Mortgage Trends & Insights

Canadians are more aware than ever of the effects climate change and natural disasters can have on their homes. More than 3 in 4 recent buyers, took natural disasters into account when choosing the locations of their homes. Many existing homeowners have already considered selling their houses and moving to a new location because of the changing climate. If you’re like those homeowners and are weighing your options about what to do next, here’s some information to keep in mind as you begin the process of selling your existing house and searching for your new home. Do Your Research and Work with a Mortgage Advisor To Find a Home That Meets Your Needs As a homeowner, it’s impossible to control what types of weather events your home is exposed to. You can’t necessarily remove the location from around you, but there are things you can do to mitigate damage that can happen. The first step is understanding how to navigate your home sale and purchase with these specific issues in mind. While that can seem like a difficult undertaking at first, with the appropriate resources and experts on your side, you can simplify the process. Our team of mortgage experts can set you up with a knowledgeable expert to help. We can provide you with some tips for purchasing your next house, including, but not limited to: Vetting the location before you buy Researching Climate Action Plans and learning if the city or province has one Working with professionals for additional assessments on the home’s ability to withstand natural disasters Ultimately, your best resource throughout the process is a trusted expert. Our team and partners will help you navigate the sale and required disclosures for your existing home, be your expert advisor on local guidelines and information and keep your goals and concerns top of mind. Even if your advisor doesn’t have the answers to all your questions about how your next home will stand up to natural disasters, they can help connect you with experts and resources who will. Bottom Line If you’re becoming more mindful about the effects of climate change and you’re ready to make a move, you’re not alone. Let’s connect so you have a trusted advisor on your side to help you navigate the sale of your current house and find the perfect spot for your next home.

If you’re thinking about selling your house in 2022, you truly have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity at your fingertips. When selling anything, you always hope for strong demand for the item coupled with a limited supply. That maximizes your leverage when you’re negotiating the sale. Home sellers are in that exact situation right now. Here’s why. Demand Is Very Strong Sales for the entire year finished strong, reaching the highest annual level since 2006. . . . With mortgage rates expected to rise in 2022, it’s likely that a portion of December buyers were intent on avoiding the inevitable rate increases. Demand isn’t expected to weaken this year, either. Supply Is Very Limited The same sales report from NAR also reveals the months’ supply of inventory just hit the lowest number of the century. It notes: Total housing inventory at the end of December was down 18% from November and down 14.2% from one year ago (1.06 million). Unsold inventory sits at a 1.8-month supply at the present sales pace, down from 2.1 months in November and from 1.9 months in December 2020. The reality is, inventory decreases every year in December. That’s just how the typical seasonal trend goes in real estate. Right Now, Sellers Have Maximum Leverage. As mentioned above, when there’s strong demand for an item and a limited supply of it available, the seller has maximum leverage in the negotiation. In the case of homeowners who are thinking about selling, there may never be a better time than right now. While demand is this high and inventory is this low, you’ll have leverage in all aspects of the sale of your house. Today’s buyers know they need to be flexible negotiators that make very competitive offers, so here are a few areas that could tip in your favor when your house goes on the market: Competitive sales price Flexible closing date Minimal offer contingencies Bottom Line If you’re thinking of selling your house this year, now is the optimal time to list it. Let’s connect to discuss how you can put your house on the market today.








