Thursday, May 17, 2007

CONDOS TO REMAIN AN ATTRACTIVE OPTION FOR MANY HOME BUYERS

May 17, 2007
Canada’s condo markets have delivered a strong performance in recent years, and the economic and financial outlook suggests a continued robust performance in 2007 and 2008. Like all real estate, the sales and price experience for condos will be heavily influenced by location. Since 2004, housing markets in central and eastern Canada have generally experienced a soft-landing, with activity moderating, but remaining at high levels, and with prices continuing to rise at a solid pace. The outlook is for more of the same over the next 24 months. In contrast, new and resale housing in the west has been on fire, but soaring prices have eroded affordability in many markets. In 2007/08, housing conditions are likely to cool in the west, but this need not lead to a boom-bust cycle if price growth slows as new supply comes on the market, demand eases and speculation becomes gradually less intense. So while the risks warrant close monitoring, the TD Economics base case projection is for a moderation in western housing activity, but with the price gains, home construction and resale activity all remaining at well above their historical averages. The regional condo markets are likely to be caught up and parallel these broad regional real estate trends, with the result that condo prices are expected to continue to post double digit gains in the west, but slower than that experienced in 2005/06, while prices in the rest of the country advance at a mid-single digit rate. Looking beyond the near-term outlook, there is fundamental support for condos in the major Canadian markets from structural economic trends, including the aging population and the continued urbanization of the country.


More here:

http://www.td.com/economics/special/ca0507_condo.pdf