I’m not sure why this article is located on ‘globe sports’ in the hockey section, but this article about mortgage trends in Canada has some shocking statistics based on a recent RE/Max report and some interesting quotes from a few of the big Canadian banks:
Nearly two-thirds of buyers in major centres now favour extended amortization periods of up to 40 years, while putting little or no money down was prevalent in 38 per cent of regional markets surveyed across Canada.
The country’s real estate industry has played down any similarities to the U.S. when it comes to subprime borrowers. But as new segments of the Canadian population enter the market, the findings raise questions about what’s been driving soaring house prices in recent years.
“The reason we think the market has been staying hotter much longer than anyone anticipated was because of these newer amortization mortgages,” said Craig Alexander at Toronto-Dominion Bank.
“Because it really does change the affordability equation,” Mr. Alexander said.
Canada’s housing market has for years defied predictions of a slowdown. From 2002 to 2007, average home prices rose at about 10 per cent a year nationally, Mr. Alexander figures. A willingness to buy now and pay later explains much of the recent heat. Longer amortization mortgages “have had a very profound impact on the Canadian housing market since they were introduced” in 2006, he added.
Buying a house has become increasingly accessible. The flip side, though, is that more home buyers are now susceptible should the housing or labour markets weaken, or if interest rates change direction.
“We’re more vulnerable than we were in the past, and I think that’s just a factor of financial and mortgage innovation,” said Adrienne Warren at Bank of Nova Scotia. “At the same time, it’s a trade-off – more people are getting into home ownership earlier.”
In their report RE/Max attributes the boom to these new mortgage products:
“Innovative financing has become key to home ownership in today’s environment,” yesterday’s report said. “Entry-level purchasers are adjusting their expectations by sacrificing size, location, and even long-term financial freedom to overcome challenges such as rising prices and serious supply issues.”
Policy changes help explain why so many people have been entering the market. Ottawa extended the maximum amortization period to up to 40 years from 25 years in 2006. In the same year, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. began providing insurance to lenders for interest-only mortgages.
Mr. Alexander figures that as many as 70 per cent of first-time buyers are opting for longer amortizations. “It’s a double-edged sword. It brings down your monthly payments. But it will actually double the amount of interest you pay over the lifetime of the loan.”
