he has asked to negotiate now so that he can bid on jobs and keep his people working. No work, no pay! Because he does not know what his labor rates will be, he cannot bid on work. Who loses? The worker, you, and me! I am not against unions, but I am against win-lose. Cami kept 2 shifts going on reduced work weeks and unemployment picks up some of the tab. That means we all share in this; that to me is a win-win, working together, supporting our communities together.

Together we stand, divided we fall! As REALTORS® we compete against one another and then turn around and work with one another with one common goal sell a property; make a buyer happy and a seller happy. By working towards a win-win anything becomes possible.

Get Rich, Stay Rich

March sales in our area rebound with a fury…yeah! Sales were within 7% of last year. I realize we had a pent up of buyers from the miserable winter we had but I am cautiously optimistic. Is our market dead? Nope, I don’t think so, I think we will remain stable and balanced.

I just read a book called “Get Rich, Stay Rich, Pass it on” by Catherine S. McBreen and George H. Walper Jr. Interesting read, a little repetitive for me however overwhelmingly this book goes on about owning investment real estate. The findings are based on 10 years or research interviewing thousands of families. It confirms what I call the “Department Store” effect. At any one point stocks are up and real estate is down or real estate is up and stocks are down. By investing in different areas helps insulate us from challenging times.

I am a REALTOR® so investment real estate works for me ;). Rental income produces a constant monthly return well into our future. In fact, it is something you can pass onto your heirs. Land, “if you can afford it”, can be easier to manage, bigger pay off usually longer hold pattern for a return.

First things first: credit card debt should be paid off monthly, your first investment should be your home and from there carefully consider what could work for you, do you hire a management company or do you take more of a hand’s on approach? Worth discussing further.

Everyone's circumstance is different. There are some very good (as Warren Buffet calls them) cigar butts out there that do not cost a lot of $ (investment) to enter the market. Interest rates are incredibly low, maybe it’s time to take advantage!

I always have time for a coffee or a juice!

New "tenant tax"?

If the City council approves, owners of small apartment buildings, with six or fewer units, will be required to obtain a license at a cost of $150 per unit every five years to allow for city inspections to ensure housing standards are met.

The new rules would allow bylaw officers to blitz neighbourhoods they believe to be rife with problems, but they would still have to give a month's notice to tenants and landlords before inspecting inside homes.

London real estate market update

A small drop in sales is good news for London. The London area real estate market saw a decline in sales by 7.2% (detached homes).

The London St. Thomas Association of Realtors (LSTAR) reports 551 detached homes and 118 condos sold in March. The total sales of 669 units is down 10.2% compared to 745 in the same month last year.

This is a great improvement compared to the 35% drop in January, and 30% in February. And when you look at what's happening in other markets, a 7.2% decline isn't so bad.

Prices have remained stable; the average house price for the first quarter of 2009 was $206,944, which is down by only 2.7% from last year.

Active listings in March was up 20% compared to same month last year, while home sales in St. Thomas jumped 14.6%--although house prices in St. Thomas have decreased more than any other London area (down 7.2%)

The London area market is living up to its reputation as a long-term stable market.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of HST

The Good

Tax experts predict the average Ontario family will be further ahead despite harmonized sales tax. Lower-income families will get hit a bit more, but the tax rebate will cushion that.

Harmonizing GST and PST is good for businesses because it lets them recover money now lost to retail sales taxes and use it for investment in new equipment and machinery. Currently, businesses receive a rebate on the GST, but not PST.

A study of Quebec, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick - which harmonized their GST and sales taxes - found business investment jumped and prices (of goods & services already taxed) decreased.

In the long run, more jobs will be created (better jobs that require equipment and machinery behind them which may pay better) and increased job security.

The Bad & Ugly

We will be paying more at the checkout.

Homebuyers, especially first-time homebuyers, will find it tougher to afford a home. For a resale house priced at $360,000, a HST could add over $2,000 in new taxes to closing costs. Take a look at the table below:



In total, a HST will add $313 million annually in new taxes to resale home transactions. This will hurt the resale home market, prolonging the housing industry’s recovery from the current economic downturn.

Harmonized Sales Tax for Ontarians

More taxes to come (Yipee Yahoo!)

Starting July 1, 2010 expect a harmonized sales tax. The McGuinty government announced it will harmonize the GST and PST, causing consumers to pay extra tax on a range of goods & services.

This will increase the costs associated with real estate transactions (legal fees, moving costs, commissions, home inspection fees), which we currently pay only 5% GST on.

And better yet, we will also be paying more for goods & services we use daily: gas, utilities, haircuts. This is in response to the economic downturn; in hopes of raking in an additional $3.5 billiion in annual revenue.

The good news?

- There will be three tax rebate cheques totalling $1,000 for families with household incomes of less than $160,000 and $300 for individuals who make less than $80,000 a year.

- Some basic goods will be exempt from the blended sales tax, such as children's clothing, books, diapers and new houses costing less than $400,000.

Mandatory Green Audits

Thinking of selling your home? You won’t be able to sell your home or condo without first getting a home energy audit, which will cost you $300.

Under the New Green Energy Act, you will now have to get a private contractor to do an energy audit before selling, but there will be no requirement to take any action. This audit is simply intended to inform potential buyers what state of energy efficiency a property is in so they can take action if desired.

While this adds an expense to homesellers, it is predicted that 50,000 new jobs will be created.

This is anoter step to encourage electricity conservation and encourage renewable sources of energy. In Portugual, solar systems are required in new houses.

Advanced warning

If you’ve ever waited a long time for a train to clear a crossing – and it’s a rite of passage for Londoners – then here’s news: City council has approved a pilot project to provide advance warning a train is crossing.

For starters, the project will be centred on the CN Rail crossing of Colborne St. south of Bathurst. Signs will be situated on York and Horton, about two blocks east and west of Colborne, that will signal approaching motorists the Colborne crossing is blocked by a train. Motorists can then plan a different route.

If the idea works, it will be rolled out to other locations in the city.

Free Home Buying/Selling Seminar

Tomorrow I am hosting another Home Buying & Selling Seminar, with Andrew Young of Scotiabank.

We have added new topics; learn about the different types of Government Programs, Incentives & Grants that can help you own your home quicker than you think. Currently, there are several programs available that is offered by the local, provincial, and federal governments.

It will be hosted at the Scotiabank on 301 Oxford St. W (right inside Cherryhill Mall) 7-9pm. If you would like to RSVP, give me a call 519-642-0619 or send me an email tom@dampsy.ca

It's that time of year again!

The March edition of my newsletter, 'Bricks & Mortar REAL ESTATE REPORTER' is now available. Visit http://dampsy.ca/NewsletterMarch09.pdf to read the newsletter today. You'll find valuable real estate information & tips such as: "New Building Code Requirement", "Home Improvement on a Budget", and much more. This is your link to realty.

If you would like to subscribe to my newsletter, just send me an email tom@dampsy.ca, and the next edition will be emailed to you.

The media never prints about planes that land safely…only the ones that crash!

The same can be said with the Media’s current comments about the Real Estate Market. Consumers lose confidence and buyers become more cautious.

What should you do, where are we headed?

The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) predicts a fairly stable market with some sectors showing declines and others remaining stable. New homes are hit the hardest and builders will offer more incentives especially if they have an over supply of ‘spec” homes.

The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) predicts a decline in activity of 19.1% and a decline in value of 7% overall for the province. The hardest hit areas in the province are projected to be in Windsor, Oakville, and Oshawa where the impact from the declining auto sector will be felt the most.

If you treat your investment like a stock, put in a purchase order and buy more, your cost base goes down and as the market recovers you take advantage of the increase/spread.

If are thinking of selling then price vs. show ability vs. timing will determine the difference between success and “long time” on the market. Make sure your research is accurate and thorough for the best decision.

MacCleans magazine published an article last Monday predicting the market will go down 20% and they used Teranet as a basis for this assessment. Teranet is a company who records all property transfers within the province. My belief is that MacCleans did not analyze the Teranet information objectively.

Let me explain: Let’s say you inherit a property and there is a transfer of ownership recorded at $1 or you buy the water frontage in front your cottage from the township for closing costs totaling $700. All these transfers are recorded at Teranet including selling your property on the open market (mls system). Let’s say you sold your cottage for 60% of value to one sibling and your principal residence for 60% of value to the other sibling to be “family” fair. Those amounts are recorded in the Teranet system.

So my question is: How can anyone take all the transfer prices of all real estate and predict what the market is doing without doing the objective research to find out the “why” of a sale, which would help enable you to determine where the real market is headed.

MacCleans sold a lot of magazines this past week. However, it is this writers’ opinion that they sent out some misleading information to sell those magazines and that’s bad news; a plane crash!

The press to some extent helps control our attitudes and our knowledge. If you are hearing bad news and thinking bad thoughts then good opportunities will not present themselves.

London is generally a white collar town and the market reflects this. Health and Education are the major employers. Yes we will have a slow down and there are hiring freezes and research freezes in those sectors but not mass lay offs. Our housing market is inexpensive compared to so many other centers: for example, Calgary, Vancouver, and Toronto. Our market doesn’t and hasn’t fluctuated as other markets have.

London is a great place to invest, work and live.