The Housing Situation

August 21st, 2008

In the U.S., there are 9,022,000 extremely low income renter households and only 6,746,000 homes renting at prices these households can afford, paying the standard of 30 percent of their income for housing… This lack of affordable housing forces 74 percent of extremely low income renters to pay more than half of their incomes toward their homes, compared to 26 percent of renters in any income group. It’s clear that the private housing market alone is not going to address the problem without being forced to. So, Hartman argues for a constitutional right to housing, a goal that may seem unreachable. But, he notes, so were rights to voting, freedom from bondage and to organize. But why this right? Because:

Housing is more than four walls and a roof: It is part of a neighborhood and community, providing opportunities for positive social interaction and safety from crime. Housing location affects access to quality schools, jobs and community services. Hartman notes that in the preamble to the 1949 Housing Act, Congress asserted the National Housing Goal, which called for “the implementation as soon as feasible of a decent home and a suitable living environment for every American family.” Needless to say, Congress has not acted on this goal with any alacrity. In fact, it has become a non-issue. It needs to be one. Said Hartman: We need to make politicians and candidates—for local, state and federal offices—speak to the housing problem and commit to effective ameliorative programs. And that in turn requires grassroots pressure.

We need to emphasize housing’s links to problems in the areas of health, education, income support, food, crime, employment, immigration, economic and community development. In doing so, we will create coalitions of social justice activists whose power will grow exponentially. Those should be the headlines about housing, not the ones about the fortunes of speculators. We who worry about our home values ought to recall that merely having a home is something denied to too many.

For more informations please visit our other blogs: Affordable living condominiums custom home additions, Toronto home renovations extension, GTA condos community, condo living custom home imrovement, Luxury condominiums, Residential Canada

The real housing crisis

August 19th, 2008

There is a housing crisis in the United States, but it’s not the one you’re reading about. The news throughout the country was all along the lines of The New York Times announcement , “Sales of Existing Homes Plunge Steeply.” Most went on to say that sales hadn’t fallen this much in decades. So, did the bubble finally burst? Was there a bubble? And, what difference does it make?

Not as much as you might think. For the nation as a whole, housing has stayed remarkably stable, with regional and neighborhood variations based on desirability. For instance, in 1964, existing homes sold for 3.32 times median income.

By 2005, the housing bubble had priced existing homes at 3.78 times median income. Not much of a bubble. Moreover, mortgage interest rates in 2005 were less than 1 percent higher than they had been in 1964.

That means that housing overall is about as affordable as it was 40 years ago. And overall, housing got better a long time ago, especially with downtown Toronto luxury condominium amenities to enjoy.

In 1950, among the poorest 40 percent of all households—which roughly corresponds to the population eligible for lower-income housing assistance programs—57 percent were living in units that were dilapidated and/or lacked complete plumbing; by 1970 the fraction was 14 percent. Of course, it’s true that housing prices in the coastal cities have risen relative to the less dynamic areas, and urban luxury townhome neighborhoods that were once fearsome and cheap have changed hands. But, again, most of us find decent housing, if not exactly where we want to be.

The crisis, or persistent problem if you prefer, lies with those at the bottom third of the income scale. For the poor in major cities, the rent burden has increased to over 50 percent of income. Prices have increased steeply, and wages have not kept pace. Moreover, the mechanisms that kept a floor, so to speak, under housing—subsidies, rent control and union-driven wages—are either in decline or, in many places, have ceased to exist.

The result is chronic homelessness. But the swarms of battered, bereft indigents that roam the streets are only the visible part of the homeless. According to longtime housing advocate, Chester Hartman: …to a large extent, the fact that one-third of the nation still is ill-housed is a hidden problem. Lack of affordability—our number-one problem—and its broader implications on poor people’s lives is not something the fortunate among us experience or even know about.

Residential Canada

Pickering lake view condomidiums waterfront townhouse lakefront luxury homes

July 24th, 2008

Kensington Market Luxury Townhomes

The interiors of the Kensiginton Market Luxury townhomes.
Light cascading down through large windows. Smooth granite kitchen countertops. Ensuites and bathrooms designed to European spa standard. A spacious terrace to catch the morning sun. Room which are as spacious as they are gracious, in every detail and appointment. Brand-name appliances. Private well lit underground garages for comfort and security. It`s all here at Downtown Toronto neighbourhood The Gardens.

United States housing bubble (Part-2)

Identifying the housing bubble. Any type of economic bubble is difficult to identify except in hindsight, after the crash, although many economic and cultural factors have led several economists to argue that a housing bubble exists in the U.S. The Economist magazine said that “the worldwide rise in house prices is the biggest bubble in history,” so any explanation must consider global causes as well as those specific to the United States. Former Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan said in mid-2005 that “at a minimum, there’s a little ‘froth’ (in the U.S. housing market) … it’s hard not to see that there are a lot of local bubbles”; Greenspan admitted in 2007 that froth “was a euphemism for a bubble.” President Bush said of the U.S. housing boom in early 2006: “If houses get too expensive, people will stop buying them… Economies should cycle.” But there are North York affordable luxury condominiums available.
Based on markedly declining 2006 market data, including lower sales, rising inventories, falling median prices, and increased foreclosure rates, some economists have concluded that the correction in the U.S. housing market began in 2006. A May 2006 Fortune magazine report on the US housing bubble states: “The great housing bubble has finally started to deflate … In many once-sizzling markets around the country, accounts of dropping list prices have replaced tales of waiting lists for unbuilt condos and bidding wars over humdrum three-bedroom colonials.” The chief economist of Freddie Mac and the director of Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) deny the existence of a national housing bubble and express doubt that any significant decline in home prices are possible, citing consistently rising prices since the Great Depression, expected increasing demand by the Baby Boom generation, and healthy employment. However, some have suggested that the funding that the JCHS receives from the real estate industry may have affected their judgment. David Lereah, former chief economist of the National Association of Realtors (NAR), distributed “Anti-Bubble Reports” in August 2005 to “respond to the irresponsible bubble accusations made by your local media and local academics.”Among other statements, the reports say that people “should not be concerned that home prices are rising faster than family income”, that “there is virtually no risk of a national housing price bubble based on the fundamental demand for housing and predictable economic factors”, and that “a general slowing in the rate of price growth can be expected, but in many areas inventory shortages will persist and home prices are likely to continue to rise above historic norms.” Following reports of rapid sales declines and price depreciation in August 2006, Lereah admitted that “he expects home prices to come down 5% nationally, more in some markets, less in others.

Luxury amenity condos

July 24th, 2008

Day or night, you can relax in the private area within the amenity condos that offers complete fitness training in a perfectly designed exercise facility.  A dazzling indoor swimming pool as well as an entertainment centre with party room that opens onto a beautiful outdoor deck.

luxury condo townhomes

The Ritz-Carlton, has conjured images of unsurpassable luxury, comfort and aristocratic chic. Timeless elegance and extraordinary service have long been hallmarks of Ritz-Carlton hotels in major cities around the world, and it is this pedigreed sense of style and legendary hospitality which also awaits those who choose to live at The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton Toronto Condo.

The Toronto Condominum offer many different experiences in the downtown Condo Life Style. With shops, cafes, restaurants, bars and even grocery stores, ones can expect a great lifestyle living in these spectacular Condominiums.

Modular home extension

July 24th, 2008

Your home is the center of your life. But what do you do when your life outgrows your home? You could move…or you could do a house expansion with a Modular house extension!

The simple, affordable solution is to have a house extension to your bungalow the Modular way. Modular does it quickly and easily. You double your above-ground living space.

Familiarize yourself with our three phases as well as optional work to complete the proposed home addition and custom renovation of your existing building. This will help you to have maximum control over the total project cost.

Phase 1 - Proposed building with finished exterior:
1. Preliminary design drawings
2. Committee of adjustment application (if needed)
3. Permit drawings and application
4. Demolition and disposal of existing structure
5. Excavation and foundation (if needed)
6. Superstructure installation
7. Roofing and eaves roughing
8. Exterior detailing
9. Stairs supply and installation

Phase 2 - Proposed building with finished interior:
1. Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning
2. Plumbing rough-in and fixtures installation
3. Electrical wiring and finishing
4. Insulating, drywall and taping
5. Interior millwork (doors, trimming, shelving)
6. Flooring (carpet, hardwood, ceramics etc.)
7. Painting and decorating

Phase 3 - Existing building renovation:
1. Demolition work and disposal
2. Extended existing building
3. Exterior walls refinishing
4. New or existing windows/door installation/replacement
5. Interior framing, drywall, taping
6. Mechanical works (heating, plumbing, electrical)
7. Interior millwork (doors, trimming, shelving)
8. Flooring (carpet, hardwood, ceramics, etc.)
9. Painting and decorating