Real Estate

February 2012: MLS® Sales Steam Ahead!

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Greater Montréal Real Estate Board (GMREB) registered a 9% increase in sales throughout the Montréal Metropolitan Area as compared to February 2011. This marks the ninth consecutive increase and the strongest one since April 2010. Active listings grew by 13% in February with almost 29,000 residential properties for sale by real estate brokers in the Greater Montréal area.
The Vaudreuil-Soulanges region continued to lead the way with an overall 26% increase in residential sales for February 2012. The Laval and the South Shore regions are tied at second place with an 11% increase, followed by a 7% increase for the Island of Montréal and a 5% increase for the North Shore relative to the same period last year.

For the 23rd consecutive month, condominiums are the performance leader out of all property categories with 1,394 transactions, a 15% increase relative to February 2011. Single-family homes increased by 6% despite a slight 2% decrease in January 2012. Plexes registered a 7% increase.(Source : http://www.cigm.qc.ca)

 

L’achat d’une première habitation : REER et RAP / First-time Home Buyer : RRSP and HBP

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Régime d’accession à la propriété (RAP)

reerpigLe Régime d’accession à la propriété (RAP) est un programme qui vous permet de retirer des fonds de vos régimes enregistrés d’épargne-retraite (REER) pour acheter ou construire une habitation admissible pour vous-même ou pour une personne handicapée qui vous est liée. Vous pouvez retirer jusqu’à 25 000 $ dans une année civile.

Vos cotisations REER doivent demeurer au compte REER au moins 90 jours avant de les retirer pour participer au RAP, ou les cotisations pourraient ne pas être déductibles pour aucune année.

Généralement, vous avez 15 ans pour rembourser les montants retirés de vos REER. Vous devez rembourser chaque année un montant dans vos REER, jusqu’à ce que le solde du RAP soit nul. Si vous ne remboursez pas le montant prévu pour une année, vous devrez l’inclure dans vos revenus de cette année-là.

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Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP)

Calculator & coins with arrowThe Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP) is a program that allows you to withdraw funds from your registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to buy or build a qualifying home for yourself or for a related person with a disability. You can withdraw up to $25,000 in a calendar year.

Your RRSP contributions must remain in the RRSP for at least 90 days before you can withdraw them under the HBP, or they may not be deductible for any year.

Generally, you have to repay all withdrawals to your RRSPs within a period of no more than 15 years. You will have to repay an amount to your RRSPs each year until your HBP balance is zero. If you do not repay the amount due for a year, it will have to be included in your income for that year.

Source : http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca

Mortgage rates dropping – It’s a right time to buy!

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The Bank of Montreal moved its five-year fixed mortgage rate to 2.99 per cent late Thursday 12-01 — the lowest posted rate from a major bank in Canadian history.

BMO announced the rate cut late on Thursday and TD followed suit by lowering their four-year fixed rate to 2.99 per cent on Friday afternoon.

BMO’s offer, which ends Jan. 25, states that lump sum payments are limited to 10 per cent of the principal each year. The mortgage is also based on a 25-year amortization period. TD’s offer is open until Feb. 29, 2012. It’s also for a four-year term, much less common than the standard five-year.

Other banks are expected to follow suit. On Wednesday, Toronto-Dominion Bank reduced its posted six-year rate 132 basis points to 3.79 per cent and lowered the posted seven-year fixed rate 91 basis points to 3.99 per cent.

CBC News 13-01-2012

Statistics about mortgage rates 1990 – 2011 : Mortgage rates dropping