Okay so I want to try something here, and I’m hoping this works.
I was planning my last blog post of 2015 for Monday, December 21st, which could be too late in the year, given all the time commitments people have in December.
I wanted to review the year, both in terms of not only my “top” blog posts of 2015, but also the most important real estate stories of the year.
If you’re still reading this late in the year, and you have time, please have your say in the comments section below. What were the most influential stories of the 2015 real estate calendar? Which TRB posts were the most memorable, important, or controversial?
Please have your say, and I’ll wrap up 2015 in a neat little bow come Monday…
Jonnathan
at 7:15 am
Down payment rule changes that will take affect in Feb 2016.
A Grant
at 8:16 am
No specific TRB post, but I always enjoy your stories of real estate deals gone wrong. That and your views on issues related to transportation and neighbourhood development. At times, we don’t agree (perhaps more often than not…), but the conversation is always enjoyable.
As I live outside of Toronto, I can’t really comment on the biggest real estate stories locally. From a personal perspective, where I live, the biggest real estate issue appears to be the sharp decline in the demand for condos – to the point where a significant number of developments in my city are now changing from condo buildings to apartment complexes with rental units.
Appraiser
at 10:39 am
@ A Grant. Here’s a Globe & Mail piece that you may find relevant re: condo vs. rental.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/housing/lenders-favouring-rentals-over-condo-construction-survey-shows/article27534096/?utm_content=buffer78d12&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
jonnathan
at 2:39 pm
“What were the most influential stories of the 2015 real estate calendar?”
Appraiser
at 8:24 am
As of five minutes ago, the total number of sales on TREB (condos and freehold) year to date is 99,543.
December is averaging 158 sales per day, however those numbers will likely decline substantially over the next two weeks.
Bottom line is that TREB is on the verge of breaking the 100,000 sales barrier in one year for the first time ever.
Now that’s memorable!
Kyle
at 9:12 am
Most memorable for me are the “What if the Whole World Worked the Same Way as the Toronto Real Estate Market” video posts. The biggest stories of the year, i would say are the two interest rate cuts, the proposal to allow MTT, the defeat of that proposal, and the changes to the down payment requirements. Most controversial i think were the bike lane posts – seems to be a pretty polarizing subject.
Noel
at 9:43 am
Biggest story is the toronto real estate market’s continued strength making it impossible for many to purchase single family homes.
Best post was David’s get rich quick in real estate video.
Daniel
at 3:05 pm
Agreed. The Tom Cruise impersonation was spot-on, and the man-bun was very timely!
That video made me see David in a whole new light.
RPG
at 11:47 am
Story of the year: prices continue to rise. Really boring topic but it’s the biggest topic nonetheless.
Post of the year: bike lanes. I enjoyed seeing the pull between our city’s left and right.
Far from original, given both of these were already mentioned above, but perhaps we’re all on to something here?
Joel
at 12:09 pm
I agree with both of these.
S.
at 11:49 am
Without a doubt, the “What If the whole world” series were collectively the posts of the year!
The toothpaste/multiple offer posts hit home for me. I work mainly in C09/C10/C11, and it really drove the point home. Every agent at my brokerage was like, “What if the public sees this? What do we tell them?” But it did kind of make us all feel silly for a moment, if only for a moment, before we all had to get back to selling real estate the only way possible in this market. C’est la vie!
Appraiser
at 1:49 pm
TREB mid-month stats for December are in:
“TREB members reported 2,760 sales through the first 14 days of December – up 11.9 per cent compared to the first two weeks of December 2014. Growth in new listings over the same period was also very strong, with an annual growth rate of more than 15 per cent, growth in new listings outstripped growth in sales, which has been a rare occurrence this year…The average selling price for all home types combined was $621,571, representing a 10.2 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2014.”
Looks like some sellers may be anxious to get their homes on the market before the new mortgage rule changes kick in.
condodweller
at 1:50 pm
Personally, I find the posts that provide behind the scenes information on how the Toronto real estate market works and agent practices. One of my favourite posts was the one comparing the 5 star hotel condo buildings and the fact that Trump tower has had 0 resales since it was built.
I also like the videos but purely for their comic relief value.
I always like to grow and learn, therefore, I enjoy the discussions and analysis of most topics. I know quite a lot about home ownership and real estate investing, however, I don’t profess to know everything. On that note, I would like to thank David for his great posts and contributions of all regular posters as I have learned from you, despite the fact that we may not have agreed on everything over the year.
Merry Christmas and a happy new year!
EE
at 2:01 pm
Beyond a shadow of a doubt, the post(s) of the year are WITWHWTSWASTREI? I like the acronym better, although it took the same amount of time to think it out as it would have to write it.
I’ve never seen any Realtor, Toronto or otherwise, come up with such innovative and original content, but it’s also the humour, the wit, and the production value that make these videos all that they are.
David, any plans to continue the series into 2016?
Any ideas on the horizon? How about something about staging? Maybe compare the before/after of staging to something in real life?
Merry Christmas!
moonbeam!
at 3:44 pm
Of course I agree with your comment! David writes, produces, stars in, and edits his webcasts, and always hammers home his points, as an entertaining and informative addition to his regular blog posts. Looking forward to more in the New Year!!
Jake
at 3:03 pm
I’m going back a ways here, but I liked the “Factors Affecting the 2015 Market” from way back in January.
You had the following:
1) interest rates
2) land transfer tax
3) Canadian dollar
4) pre-construction condos
5) stock market
6) media sentiments
7) online real estate resources
All of these were hot topics this past year, so you were bang-on with your predictions.
I’m sure you’re way ahead of us here, but I’d love to see something like this in 2016!