Residential Mortgage Commentary - Positive housing market sentiment

  • First National Financial LP

An interesting new survey suggests a growing number of Canadians may be getting ready to move back into the housing market.

The newly launched survey by Dye and Durham indicates one in ten are looking to sell their primary residence and move into a new one within the next 12 months; double the number who made the move in the past year.

The number of respondents planning to expand their holdings is also up significantly with 8.0% saying they intend to buy an investment property or vacation home in the next year.  That is nearly double the 5.0% who did so in the past year.  First-time buying decisions are also getting stronger.  Eight percent of respondents expect to jump into the market, up from 4.0% who actually made a purchase in the last 12 months.

The sidelines of the housing market will still be crowded though.  The survey suggests 23% of Canadians will bide their time until interest rates come down.  Nearly a quarter (24%) say they are waiting for prices to ease.

A separate survey of people who have bought a home in the last 4 years (by a popular real estate marketplace) shows that the buying decisions of 93% of respondents were influenced by rising interest rates and competitive markets.  At the same time 43% said they wanted to buy before prices increased further.

Nearly a third (30%) of the respondents say their finances are tight right now, with 10% saying they are unable to meet basic needs.  Still, they do not regret their purchase with 45% saying they will still be happy even if there is another interest rate increase this year.

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