The international luxury real estate market remains relatively immune to the economic and political trends that drive the general housing market and is off to strong start in 2013, according to a report from high-end real estate affiliate network Christie’s International Real Estate.

The report compared 10 top property markets around the world: London, New York, Hong Kong, Paris, San Francisco, France’s Cote d’Azur, Toronto, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Miami. The company, a subsidiary of Christie’s auction house, also rolled out a new index, the Christie’s International Real Estate Index, which ranks markets across metrics such as record sales price, prices per square foot, percentage of non-local and international purchasers, and the number of luxury listings relative to population.

The 10 markets were also chosen for the network’s strong market share locally. Christie’s International Real Estate has 125 affiliated brokerages in 41 countries.

London, which topped the index, achieved a record sales price of more than $121 million for a residential property in 2012, followed by an $88 million sale in New York. In all of the cities studied except Dallas and Toronto, the highest sales price for the year exceeded $35 million, the report said.

Economist Robert Shiller has predicted U.S. home prices will rise only one or two percent a year in inflation-adjusted terms for the next half decade due to “lingering uncertainties” in world economies, the report said. By contrast, a study by the The Boston Consulting Group expects global sales of personal luxury goods, such as fine art, to grow about 7 percent annually through 2014, assuming there are no new major economic crises, the report added.

“Except where there is government intervention luxury residential real estate values will likely follow luxury goods and not the general housing market, and are therefore poised to increase in many of the cities studied in 2013,”  the report said. “This is particularly true as (high-net-worth individuals) turn their luxury investments toward nonconsumables and experiential luxury products that have lasting value.”

Report: Wealthy continue to pay top dollar for trophy properties
BY INMAN NEWS, MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2013.

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Edmonton’s Macewan Area Real Estate Listings and Sales statistics from your Team Leading Edge Macewan specialist… Serge Bourgoin

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Any dark clouds that are currently hanging over Alberta will clear by 2014, paving the way for strong business and consumer activity, says a report by RBC Economics.

The bank’s latest Provincial Outlook, released Tuesday, said the province’s economy will continue its “impressive boom” through 2013, after leading the country’s economic growth in 2012, despite facing challenges.

RBC forecasts a provincial real GDP growth rate of three per cent due to strong crude oil production as well as high levels of capital investment, employment and population growth. This will be second in the country behind the 5.1 per cent growth expected in Newfoundland & Labrador.

RBC is predicting Alberta will lead the country in economic growth of 4.2 per cent in 2014.

In December, RBC forecast growth of 3.5 per cent this year for the province. The forecast for 2014 has remained the same.

“Even though the province recently announced a $2 billion budget deficit, Alberta is unquestionably in the midst of an impressive economic boom – particularly with capital investment fuelling manufacturing and wholesalers’ sales. Attractive employment opportunities are also bringing new migrants to the province, boosting population growth and in turn, consumer spending,” said Craig Wright, senior vice-president and chief economist at RBC. “As the economy continues to thrive across the majority of key industries, Alberta will remain at the top-end of Canada’s economic growth rankings this year.”

Economic growth in the province in 2011 was 5.1 per cent followed by 3.5 per cent last year.

Todd Hirsch, senior economist with ATB Financial, said Alberta’s economy is moderating somewhat.

“So I think we will see probably a slower year for growth than what we saw in 2011 or 2012,” said Hirsch. “A lot of that of course prompted by those softer energy prices and maybe a little bit of pullback by the provincial government. But I think we’re still going to see kind of a nice moderate healthy level of growth of around 2.5 to three per cent.

“Going forward beyond that it gets trickier and we don’t really do forecasts beyond 2013 but I would still see 2014 as a pretty good year … It’s not going to feel quite like the boom years of 2006, 2007 either. We’re just going to have nice healthy moderate growth.”

RBC said there are a few weak spots in Alberta’s economic outlook. Investment intentions in the oil and gas sector are essentially flat for 2013. RBC said Alberta’s energy developers’ plans are being weighed down by rapidly rising energy production in the U.S., pipeline bottlenecks and the ‘bitumen bubble’, all of which contributed to lower crude oil prices in Canada relative to global benchmarks late in 2012.

“Weaker than expected oil prices put a multibillion dollar hole in Alberta government’s revenues, and led to a 2013 provincial budget that detailed renewed public sector spending restraint,” said Wright. “Still, any pullback in capital spending will be short-lived as pipeline issues are addressed and crude oil price relationships normalize.”

RBC trimmed its real GDP growth forecast for Canada to 1.8 per cent through 2013, following softer-than-expected growth in 2012. For 2014, it is forecasting 2.9 per cent growth across the country. In December, it forecast growth of 2.4 per cent this year and 2.8 per cent in 2014.

“After boasting a relatively strong economic performance over the past several years, Canada’s economy hit a speed bump in late 2012,” said Wright. “That said, financial conditions continue to support growth. As confidence recovers, business spending should accelerate, albeit at a less rapid pace than we saw in the early days of expansion.”

Source: Calgary Herald

Edmonton’s Rutherford Area Real Estate Listings and Sales statistics from your Team Leading Edge Rutherford specialist… Serge Bourgoin

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Edmonton’s Magrath Heights Area Real Estate Listings and Sales statistics from your Team Leading Edge Magrath Heights specialist… Serge Bourgoin

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From your Team Leading Edge MacTaggart specialist… Serge Bourgoin

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The market is really heating up in Edmonton. Tonight I wrote an offer above asking price on a property that only been on the market for 2 days and we were not the successful bidder. You need to act fast and possible significantly above asking price.

To view and search all Edmonton and are MLS listed homes for sale visit us at www.EdmontonHomesforsale.biz

Are you targeting the right Alberta market?

If you want to succeed in the 2013-2014 real estate market, you must understand the current Canadian Homebuyers Trends. According to the Canadian Homebuying Trends Survey conducted last December, the top two demographics purchasing real estate in Alberta are: couples and families. As a result, the majority of future homeowners are between 18 and 54 years of age. Below are other survey results we found interesting:

• 50% of Albertan homebuyers believe housing values will rise in their area- 34% believe they will remain the same
• 45% of Albertan homebuyers are earning $50,000 to $99,999 while 38% are earning over $100,000
• 58% of Albertan homebuyers are spending between $250,000 and $500,000 on a home
• 32% are making more than a 30% down payment

In Canada almost one in five purchasers is single- 45% of the single homebuyers are women. This could be a direct consequence of the increased number of women with advanced education, such as college diplomas and degrees. Two years ago, 72% of Canadian women between 25 and 44 years of age had completed post-secondary education, in contrast to 65% of men. These young professionals have: established careers, financial independence, and success- as a result they are approaching the real estate industry and seeking homeownership.

To view & search MLS listed homes visit us at www.EdmontonHomesForSale.biz

Source: http://news.redmantech.ca/2013/03/201314-canadian-homebuyers-trends/

It hasn’t been the worst winter we’ve seen in Edmonton, but we’re all still anxiously waiting for spring to arrive. This year, the Real Estate market in the area decided not to wait, and began showing signs of spring in February. Sales and listings always heat up as the weather warms, but this year, buyers and sellers came out of hibernation just a little early. In February, we saw listing activity increase by 10% over January. Sales activity was even stronger, increasing 18.2% over the first month of the year. That puts our sales-to-listing ratio for the month at about 55%, 4% higher than the same time last year. While that means fewer properties were listed than sold, there’s still more than four months’ worth of supply available. With strong prices fueling activity, we can expect to see more sellers make the decision to enter the market in the coming months.
Things always tend to heat up in real estate as we hit spring. This year, spring sales activity seems to have arrived just a little ahead of spring weather. To get the best sense of which way the wind is blowing in real estate and what it could mean for you, talk to your local REALTOR® –here when life happens.

Source: Real Estate Association of Edmonton

EDMONTON – The City of Edmonton is negotiating with Leduc County to annex two parcels totalling 15,600 hectares south of the city, including the international airport.

For the complete article visit:

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/business/Edmonton+wants+annex+hectares+Leduc+County+including+airport/8052733/story.html