Investment Property "Flips" - It Takes a Team

The discussions about ‘flipping’ an investment property come all the time - with so many people watching the endless number of TV programs showcasing investment properties, it can often seem much easier than it really is.

The reality, is that many of these projects - despite the best intentions and target - get caught up in all those small details, most people don’t even consider beforehand. We see well intentioned Clients who are attempting to be their own ‘project manager’, get hampered by decision-fatigue. The seemingly endless stream of small decisions to be made along the way, and having to constantly battle that balance between what they personally may like, versus what the market may demand.

In all honesty, most people should rely heavily on an experienced project manager / general contractor for the bigger jobs - they remove the personal connection, provide a buffer to trades and suppliers, and can advise and guide based on numerous other projects they’ve completed in the past. It’s hard to provide better resources yourself, than an experienced contractor.

The Team: Architect, Client and Contractor

The Team: Architect, Client and Contractor


We were thrilled to be a part of our Clients most recent project - updating and renovating a small bungalow in Markham Village, for the express purpose of maximizing their financial return. Our contribution started with a deep analysis of the market conditions and trends, to then guide the scope and direction of the overall project, to best position the home for later sale.

David Johnston was the key architect on the project, and was able to capture our suggestions and design them into an attainable project. Old Village Construction was the general contractor, and really the driving force behind the project - with Graham Dewar leading the charge to turn our paper wish-list and design, into the gorgeous home we all see today - 12 Gleason Avenue in Markham - a tiny 1 bedroom bungalow, that evolved into a rustic-yet-modern 4 bedroom, 2-storey showcase home.

The take-away from this is simple: If you want to truly maximize the potential of a real estate project, ensure you have fully engaged a proper team. Everyone from your Realtor, to your designer, architect, project manager and contractor all have important contributions to the team!

Want to learn more about the behind-the-scenes of this exciting build? Or just want to talk about a potential project you had in mind? We’re always happy to discuss our thoughts - contact us anytime!

Supplier Showcase: Superior Interiors Painting

Our Clients know that in order to maximize the value of their properties, we often recommend repainting - it’s one of the easiest ways to clean-up, modernize, and improve the appeal of a home. As part of our services, we often bring in special teams to help prepare a property for sale - today we introduce Superior Interiors GTA, our preferred painting partner.

Superior Interiors have been a key supplier to The MAC Team for our refinishing needs. Wayne and his team provide a gamut of services, from basic touch-ups and patching, full interior and exterior paintwork, and HVLP spray repainting of cabinets, stairs and more.

Always reliable and on-time, they are always highly recommended. Learn more about Superior Interiors at https://superiorinteriorsgta.com/, on their Facebook page, or call direct 416-569-3205.

Stairs-SI2.jpg

Fall Outlook & Upcoming Listings To Watch

It’s been a wild summertime — between focusing on everyones well-being amid this pandemic, and skyrocketing interest in GTA area homes and properties, this ‘new normal’ is taking time to get used to!

From RE/MAX Fall Market Outlook:

Canadian housing market expected to remain active for the remainder of 2020 due to pent-up demand and low inventory levels, say RE/MAX brokers and agents

Canadians showing more interest in suburban and rural homes for sale, as work and life dynamics shift 

Canadian housing prices anticipated to increase by 4.6% in the third and fourth quarter according to RE/MAX brokers and agents. This is compared to the earlier prediction by RE/MAX brokers and agents of +3.7% at the start of the year.32% of Canadians no longer want to live in urban centres, opting for rural or suburban communities instead.Canadians are almost equally split in their confidence in Canadian housing market, with 39% as confident as they were before the pandemic, and 37% slightly less confident.

Leading indicators from RE/MAX brokers and agents across the Canadian housing market point to a strong market for the remainder of 2020. According to the RE/MAX Fall Market Outlook Report, RE/MAX brokers suggest that the average residential sale price in Canada could increase by 4.6 per cent during the remainder of the year. This is compared to the 3.7 per cent increase that was predicted in late 2019.

Read more on the RE/MAX blog


Gearing up for some exciting new listings - Coming Soon to Realtor.ca!

TORONTO

  • 3 Bedroom Bungalow

  • Large lot

  • Great family home!

MARKHAM

  • 3 Bedroom Executive home

  • Fully remodelled top to bottom

  • Open-concept

UNIONVILLE

  • Luxurious 4 Bedroom

  • Most-desirable location

  • Top School catchment area

Light at the end of the tunnel

As many continue to endure the province-wide lockdown, it is good news to see the start of the declination to the rate of confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the province. Hospitalization rates are similarly trending downward as testing rates ramp up and public health officials take extra steps to combat the spread of COVID-19 in long-term care homes (114 of which have now experienced outbreaks).

BlogTO posted a great article summarizing the latest trends.

From a Real Estate perspective, despite the dramatic drop-off of physical showings (virtually everything has been moved ‘online’), and sales volume much lower that typical, actual sales pricing has been trending upward. We continue to see strong demand throughout the GTA, with 2-bedroom condos and 3-bedroom townhomes leading the pack.


New this week - We’re excited to launch an exclusive listing in Cornell Village! Situated in the heart of town, 2 Bittersweet Street is the perfect home for a growing family - asking $1,079,000. You can visit www.2BittersweetStreet.com for full details.

Exclusive Listing - 2 Bittersweet Street, Markham

Exclusive Listing - 2 Bittersweet Street, Markham



COVID-19 Impact on the Marketplace

With everyone focused on the well-being of the community at-large, we all can understand that there is a new reality of how we will be doing Real Estate now, and the upcoming time ahead.

We know that while in some cases, people will refrain from buying or selling their home, but for many, this may not be a realistic option. Luckily, we embrace technology that allows us to continue to deliver top-notch service and marketing, while adhering to Health Canada guidelines for social distancing and sanitation.

The MAC Team has been a leader in online-marketing for many years — back in 2010 we began our web-focused marketing strategy, targeting prospective buyers globally, not just in our local market. Our successes and failures over the years, have allowed us to fine-tune our offerings, to maximize exposure, and allow us to deliver the most robust marketing message for our Clients. In addition, we fully leverage all of the online Realtor.ca, Remax.ca and other web-portals — allowing for enhanced listing presentation.

When it comes to creating and negotiating an Offer on a property, we are fully digital - leveraging DocuSign technology for end-to-end electronic signatures, tracking and delivery. This allows us to easily create, edit and deliver offers and sign-backs, without the need for face-to-face signing. You can easily review, comment and sign any agreement or paperwork from the comfort and safety of your own home.

For introductory calls, meetings, or general information sessions, we fully leverage video-conferencing solutions. From something as simple as a FaceTime call, or a group Zoom or Skype video chat, we can continue to communicate in the ways that work for each of our Clients.

We will be limiting the concept of “open houses” for the safety and sanitation of all involved. We can continue however, to provide individual showings for properties of interest, but we would limit these to single-person visits, and adhere to strict don’t-touch rules, to reduce unnecessary risk.

Your and our families, our teams and support staff, and the community at large’s health and safety are our first consideration during these difficult times.

We are here, committed to serve all your real estate needs - whether that is just being available to discuss the impact of the financial or real estate market, feel free to contact us at any time.

Keep safe, be kind, and let’s get through this together!

Residential Sales in GTA up 17.4%

TREB reported that December 2019 residential sales for the GTA were up by 17.4 % year-over-year to 4,399 units. 

Total sales for 2019 were 87,825 units– up by 12.6 % compared to the decade low 78,015 units for 2018. On an annual basis, 2019 sales were in line with the median annual sales result for the past decade.There was certainly a recovery in sales activity in 2019, particularly in the second half of the year. As anticipated, many home buyers who were initially on the sidelines moved back into the market starting last spring. Buyer confidence was buoyed by a strong regional economy and declining contract mortgage rates over the course of the year.

While sales were up in 2019, the number of new listings entered into TREB's MLS System was down by 2.4 per cent year-over-year. 

As a "Seller" less inventory or new listings available generally means an opportunity for higher prices.

For the past decade, annual new listings have been largely in a holding pattern between 150,000 and 160,000, despite the upward trend in home prices over the same period.

Markham Endorses Private Plumbing Protection Program

To further protect properties from basement flooding, Markham City Council has endorsed the Private Plumbing Protection Rebate Program. The program offers financial support for property owners who are making certain improvements on their private plumbing system.

Three private plumbing protection measures can be implemented to help protect your property.

Severe rain events can overwhelm the City’s wastewater and storm water sewer systems, especially in older neighbourhoods where the systems weren’t designed and constructed up to today’s standards. Markham has invested millions of dollars to improve City sewer systems. To further protect properties from basement flooding, City Council has endorsed the Private Plumbing Protection Rebate Program. The program offers financial support for property owners who are making certain improvements on their private plumbing system.

Three private plumbing protection measures can be implemented to help protect your property.

1. Backwater Valve Installation. A backwater valve is a device that acts as a ‘check valve’ that allows sewage or stormwater to flow out of the home’s plumbing system during normal conditions, and prevents back flow of sewage or stormwater into your home during storms.

Backwater / Backflow Prevention Valve

Backwater / Backflow Prevention Valve


2. Weeping Tile Disconnection and Sump Pump Installation. Weeping tiles (also called foundation drains) collect groundwater or infiltrated rainwater from around the outside of homes and may directly connect to municipal sewer systems. Disconnecting weeping tiles from municipal sewers and installing a sump pump can help prevent infiltration flooding through foundation walls or the floor when municipal sewers surcharge during large storm events.

3. Sanitary and Storm Lateral Relining and Repair. Sanitary and storm laterals are underground pipes that carry wastewater or drainage away from your property to the City sewer systems. Blocked or collapsed laterals can cause a sewer backup in your basement.

Who will receive a rebate?

Property owners who install protection measures are eligible to receive City rebates subject to certain conditions and submission of a rebate application form.

Retroactive Rebate– Property owners who completed installations between May 1, 2017 and May 1, 2018 are eligible for a retroactive rebate subject to City inspections. 

New Installation Rebate – Property owners who complete work after May 1, 2018 are eligible for a new installation rebate subject to obtaining necessary building permits and City inspections. This pilot program will run for the next two years.

Property owners are eligible for rebates subject to the following:

  • Your home is connected to the City’s sewer system

  • Your property is not subject to any contraventions, work orders or outstanding municipal requirements

  • No outstanding municipal fines, tax payments, or fees

  • Downspouts have been disconnected from the City sewer system

  • As the Property Owner, provide the necessary documentation required in the application forms, and comply with program requirements

  • You have obtained any necessary permits for the New Installation

  • As the Property Owner, ensure the new installation adheres to the Building Code Act

  • You agree to sign a release form in favour of the City

More details provided in the City By-law 2018-20 [PDF].

What Rebates Are Available?

Private Plumbing Protection MeasureMaximum RebateBackwater Valve (Indoor) – Installed on Sanitary Lateral$1,750Backwater Valve (Indoor) – Installed on Storm Lateral$1,750Backwater Valve (Outdoor) – Installed on Storm Lateral$2,000Weeping Tile Disconnection and Redirect to Storm Lateral$3,000Weeping Tile Disconnection and Sump Pump Installation$5,000Storm Lateral – Reline & Repair$2,500Sanitary Lateral – Reline & Repair$2,500

How to Apply?

Application process:

New Installation (measures implemented after May 1, 2018)

  • Step 1: Property owner(s) need to consult with a licensed plumber to determine which measures may provide basement flood protection and to confirm eligible rebate(s) amount.

  • Step 2: Property owner(s) submit a building permit application to the City and Building Department issues the permit.

  • Step 3: Property owner(s) hire licensed plumber to complete the installation.

  • Step 4: Building Department inspects completed installations.

  • Step 5: Property owners submit rebate application form including invoices to Environmental Services.

  • Step 6: City issues rebate cheque to Property owner(s).

Download New Installation Application Package [PDF].

Retroactive Installation (measures implemented between May 1, 2017 and May 1, 2018)

  • Step 1: Property owners confirm eligible rebate amount for completed work

  • Step 2: Property owners submit rebate application

  • Step 3: City’s consultant inspects completed works and recommends any additional measures

  • Step 4: City issues rebate to Property owners

  • Step 5: Property owners follow process for new installation for additional measures

Download Retroactive Installation Application Package [PDF].

Additional Resources

Selecting a Contractor 

The City of Markham is not affiliated with any contractors engaged in completing plumbing protection works under the rebate program.  Property owners are encouraged to learn the steps in hiring a contractor and to ask questions to find the best candidate for any home or property project.  Tips can be found from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

For more information, please contact the City of Markham at 905.477.5530

New 2020 Tax Changes - Purchasing Homes

Some major tax changes took effect as of January 1st - Now allowing those dissolving their marriage or common-law partnership to qualify to withdraw money from their RRSP, without incurring a tax penalty, to purchase a home.

Read More on Global News: https://globalnews.ca/news/6352374/rrsp-tax-changes-2020/…