Rentals cheaper as mortgages climb, study finds

dave2004

Rentals cheaper as mortgages climb, study finds
Affordability gap grows  
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1 |# p* d* ~% c7 ^, ~Financial Post
% Q+ J& _' f: Q$ Q* A. ?% `Published: Wednesday, October 18, 2006
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Why own a house when you can rent the same property for a lot less?

A new study from Bank of Nova Scotia says the pendulum has swung back in favour of tenants.
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, W/ |& B5 ~) N: C) t& m& a2 b! B4 j"The affordability gap between renting and owning is at its highest level since 1990," said Adrienne Warren, senior economist with the bank.
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- ?2 O7 ?! M/ ~. _: EThe study found the average monthly mortgage payment in Canada in 2005 was $1,304 based on a $250,000 house with 10% down payment. That compares with an average rent of $731 for a typical two-bedroom apartment last year. That $573 gap is projected to climb to $800 in 2006.
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3 R# ^2 M0 v9 h4 U"This is a fairly typical pattern that you see in housing. As house prices move up, affordability becomes an issue for first-time buyers," said Ms. Warren, adding renting becomes a more viable option.

, }2 A$ |; B1 hThe current gap between owning versus renting would be even wider if the Scotiabank report took into consideration home ownership issues such as taxes and general upkeep.

# P) B8 N9 s" l# fMs. Warren predicts a slowdown in the housing market with a tighter rental market leading to increased rents. "We will see a levelling off of vacancy rates. I don't think we will see landlords offering the same incentives, like free rent for a month," she said.

One problem with the national number is it masks major regional differences, she said. The gap between owning and renting varied wildly across the country from a $31 monthly premium in Winnipeg in 2005 to $1,220 in Vancouver.

# l( y9 @7 j1 ~" i% V- }* b! ]Generally though, the trend across the country is home ownership costs are rising faster than rental rates.

. s! h. Z7 m" S2 {& U/ oBetween 2000 and 2005, rental costs have increased nationwide at a 1.3% annual pace. During the same period, home ownership costs nationwide increased 2.7% annually.

+ k% @, j; x" LOne side affect of declining affordability has been a slew of new mortgage products that have had the effect of lowering the monthly carrying costs of a loan. More and more consumers are buying products that allow them to pay off their mortgage based on a 35-year payment plan as opposed to a 25-year plan, which had been the norm for years.

' Z& }- Y: [  q: G  ~$ w  [Ms. Warren noted that the $1,304 monthly mortgage costs for a $250,000 home with a $25,000 down payment would go down to $1,073 per month under a 35-year plan.

  Q7 u6 n9 z9 m' \Real estate author Don Campbell said there is no question renting has become a better deal for consumers over the last few years. "When interest rates come back down, the pendulum will swing back to the homeowner," he said.

" N8 v' T  L& p6 ]! _8 x* O, j6 FHowever, Mr. Campbell said apartments are affected by rent controls in many markets.
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( ]1 V5 H; N; o% K"In markets in the West, where it is not as controlled, rental rates are starting to take off. A two-bedroom unit in a 1970 building in Fort McMurray is $1,500, and that's in the middle of nowhere. Even basic townhouses in Edmonton that rented for $800 last year are up over $1,000," he said.


% o, @& D3 j1 {1 bDisclaimer: This is just published research data and do not express my position.