For the first time in five years, Canadians believe it’s no longer a sellers’ real estate market, according to a new survey.
The annual home ownership poll from RBC, released Monday, suggests Canadians see the market as balanced between a buyers’ (36 per cent) and sellers’ (34 per cent) market.
Nevertheless, more than half of those surveyed (56 per cent) said it’s better to wait until next to buy a home, given how the vast majority are still unaffordable. Of that group, another half (54 per cent) say they’re waiting because they expect prices to come down.
READ MORE: Pace of Canadian housing starts up in March on seasonally adjusted basis: CMHC
More people are buying homes either on their own (32 per cent) or with their family’s help (28 per cent), while buying a home with a partner or spouse has been declining.
“We’re seeing a fundamental contrast in who’s at the buying table,” said Nicole Wells, vice-president of home equity financing at RBC. “There is a surge in confident, in-control solo home buyers and, on the polar opposite end, those who are saying they can’t do it alone and need the assistance of family.”
As for how the federal government’s mortgage stress test, introduced in January 2018, is affecting home buyers?
Almost half of them (47 per cent) say they plan to put more than 15 per cent on a down payment – up 10 percentage points from last year.
joti.grewal@bpdigital.ca
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