This is usually a win-win transaction for both the homebuyer and the developer. Buyers are able to select the homes they want to buy and developers know, with some certainty, their ability to successfully market and finance the projects they are offering to the market.

Rewards Usually Outweigh Risks

Buying a home is likely the largest personal financial transaction a consumer will make, and there are many complex decisions involved. Building a new home is also a complex process that stretches over a relatively long period of time and has inherent risks for the developer. These risks are typically associated with a free market for materials and skilled trades, and changing interest rates.

Even though there are certain risks associated with presales, there have been very few instances where the purchase agreement was not honoured by the developer. When a developer is unable to complete the transaction, the purchase agreement will usually specify how the intended transaction is unwound. A deposit made by a buyer must be held in trust by a lawyer, notary or REALTOR® and the full deposit is returned to the buyer if the home builder/developer is unable to meet their commitment to deliver the home. The only exception to this is described in NOTE 5 on page three of this information brochure.

Do Your Homework

Before deciding to buy a new home in a presale transaction, a buyer should do their homework and feel totally comfortable with the builder/developer and with the terms of the purchase agreement. Start by researching the business history and reputation of the home builder. Ask for references from past homebuyers who have bought from the developer. Seek the advice of your REALTOR®, lawyer, mortgage broker, banker or other professionals and determine whether they know the history of the developer.

Read the purchase agreement and the disclosure statement in their entirety. Hire your own lawyer who has experience in residential real estate transactions. Ask them to review the purchase agreement. Make sure you ask them about wording in the purchase agreement that you do not understand. Clarify all of the relevant dates, including dates on which the developer has opportunities to terminate the purchase agreement.

Finally, there is a seven-day rescission period during which a buyer may rescind their purchase offer.

Cross Reference List for Presales of Multifamily Residential Development Properties

The following is a list of important information for buyers of multifamily units under development. Buyers unfamiliar with such projects may require extensive consultation with knowledgeable REALTORS®, accountants, lawyers or notaries familiar with presale investments. This list is intended as a starting point for buyers to determine whether enquiries, advice or clarification is needed.

Use the following table to locate and understand important information in the disclosure statement and the purchase agreement. These two documents are central to a presale transaction and outline the specific terms being agreed to. The far right-hand column in the table provides a cross reference to the notes section on pages 3 and 4 of this presale cross reference document. The notes explain the key information items in more detail. Once completed, keep the table for future reference to quickly find important information about your transaction.

“For the next year, we’re looking at favourable mortgage rates, a steady flow of migrants to the Lower Mainland, and a growing job market,” Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. senior market analyst Robyn Adamache said in an interview about the federal agency’s housing market report that concluded sales will remain stable until mid-2011 before trending higher. “We’re looking at about 33,000 sales for Greater Vancouver [in 2011]. We’re looking at 31,000 this year. The 10-year average is about 34,000.

The B.C. Real Estate Association also predicted in its fall housing forecast last week that B.C. housing sales, while declining 12 per cent this year to 74,950 units, will increase six per cent to 79,700 in 2011.

Adamache said that fewer new listings coming onto the market due to modest price growth, and a steady pace of sales will continue to gradually draw down the inventory of resale homes for sale.

The CMHC report predicted that the average home price in Metro Vancouver will increase 12 per cent in 2010 to $665,000, with most of the increase already having taken place. Prices are forecast to increase by three per cent next year to $685,000.

As well, new home construction in Vancouver will increase in 2011, approaching the 10-year average level as demand for new housing strengthens. “Homebuilding will increase modestly next year as developers seek to add to the stock of housing to accommodate approximately 16,000-18,000 new households each year,” said Adamache.

CMHC noted that housing starts across the province will also hold steady this year before gradually rising in 2011.

As per the reports of REBGV (Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver), about 3,512 residential properties have been sold in April 2010. It is about 18.5% increase in comparison to 2,693 sales during the same month a year back and 9.1% increase (with 3,218 sales) from that of April 2008. The housing sales figure of April 2010 also signifies that there has been about 12% increase in comparison to March 2010.

There have been about 7,648 new listings (in April 2010) for attached, detached and apartment properties in the Greater Vancouver Area that amounts to about 64.5% increase as compared to the similar period in 2009. In comparison to March 2010, there has been about 9.2% increase in property listings. The sales of detached, attached and apartment properties have also increased remarkably in the past 1 year.

The housing prices have also increased during the similar time period. In the past 12 months, the HPI (Housing Price Index) benchmark for all residential real estate properties has increased from $499,021 (in April 2009) to $593,419 (in April 2010). The benchmark for detached, attached and apartment properties in April 2010 has increased by 21.2%, 16.4% and 16.9% respectively as compared to April 2009.

One of the major reasons behind the increased price of Vancouver homes is that the demand has been a lot more than the supply for the past 1 year. According to the industry experts, the housing price will continue to be higher in 2010. So, this is the ideal time for the Vancouverites to own a property before the price rises more. Moreover, the low mortgage rates may soon disappear along with the addition of 12% HST (‘Harmonized Sales Tax’, the combined federal-provincial tax) to the price of homes from July 1, 2010.

Due to the housing mortgage meltdown in US, Canadian lenders have become cautious about offering home loans to the borrowers. They’re assessing the financial condition of the mortgage borrower before originating a home loan. So, make sure that your finances are in order so that you can qualify for taking out a mortgage loan if you want to own a property in the Greater Vancouver Area, Canada.

People here in BC had talked or complained about this new tax a lot since the day it’s announced back in Summer 2009. Now is the time to start preparing for this change, no matter what. As a rule of thumb, the GST rules that now apply to residential property will also apply under the HST.

New rules about HST housing rebate:

Buyers of new homes will be eligible for a rebate of 71.43% of the provincial portion (7% of the HST’s 12%) of the HST paid on the new home up to a maximum rebate of $26,250. Homes prices at more than $525,000 will be eligible for a flat rebate of $26,250.

The rule is pretty straight forward. But that new rebate of the provincial portion will be for primary residence purchase only. Or if you are a residential property developer or builder, you may qualify for up to $8,663 rebate.

When everybody is talking about the New rebate, people almost forget the Old one. That is the Federal GST new housing rebate, which is 36% of the tax paid on the first $350,000 of the home price. The GST rebate is phased out for homes priced between $350,000 and $450,000.

Here is an example of you buying a new home valued at $1,000,000. If you purchase it now you will get no tax rebate from either BC government or Federal government. And you will pay 50,000 GST. If you purchase it on or after July 1, you will be qualified for $26,250 new housing rebate. But you will pay $120,000 HST.

That’s a big difference! Especially for my potential clients who will most likely invest in properties in Vancouver west side, West Vancouver. Because the housing price is rarely go below $1,000,000 when you invest in single house in those areas.

Another interesting thing about this new housing rebate is…

There is an enhanced provincial New Rental Housing rebate. If you construct or substantially renovate a residential property to rent to tenants, you will be eligible for a rebate up to $26,250 on units priced up to $525,000. There is a flat rebate of $26,250 for units priced above $525,000.

So the interesting thing is: you will not be eligible for any housing rebate if you buy a new property which is not your principal residence and you don’t rent it.

But, if you buy a new rental apartment building and rent all of the units, you will be eligible for a New Rental Housing Rebate for each unit up to a maximum rebate of $26,250 per unit.

Of course, there are always some conditions apply that you want to double check with BC government about new HST rules.

And actually the new HST rule won’t just impact on new home price. Because the overall housing market value, including those previously built homes, will be adjusted to a higher level when the new HST rules apply.

The news was released lately in VANCOUVER, B.C. on February 2, 2010.

In terms of historical perspective, January ranked as an average month for number of residential housing sales over the past decade, with higher sales in January 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2006.

Over the last 12 months, the MLSLink® Housing Price Index (HPI) benchmark price for all residential properties in Greater Vancouver increased 17.2 per cent to $573,241 from $489,007 in January 2009. This price is 0.8 per cent
above the previous high point in the market in May 2008 when the residential benchmark price sat at $568,411.

There is also closer alignment between supply and demand in today’s housing market. At 18 per cent, the sales to-active listings ratio in January is approximately 10 per cent lower than we’ve seen in our market over the last six
months.

In January, sales of detached properties increased 141.4 per cent to 705 from the 292 detached sales recorded during the same period in 2009. The benchmark price, as calculated by the MLSLink® Housing Price Index, for detached
properties increased 19.5 per cent from January 2009 to $788,499.

Sales of apartment properties in January 2010 increased 146.8 per cent to 891 compared to 361 sales in January 2009. The benchmark price of an apartment property increased 15.2 per cent from January 2009 to $385,487.
Attached property sales in January 2010 are up 200 per cent to 327, compared with the 109 sales in January 2009. The benchmark price of an attached unit increased 13.4 per cent between January 2009 and 2010 to $482,478.

While everyone is wondering how the Olympics is going to effect on Vancouver’s real estate market in February and in the future, diverse selection and favorable interest rates continue to drive demand in the Greater Vancouver housing market.

Download the complete report with chart (PDF) here.