[FONT='Georgia','serif']Mortgage brokers, realtors and developers have seen a surge in people who bought pre-construction condos two to three years ago and are “scrambling” to get the financing to close those deals,
Susan Pigg reports.[/FONT]
[FONT='Georgia','serif']1[/FONT][FONT='Georgia','serif']. Buying and flipping. Buying and renting out at exorbitant rates to those who can’t afford to buy. Hmm. Why do I have trouble mustering up any sympathy for most of these “victims”? – fullofit[/FONT]
[FONT='Georgia','serif']2[/FONT][FONT='Georgia','serif']. Condos are a horrible investment, period. There’s no long term investment, you don’t own any land, they’re notoriously tiny, you’re at the mercy of someone else for all infrastructure repairs, the market is flooded with them and they have a limited shelf life of 50 to 75 years. – Greg R[/FONT]
[FONT='Georgia','serif']3[/FONT][FONT='Georgia','serif']. “There’s no long term investment, but they have a shelf life of 50-75 years?” How long do you think most people intend to invest in something? I’m not going to live in my current condo for 50 years. They’re not all tiny, and if you’re single or a couple, you don’t need a 2,000 square foot house; that amount of space is ridiculous for one or two people. Yes, you’re at the mercy of someone else for infrastructure repairs, but those repairs are also spread out among hundreds of units. Will I ever have to replace a roof, or windows, or a foundation, or pay for lawn care, or a flooded basement? No. And sorry, but a 100-year-old detached house is hardly a great investment either. It may be worth more than a condo, but I shudder to think of the myriad problems that will need to be fixed as it continues to age. – Jayto812[/FONT]
[FONT='Georgia','serif']4[/FONT][FONT='Georgia','serif']. “A unit that sold for, say, $300,000 two or three years ago may be worth about $350,000 today, but many lenders will only finance a new buyer for the original price.” So, the smart amongst these pre-construction purchasers will “cut” their paper losses – these are not actual losses –and buyers who are in a position to buy can get a bit of a break. You have to look at this as an opportunity rather than just a disaster. One person’s cooled market is another’s chance to buy in. – rillatrilla[/FONT]
[FONT='Georgia','serif']5[/FONT][FONT='Georgia','serif']. “Many investors who bought units intending to flip them on completion, or rent them out for a few years...” and “A unit that sold for, say, $300,000 two or three years ago may be worth about $350,000 today, but many lenders will only finance a new buyer for the original price, not the current market value, mortgage brokers are finding.” Those are the key statements in this article. Greedy people who’ve overextended themselves and are ultimately the cause of over-inflated condo prices. And stupid people who don’t understand how loans work. – austind[/FONT]
[FONT='Georgia','serif']6[/FONT][FONT='Georgia','serif']. The title of the article should be: “Efforts by the federal government to cool the real estate market are working.” – BenC_[/FONT]