Magda Mo's Marketviews Newsletter for Toronto Real Estate: February 2013
1. A
lthough real estate activity dipped late in 2012, it was the fourth-best year
ever for sales in the GTA.The year finished with 85,731 sales, a decrease from
89,096 in 2011. Prices were up by 6.5 per cent in December 2012 compared
to a year ago. Detached homes lead the way, with the average home selling for 2.4 per
cent more in the City of Toronto and a healthy 8.1 per cent more in the 905 regions.
Semi-detached homes sold for 4 per cent more than a year ago.
The average price for all types of properties sold in 2012 was $497,298. Prices
peaked in April at $515,869 and in December, the average price was $478,739.
Detached homes in the city sold for just over $720,000, while in the 905 regions the
average price was about $565,000.
Condo sales were down by more than 25 per cent in both the city and the 905
regions. Prices continue to hold steady in the GTA. Year over year prices were down by
less than 2 per cent in the city and
prices were up by just over 2 per
cent in the 905 regions.
After a real estate boom that
lasted for a decade, it seems that a
combination of higher prices,
changes to mortgage qualification
rules and Toronto’s double land
transfer tax has cooled the real
estate market. Most economists
believe the market is stabilizing
$520
$490
$460
$430
$340
Units Sold
5,541 4,395 4,585 3,690
Resale Home Sales - December
in the Greater Toronto Area
Source:TREB
$400
$370
2009
2010
2011
2012
AveragePrice(in'000s)
real estatereal estate
continued....Page 2
Your Greater Toronto Real Estate Newsletter
February 2013
UPDATE
Market slows late in 2012
Prices still up year over year
MAGDA MO
sales representative
2. W
orking from your home has many benefits, both
personal and financial. Whether you are
self-employed or your employer supports working
from home, it is great to skip the commute, avoiding traffic jams or
crowded public transit and get right to work in the morning.
But it is important that you have a dedicated workspace in your
home, both to keep you focussed on your job and to take advantage
of tax deductions.
The Canada
Revenue Agency
(CRA) allows you
to deduct ex-
penses for the
business use of a
workspace in your
home if you meet
one of the follow-
ing conditions:
•It is your princi-
pal place of busi-
ness; or
Home office benefits
No traffic, lower taxes
December 2012
Central ...........650 $582,861
East................846 368,854
North..............750 570,650
West............1,444 448,510
November 2012
Central ........1,003 612,603
East.............1,407 378,502
North...........1,144 547,825
West............2,239 463,511
October 2012
Central ........1,214 634,288
East.............1,642 385,549
North...........1,362 568,952
West............2,678 483,189
September 2012
Central ........1,012 658,196
East.............1,453 386,097
North...........1,180 578,792
West............2,234 470,440
August 2012
Central ........1,005 576,960
East.............1,588 376,764
North...........1,257 566,787
West............2,568 461,152
July 2012
Central ........1,172 579,837
East.............1,811 378,671
North...........1,527 561,461
West............3,060 453,542
Source: TREB
and average price
by area
Monthly sales
and experiencing a “soft landing.”
Moderate job growth, strong immigration into the GTA and low
mortgage interest rates until at least 2014 continue to support the
real estate market.
Market slows late in 2012
Con't from front page
Dec ‘11 4,585 4,774
Dec ’12 3,690 4,295
Change - 19.5% - 10.0%
Housing market
indicators
Single-family dwellings
New
ListingsSource: TREB Sales
3. • You use the space only to earn your business income, and you use
it on a regular, ongoing basis to meet your clients, customers or
patients.
To determine how much you can deduct,calculate the percentage
of your home that is used by the workspace.“Use a reasonable basis
such as the area of the workspace divided by the total area of you
home,” suggests CRA.
That’s the percentage you can deduct from house expenses such
as heat,home insurance,electricity and cleaning materials,says CRA.
You can also deduct part of your property taxes and mortgage
interest payments, but not payments on the mortgage principal.
If you use part of your home for both business and personal
living,such as for a day-care centre,you can figure out your deduction
based on the number of hours per day that the space is used for
business.
If you are an employee, before you can deduct expenses for your
home office your employer must sign a form certifying that they
require you to work from home.
2013 Rates
At January 14, 2013
6-month . . . . . . . .4.00%
1-year . . . . . . . . .3.00%
2-year . . . . . . . . .3.00%
3-year . . . . . . . . . 2.79%
4-year . . . . . . . . .3.15%
5-year . . . . . . . . .3.08%
Prime rate .......3.00%
Mortgages
GTA ’12
totals
Sales activity
of single-family
homes
Most recent month,
year to date
Active listings
Dec ....................13,241
YTD........................N/A
New listings
Dec ......................4,295
YTD..................158,927
Sales
Dec ......................3,690
YTD....................85,731
Average price
Dec.................$478,739
YTD ................$497,298
Median price
Dec.................$405,000
YTD ................$420,000
Source: TREB