Can't Sell Your Home - Rent it out for a Year?

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Can't Sell Your Home - Rent it out for a Year?

It's a Buyer's Market.

October saw the largest decline in housing prices so far this year, according to the latest data from the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB). The average sale price for the month came in at $457,513 — down 6.1 per cent from October 2014.

Three Things to Consider as the Seller

Market economists predict that the economy in Alberta will once again bounce back but it might be as long a year. Prospective sellers are now considering three things. Lower the price. Rent out the property year by year until the economy picks up. Take it off the market and wait for awhile.

Rental vs. Dropping the Price

With total number of home sales significantly lower in October, down 33.3 % compared to 2014 some sellers want to pull out until the market improves. Can you afford to carry it or should you rent?

The Pros and Cons of Pull Out or Tough it Out?

No one likes to bite the bullet and sell at a lower price. If you can afford to carry two properties it might be a wise choice. Reality makes it a necessary option. Phil Soper, president and chief executive of Royal LePage has commented, [that] "as the year plays out we’ll see continued softness in Calgary prices. The real question is how soft?"

Meet Your New Tenants – Maybe?

You may decide that a year of rental income is the better proposition but rental property managers know that the best situation for a rental is long-term. If you intend to rent on a year-by-year lease basis there are pros and cons to consider.

Best Practises for Renting out your House

Don't expect your home to be in the same condition after a year of rental i.e. tenants may not take care of your home as you would. Research your tenants and ask for a substantial deposit to cover damages. The rent may not be enough to cover your loss. If you have little or no experience with tenants, perhaps hire a property manager with years of knowledge in the business. Call Chris for more information. Mobile: 403-680-4479

Christopher Ashby
REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS
100, 5810 2 STREET S.W.
CALGARY, AB T2H 0H2
Office: 403-253-5305
Fax: 403-775-5156
E-mail: chris@yourhomeinalberta.com

http://www.YourHomeInAlberta.com

http://www.liveinokotoks.com

OPEC in the News Again

OPEC in the News Again – A Deal to Make a Deal

Algeria hosted a meeting last week of the OPEC producers. To the surprise of many they managed to reach a deal, that some are calling – A Deal-to-Make-a-Deal. The cartel agreed to cut production in the future by some 700,000 barrels per day to a production band of between 32.5 million bpd and 33 million bpd.

Oilpatch Desperately Needs a Boost Up

With a collective breath of relief the energy sector sighed as it needs a price improvement. Calgary's unemployment rate is near nine per cent. CEO Brian Schmidt, of Tamarack Valley Energy, a junior oil player, anticipates this time of year to be a time of reckoning for many in the industry. Companies who have been lucky or smart enough to have pre-sold or hedged their production will see those hedges run their term. 

But - More Cuts Could Come

According to local Ennahar TV News, Algerian Energy Minister, Nouredine Bouterfa, says, "OPEC members may find that the oil market needs more cuts. We will evaluate the market in Vienna by the end of November and if 700,000 barrels are not enough, we will go up."

OPEC’s Track Record Leaves Many Guessing

As reported by Reuters, now, OPEC is unified and speaks in one voice and this makes everything much easier. "If we need to cut by 1 percent, we will cut by 1 percent." Bouterfa told Ennahar TV. However, OPEC has a reputation for not sticking firmly to its decisions. Therefore, the market is still guessing whether a specific deal will be hammered out in November.

Service Sector Decimated

Mark Salkeld, the president of the Petroleum Services Association of Canada, explains that before the crash two years ago, the association had 235 members representing 60,000 employees and it now has 165 companies with 30,000 workers. Since the sector drills and services wells, it is always the hardest hit in a downturn.

Salkeld said his industry's best hope is in new pipelines. He stated, "Our hope is to get pipelines built, because for the services sector, that's jobs well beyond the pipelines being built, it's the job needed to keep those full with oil and gas."

Christopher Ashby
REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS
100, 5810 2 STREET S.W.
CALGARY, AB T2H 0H2
Mobile: 403-680-4479
Office: 403-253-5305
Fax: 403-775-5156
E-mail: chris@yourhomeinalberta.com

Luxury Real Estate

Are Foreigners Buying Calgary?

Yes – the Luxury Real Estate

Mark Evernden a Premium real estate agent at Engel & Volkers and Associates which represents some of the province’s most expensive residential properties says, [that] "around seventy per cent of inquiries through our website and by phone are currently out of country buyers."

While much of the interest is multi-international he says, "The biggest chunk…is from Chinese buyers." His portfolio includes several homes located on Calgary’s prestigious Pump Hill, sometimes referred to as Millionaire’s Row.

Alberta - A Good Place to Raise a Family

The largest Chinese international property website, Juwai.com, also reports inquiries specifically on Alberta properties are up 70 per cent on last year, placing the province fourth after Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec.

Juwai.com's chief executive Charles Pittar (Hong Kong) says, "Chinese interest in Alberta is growing at a rapid pace." He continues, "Not every buyer from China wants a home in Vancouver or Toronto…In fact, many like the more laid-back environment in Alberta and consider it a good place to raise a family and sink roots."

Welcome with Open Arms? Not so Fast

Some say that Alberta is welcoming off-shore buyers with open arms but if it means a surge in real estate prices they complain that it makes it difficult for buyers like newly-weds to purchase their first-time home. Unlike the tidal wave of soaring real estate prices in Vancouver and Toronto, the ripple may be short-lived.

New Rules Announced this Morning

As part of a new measure to tackle speculation in Canada's housing market by foreign investors, Finance Minister Bill Morneau has just announced that foreign buyers who are not residents at the time of purchase will no longer be able to claim a principal residence exemption on their homes.

This new measure will now make the exemptions available only to home buyers who are residents at the time of purchase.

For more information and/or to book an appointment regarding your home give,

Chris a call 403-680-4479

E-mail: chris@yourhomeinalberta.com Website: http://www.YourHomeInAlberta.com