E.B.Dungey Realty Ltd. Brokerage

TREB President’s Column as it appears every Friday in the Toronto Sun’s Resale Homes and Condos section.

May 23, 2014 — Former International Space Station Commander Chris Hadfield shared some the many insights gained throughout his remarkable career with Greater Toronto REALTORS® at the Toronto Real Estate Board’s (TREB) annual REALTOR® QUEST conference held May 7th and 8th at the Toronto Congress Centre.

Colonel Hadfield, who touched on the subjects of goal setting, diligence and teamwork, spoke on day two of the conference, headlining an outstanding lineup of speakers and events chosen to exemplify the theme of excellence on which this year’s conference was based.

Day one of the conference featured a “What’s Next?” panel of real estate executives who offered their insights into the current state of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) real estate market and its outlook. 

Moderated by AM640’s John Oakley, the panel included Andrew Cimerman, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Homelife; Phil Soper, CEO of Royal LePage Canada; Howard Drukarsh, Co-founder and Vice-President of Right At Home Realty; Brian Rushton Executive Vice President of Century 21 Canada; Gurinder Sandhu, Executive Vice President and Regional Director of RE/MAX Ontario Atlantic Canada; and Rick Taron, National Director of Franchise Relations and Business Development for Sutton Group Realty Services.

The panelists shared similar perspectives on numerous topics including the harmful economic effects of the municipal land transfer tax, the importance of global investors to the GTA, the likelihood of intensification in all parts of the city, and the overall positive outlook for all housing types in the GTA, including condominiums.

The panel was held as part of the association’s Spring Annual Meeting, which also included a number of award presentations. Retiring TREB CEO Don Richardson was presented with TREB’s highest award, the Award of Merit, in recognition of his many contributions to the association and the profession. He was also honoured in a moving video in which Past Presidents offered commentary about his contributions. Past President Richard Silver was also recognized, receiving the Honourary Life Award in appreciation of his service as President during the 2011/2012 term. The association’s Commercial Network presented its Merit Award to Member Graham Purvis. Arthur Caplan, Joe Panchyshyn and Mario Vitelli were recognized with the David Rossi Committee Service Award, honouring outstanding contributions to TREB Committees, and Claudia DiPaola received the Community Service Award for her dedication to a range of charitable causes. 

TREB Members also demonstrated their commitment to fostering quality of life in GTA communities, voting for the seventh consecutive year in favour of participating in the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation’s Every REALTOR® Campaign. The vote allows the association to make a donation equivalent to $1 per Member, per month for a year to the Foundation, resulting in a contribution of approximately $470,000.

As part of the meeting, election results were announced for TREB’s 2014/2015 Board of Directors. They are as follows:

• President: Paul Etherington
• President-Elect: Mark McLean
• Past President: Dianne Usher
• Director-at-Large: Sandra Rinomato, Donald Patterson, John Lusink, Don Kottick, Shirley Porter
• Central Brokerage Director: Tim Syrianos
• Central Non-Brokerage Director: Larry Cerqua
• West Brokerage Director: Garry Bhaura
• West Non-Brokerage Director: Michael Collins
• East Brokerage Director: Rosalind Menary
• East Non-Brokerage Director: Michelle Makos
• North Brokerage Director: Joseph Shum
• North Non-Brokerage Director: Karen Gerrard

The meeting also included an update from TREB President Dianne Usher and CEO Don Richardson on recent TREB initiatives as well as addresses from Ontario Real Estate Association President Costa Poulopoulos, Canadian Real Estate Association President Beth Crosbie and Real Estate Council of Ontario President and CEO Tom Wright.

Renowned real estate coach and trainer Brian Buffini complemented REALTOR® QUEST’s lineup of expert speakers, offering two sessions at the conference in which he provided those in attendance with strategies for succeeding in a new era of real estate.  Also featured through the conference’s complimentary Learning Quest component were sessions on TREB’s MLS® System: New Stratus, and its public records offering: propertyline™, as well as a seminar on issues surrounding the home inspection condition, offered by Mark Weisleder, LL.B.

The gathering of more than 6,500 TREB Members included its share of entertainment offerings as well.  The OREA Centre Stage, which was surrounded by more than 200 exhibitors spanning 280,000 square feet of space, featured Mysterion the Mind Reader; a choral performance by students from Valley Park Middle School – a beneficiary of the TREB-sponsored Children’s Breakfast Program; and popular REALTOR® game shows: ‘TREBARDY’, ‘Is Your Price Right?’ and ‘Money Grab’.  The trade show’s Health Quest section also returned, offering complimentary massages, an oxygen bar, interactive health screenings and golf swing analysis.

Plans are now underway for next year’s event.

Dianne Usher is President of the Toronto Real Estate Board,
a professional association that represents 39,000 REALTORS®
in the Greater Toronto Area.

Follow TREB on www.twitter.com/TREBhome, www.Facebook.com/TorontoRealEstateBoard and www.youtube.com/TREBChannel

Article source: http://www.torontorealestateboard.com/market_news/president_columns/pres_sun_col/index.htm

TORONTO, May 22, 2014 — Ontario housing activity will regain momentum through the course of 2014 before easing later in 2015, according to the Second Quarter 2014 CMHC Housing Market Outlook – Canada Edition released today. After declining in 2013, Ontario annual home starts will slow to 55,400 units in 2014 before stabilizing in 2015. Ontario starts will range between 50,000 and 63,200 units over the course of 2014 and 2015.

“An improving economy through 2014 and 2015 and less out-migration to western Canada will provide support to the broader Ontario housing market. As home prices continue to rise, albeit at a more modest pace, demand will shift to less expensive housing both by type and geography,” said Ted Tsiakopoulos, CMHC`s Ontario Regional Economist. “Consequently, we remain more bullish on the less expensive resale market and less expensive higher density housing sector. By geography, cheaper bedroom communities surrounding the more expensive GTA market are also expected to outperform.”

Ontario existing home sales will gradually lead the market higher with MLS^® sales growing to 201,700 units in 2015 from 193,500 units in 2014. MLS^® sales will range between 181,000 to 214,000 units this year and next. Ontario home prices will grow at a slower rate over the forecast horizon.

As Canada’s national housing agency, CMHC draws on more than 65 years of experience to help Canadians access a variety of high quality, environmentally sustainable and affordable housing solutions. CMHC also provides reliable, impartial and up-to-date housing market reports, analysis and knowledge to support and assist consumers and the housing industry in making informed decisions.

For more information, call 1-800-668-2642. CMHC Market Analysis standard reports are also available free for download at http://www.cmhc.ca/housingmarketinformation.

Follow CMHC on Twitter @CMHC_ca.

Market Analysis Contact:

Ted Tsiakopoulos
416-218-3407
Cell: 416-579-4992
ttsiakop@cmhc.ca

Media Contact:

Beth Bailey
416-218-3355
Cell: 416-988-4615
bbailey@cmhc.ca

Ontario MLS^® Sales²

Ontario Starts¹ (All Areas)

¹ The outlook is subject to a heightened degree of uncertainty. Although point forecasts are presented in this publication, CMHC also presents forecast ranges and risks where appropriate. The forecasts included in this document are based on information available as of April 30, 2014.

² The term MLS® stands for Multiple Listing Service and is a registered trademark of the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA).

Article source: http://www.cmhc.ca/en/corp/nero/nere/2014/2014-05-22-0816b.cfm

TORONTO, May 6, 2014 — Media representatives are invited to the Toronto Real Estate
Board’s Annual REALTOR Quest Conference taking place May 7 May 8, 2014 at
the Toronto Congress Centre.

What:               TREB’s
REALTOR QUEST CONFERENCE SPRING GENERAL MEETING

When:              May
7 8 at 8:00 a.m.

Where:             Toronto
Congress Centre

650 Dixon Road
Etobicoke, ON M9W 1J1
(416) 245-5000

Contact: Mary Gallagher –
Cell 416-419-8133

Conference

Highlights:       Former
International Space Station Commander Chris Hadfield

John Oakley Moderates Panel of
Experts on the State of the Market, and the Impact of Technology on the Real
Estate Profession

For all event details visit:

Website:          http://www.realtorquest.ca/index.php

Floor Plan:      http://www.realtorquest.ca/exhibitors_floorplan.php

PLEASE CHECK IN AT MEDIA
REGISTRATION – Please ask for Mary Gallagher

Reserved Parking West East side of building – Media
Credentials Required for entrance to both Parking Conference

Article source: http://www.torontorealestateboard.com/market_news/release_market_updates/news2014/nr_RQ_media_advisory_0514.htm

TORONTO, May 8, 2014 — Housing starts in the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) were trending at 32,678 units in April compared to 34,555 in March according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). The trend is a six month moving average of the monthly seasonally adjusted annual rates (SAAR)¹ of housing starts.

“The trend in housing starts in Toronto eased in April compared to March. Starts of both new apartments and single-detached homes trended down, reflecting slower sales in 2012 and 2013. The trend for semi and row home starts moved higher, as activity shifted towards the lower-priced low-rise homes,” said Ed Heese, CMHC’s Toronto Senior Market Analyst.

CMHC uses the trend measure as a complement to the monthly SAAR of housing starts to account for considerable swings in monthly estimates and obtain a more complete picture of the state of the housing market. In some situations, analysing only SAAR data can be misleading in some markets, as they are largely driven by the multiples segment of the markets which can be quite variable from one month to the next.

The stand alone monthly SAAR was 36,071 units in April, up from 16,974 in March. This is the result of a return to a more usual rate for apartment starts after an unusually low rate the previous month.

Preliminary Housing Starts data is also available in English and French at the following link: Preliminary Housing Starts Tables.

As Canada’s national housing agency, CMHC draws on more than 65 years of experience to help Canadians access a variety of high quality, environmentally sustainable and affordable housing solutions. CMHC also provides reliable, impartial and up-to-date housing market reports, analysis and knowledge to support and assist consumers and the housing industry in making informed decisions.

Follow CMHC on Twitter @CMHC_ca

¹ All starts figures in this release, other than actual starts and the trend estimate, are seasonally adjusted annual rates (SAAR) — that is, monthly figures adjusted to remove normal seasonal variation and multiplied by 12 to reflect annual levels. By removing seasonal ups and downs, seasonal adjustment allows for a comparison from one season to the next and from one month to the next. Reporting monthly figures at annual rates indicates the annual level of starts that would be obtained if the monthly pace was maintained for 12 months. This facilitates comparison of the current pace of activity to annual forecasts as well as to historical annual levels.

Information on this release:

Market Analysis Contact:
Ed Heese
416-218-3369
eheese@cmhc.ca

Media Contact:
Beth Bailey
416-218-3355
bbailey@cmhc.ca

Additional data is available upon request.

Source: CMHC
  ¹ Census Metropolitan Area
  ² The trend is a six-month moving average of the monthly seasonally adjusted annual rates (SAAR).
Detailed data available upon request

Article source: http://www.cmhc.ca/en/corp/nero/nere/2014/2014-05-08-0816a.cfm

TORONTO, May 6, 2014 — Toronto Real Estate Board President Dianne Usher announced that during April – the first full month of spring – Greater Toronto REALTORS® reported a 1.8 per cent year-over-year increase in sales through the TorontoMLS system.  Total April 2014 sales amounted to 9,706, compared to 9,535 transactions in April 2013. 

“April marked the beginning of the spring market, during which time we generally see the highest monthly sales totals in a given year.  Despite the persistent shortage of listings, a substantial number of GTA residents were able to come to terms on a home that met their needs.  However, sales levels would have been higher, but for the lack of supply,” said Ms. Usher.

“A number of factors underlie the constrained supply of listings.  Studies and polling suggest that the additional upfront land transfer tax in the City of Toronto has prompted some households to stay put and renovate rather than list their home and move.  In the broader GTA context, above-trend home sales in the years leading up to the recession have meant that many households who purchased during this period simply aren’t ready to move again,” continued Ms. Usher.

The average selling price for April 2014 sales was $577,898 – up by 10.1 per cent compared to the April 2013 average of $524,868.  The MLS® Home Price Index (HPI) Composite Benchmark was up by seven per cent year-over-year.  The MLS® HPI strips away price fluctuations resulting from a change in the mix of home types sold from one period to the next.

“Price growth for the GTA as a whole was driven by the single-detached, semi-detached and townhouse market segments in the City of Toronto.  So far this year, there has been no relief on the listings front for these home types in many neighbourhoods in Toronto and surrounding regions.  Until we see a marked and sustained increase in listings, we should expect to see the annual rate of price growth above the long-term norm,” said Jason Mercer, the Toronto Real Estate Board’s Senior Manager of Market Analysis.

Article source: http://www.torontorealestateboard.com/market_news/release_market_updates/news2014/nr_market_watch_0414.htm

TREB President’s Column as it appears every Friday in the Toronto Sun’s Resale Homes and Condos section.

May 2, 2014 — Working with thousands of home buyers and sellers each year, Greater Toronto REALTORS® understand the many elements that go into making a house a home.  Recognizing that one key component is furniture, we lend a hand to a charitable organization that transforms the living spaces, and the lives, of those it supports.

Since 2011, Greater Toronto REALTORS®, through the REALTORS Care® Foundation, have supported Furniture Bank, a Toronto-based charity that outfits homes with the essentials, giving those who are emerging from difficult circumstances a strong start as they begin a new chapter in their lives.

Furniture Bank traces its beginnings to 1998 when Sister Anne Schenck of the Sisters of St. Joseph began collecting furnishings for refugees in need of help establishing a new home.  Since that time, the charity has served more than 60,000 people, offering a helping hand to nearly 5,500 people last year alone. In addition to newcomers, Furniture Bank now also serves women building a new life following an abusive situation and homeless people transitioning to a permanent dwelling.

“You can’t really do much else or think of moving forward in your life if you don’t have a bed to sleep on so we think of it as providing support for people who have made the very difficult decision of making a big change in their lives,” says Executive Director Susanna Kislenko.

The charity charges a fee to pick up your items and in exchange, it offers a receipt for the value of your donated pieces for tax purposes. The majority of this revenue is then used to fund the organization.

Furniture Bank estimates that in 2012, it diverted more than 1,526 metric tonnes of furniture from landfills, translating to more than 21,000 sofas in one year alone. In addition to offering an environmentally friendly alternative to disposing of unwanted goods, Furniture Bank operates a job skills program for at-risk youth and new immigrants.

It also works in conjunction with other groups such as Streets to Homes, which supports those transitioning from a shelter environment to their own home.

Kislenko says she draws inspiration from the feedback received from such partners. “What we heard from one of the case workers recently is that she is still looking for the person on the street even if the person has four walls in a sense and their home formally, until the day that their furniture is delivered. So they know from the day their furniture is delivered they will consider their house a true home.”

Those who benefit from Furniture Bank’s services are in fact, so grateful that they often return to the organization to offer volunteer support.

There are a number of ways that you too can support this very worthwhile cause: through a financial contribution, a furniture donation or by volunteering your time. To find out about how you can help, visit www.FurnitureBank.org , and to learn more about the many ways Greater Toronto REALTORS® are working to build a better Toronto, please visit www.TorontoRealEstateBoard.com

Dianne Usher is President of the Toronto Real Estate Board,
a professional association that represents 39,000 REALTORS®
in the Greater Toronto Area.

Follow TREB on www.twitter.com/TREBhome, www.Facebook.com/TorontoRealEstateBoard and www.youtube.com/TREBChannel

Article source: http://www.torontorealestateboard.com/market_news/president_columns/pres_sun_col/index.htm