Andrin to Restore Mayfair Hotel At City Centre

Great news for lovers of heritage buildings downtown.  Restoration & expansion of the historic Mayfair Hotel at Andrin’s City Centre Condo development is moving forward.

CTV News reports:

Built around 1905 and converted to the Mayfair around 1929, it set to become a boutique hotel, spa and restaurant.

Brampton-based developer Andrin Homes will reportedly maintain the historic exterior while renovating the interior. Additional levels will be added to make it a nine story building.

The Record adds more details:

“Glass and steel additions will be built on top of the existing buildings, bringing the height to nine floors. The inside of both buildings will be completely rebuilt. Three floors will be added to the Mayfair Hotel at 11 Young St. Six floors to the building next door at 156-158 King St. west.

The proposed redevelopment plan calls for a speakeasy club in the basement and:

First floor — a restaurant, whisky bar, hotel lobby and pool.

Second floor — 13 suites plus a gym and yoga studio.

Third floor — 13 suites and the spa’s reception.

Fourth floor — 14 suites and the spa.

I had the opportunity to tour it this week, before it is opened to the public & the general Real Estate agent population.

The model suites & plans look terrific, and I’m excited to see them open.

Occupancy is expected by the end of this year for the first floor, and soon after that for the next three, with the top few floors being the last to be finished (that part of the building is brand new construction, whereas the rest is the original factory)

Arrow Lofts Now On Sale

Because we work with lots of real estate investors, the developer has allowed us to offer purchasers discounts and incentives that are (according to the developer) not available through most real estate agents.

If you’d like to pick up a unit here, email me right now.  The best units will be gone by next week (and they’re available for you now)

We can send you the full price list and floorplans, just email us.

Among others, City Centre by Andrin has units starting under $200,000 – and so does their last project, the Kaufman Lofts, a conversion of the historic Kaufman factory up the street.

These are both in booming downtown Kitchener; the Kaufman Lofts are across the street from land the Region recently purchased to use as a transit hub (see: Waterloo Region Buys Kitchener Land to Redevelop for Transit Hub), and it’s kitty corner to the University Health Sciences Campus.

For a complete list of condos under $200,000 in Kitchener Waterloo (and Cambridge or Guelph too!) email me, click the link on the sidebar up top or call 519 772 4377

One of the most anticipated pre-construction condo projects in Kitchener Waterloo, City Centre has recently started selling units.

There will be two towers, 17 and 14 floors, that will  house about 380 units.  In addition, the site plan calls for retail, underground parking, and a boutique hotel and spa where the Mayfair currently stands.

I have floorplans for the units, but can’t post them online.  If you’re interested in more information, email me by clicking here

From 570 News

Ground has been broken on a sales office that will drive growth in downtown Kitchener. Representatives from Andrin Homes, the City of Kitchener and the Downtown BIA were on-hand at a ceremony Tuesday morning that marked the beginning of construction on what will become a dedicated, 3,500-square-foot sales pavilion.

“The sales centre itself will have two, fully furnished model suites,” says Anne Marchildon, vice-president, Sales and Marketing with Andrin Homes. “The exterior of the sales centre (will also be) representative of what the building will look like, (from the) brick colour, the panel colours, the window details, all of that sort of thing.”

The sales centre will also include a 2,000-square-foot presentation area with multimedia capabilities to allow potential buyers to go through the project step-by-step.

Marchildon calls Kitchener a “very good” municipality to work with.

“They’re very forward-thinking, they do their homework, everybody is looking to the same objective,” she says.

Kitchener’s Director of Economic Development, Rod Regier, is admittedly excited by this next step in the project.

“It’s coming at the right time,” he says. “We’ve had some great announcements in the downtown recently with The Tannery and The Communitech Hub developed there, followed by the Google move. So we’re very excited about where this fits into the overall constellation.”

Regier says the next step is to get more people living in the downtown and he believes Tuesday’s announcement is a positive move in that direction.

Centre Block has sat dormant for almost a decade after the city learned of plans for a pornographic movie theatre and began buying up property. To date, Kitchener has spent about $9-million acquiring lands in the area bounded by King, Young, Duke and Ontario streets. Previous efforts to develop the property, including a potential relocation of the Main Branch of the Kitchener Public Library, have failed.

There were 65 condos sold in Kitchener in April 2010

Of interest to real estate investors, there were 3 sales at the Kaufman Lofts, a complex where several of our clients own rental units. A one bedroom sold for $200,000; another 1bed went for $212,000; and a two bedroom went for $272,500.

This building continues to be very desireable for home buyers and real estate investors due to it’s affordable price for a newer property, great location, and funky feel that appeals to tenants and owners.

The most affordable condominium sold in Kitchener went for $114,000, and the most expensive condo sold in April went for $305,000

Real Estate Market Statistics for Canada and Kitchener Waterloo

(Ben’s Kitchener Waterloo real estate market update is at the bottom of this article)

Keller Williams Realty’s Real Estate Market Update for Canada

This Month in Real Estate Video Report for Canada Market – April 2010

Commentary:

Research from Keller Williams Realty International

Canada’s economy continues to show its resilience as a “string of indicators suggest Canadian economic growth is robust, and gaining strength.”

Inflation has begun to rise, so to keep within the targeted 2 percent, the Bank of Canada plans to follow suit with raising its interest rate. It will not extend the conditional commitment to keep interest rates at historically low rates past the original expiration date this June.

The economy is looking stronger, the housing market is still hot, and confidence has risen. The government previously warned that the loonie’s rise to parity with the U.S. dollar could pose potential setbacks for Canadian businesses that export. With much improved demand from the United States and a more entrenched recovery in Canada, the government’s tone has changed. Flaherty has stated that the loonie “continues to keep the nation’s economy competitive.”

While things are certainly looking up from a year earlier, it’s important to note that the commodity base of Canada’s economy leaves it somewhat susceptible to external forces such as global demand, currency rates, and commodity prices.

Housing Market:

Home Sales:

Existing home sales activity totaled 42,799 units in February. This stood 44 percent above activity in February 2009 and was 59 percent above the December 2008 level, when sales reached their lowest levels since June 2000. New, tougher mortgage rules (in effect April 19) the new harmonized sales tax in Ontario and British Columbia (beginning on July 1), and the prospect of higher short-term interest rates in the coming months will act as catalysts to push potential home buyers off the fence and heighten an already strong spring market.

Average Home Price:

Low supply and strong demand continued to boost prices. The national average home price was $335,655 in February, up 18 percent from February 2009 and 22 percent more than January 2009 (when prices fell to the lowest level in almost three years).

Inventory:

Sales-to-Listings Ratio
While new listings edged up 2.4 percent to 73,849 units from January 2010, the highest level since October 2008, strong resale housing demand continued to draw down inventories. At the end of February, there were 15.4 percent fewer homes listed for sale than a year before. Even after three consecutive months of slowly building supply, inventory levels remained near record lows with 4.7 months of homes available for sale. As national sales activity has slowed in recent months while new listings continued to rise, the housing market has become more balanced with a sales-to-listings ratio of 58 percent.

Mortgage Rates:

Average for: 25-Year Amortization, 5-Year Term
In March, the 5-year conventional mortgage rate rose to 5.85 percent. With rates on the upswing indicating that the housing market is poised to cool off, the projected, gradual softening of the market will add to a more sustainable long-term affordability level for many Canadians.

Sources: Conference Board, The Canadian Real Estate Association, Royal Bank of Canada, Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Bank of Canada

Notable News:

2010 Budget: Continued Stimulus and Plans to Balance

In early March, the government outlined their plans for the 2010 budget. Experts believe a steady hand in an uncertain global economic environment will help maintain Canada’s position as one of the strongest economies.

Flaherty plans to spend the remaining $19 billion of the $47 billion two-year stimulus package as outlined in last year’s budget.

Although the actual deficit number has been widely debated in the press, the government plans to return to a balanced budget in the coming years through targeted cuts in public service spending, freezing foreign aid, limiting military spending, and raising employment insurance premiums.

Lower corporate income taxes are still on target to be adjusted from 19 percent to 15 percent along with a commitment to free and open trade, as shown through a lack of tariffs, are intended to make Canada an attractive place for businesses to invest.

Source: Financial Post

Timely Topics:

Mortgage Insurance Changes

Over the past year, Canada’s housing market has proven to be robust. Although the most recent indicators point to a balanced market, the government is taking steps to ensure the stability of the market with efforts to prevent a bubble.

The following changes to mortgage insurance will take effect on April 19:

1. Even if borrowers opt for an adjustable rate mortgage, they must qualify for the current fixed-rate mortgage.
2. The maximum equity a borrower can withdraw during a refinance has been lowered from 95 percent to 90 percent of the property value.
3. Down payment requirements have quadrupled for investors who do not intend to occupy the property from 5 percent to 20 percent.

For more information about mortgages for investment properties, read this article: New Investment Property CMHC Mortgage Rules & downpayment options in Canada

April 2010 Real Estate Market Statistics for Kitchener Waterloo (for the real estate board MLS)

from April’s Real Estate Sales in Kitchener Waterloo set Record

Another very busy month for real estate in Kitchener Waterloo – 724 homes were sold in April 2010, up 12.6% from April 2009′s volume. The previous record for sales in April was set in 2007 with 711.

The average price of a single detahced home sold in Kitchener Waterloo in April rose to $327,196, an incrase of 12.3% over the average price reported in APril 2009.

The average value of a semi-detached home incrased 17.4% from $196,429 (average, April 2009) to $230,582 (average, April 2010), and the average sale price of condos increased 7.2% to $176,117.

Market Summary:

Volume is up; Prices are up.

Mortgage interest rates continue to rise, so if you’re looking to make a real estate investment in the next few months, it is profitable to lock in your loan interest rate now (ask me for details on how to do that) so you don’t end up paying more each month for the same property.

For questions about the current real estate market in Kitchener Waterloo, call me now at 519 772 4376, or email me at Benjamin@BenjaminBach.com

Let’s assume a real estate investor is looking at a 1 bedroom condo here. There are units available around $180,000 – a unit at this price is amongst the smallest available, but still in demand by buyers and tenants alike.

(These figures are all projections. Contact Benjamin for a personalized consultation)

The sheet above (click to enlarge it) shows us the assumptions we’re using:

$1200 a month in rent

$3000 condo fee and $1700 in property tax annually etc.

It also shows us the mortgage options – this investor is using a 20% downpayment, and getting a 80% LTV (Loan to Value) mortgage.

Now let’s look at the cash flow (click to enlarge):

As we can see, a Kaufman Loft can generate a positive cash flow for a real estate investor, based on these figures.

Over 20 years, what will your return on equity be? Let’s look at another cash flow projection:

Click to enlarge

For more information on Kaufman Lofts and other condos in Kitchener, contact Benjamin Bach @ Benjamin@BenjaminBach.com, or call me at 519-772-4376

Related Real Estate Investment Articles:

Real Estate Investment Tip: Raising Rent on Rental Units in Ontario

144 Park New Luxury Condos in Waterloo

Top 10 Reasons to Invest in Kitchener Waterloo Real Estate

Bauer Lofts, new luxury condos in Waterloo, Ontario

3 Things You Should Look For Before Investing in a Condo in Kitchener Waterloo

New Report Released About Kitchener Waterloo Real Estate

Between the terrific location (across from the new Health Sciences campus at the corner of King and Victoria St in downtown Kitchener), the iconic nature of the property – Kaufman Footwear has been there since the early 20th century – and the premier rents the condos generate, they can make a great real estate investment.

Click Play to watch the video. This looks at the reasons investors like buying condos here, and goes through the potential cash flow that the rental unit can generate.

For more information on Kaufman Lofts and other condos in Kitchener, contact Benjamin Bach @ Benjamin@BenjaminBach.com, or call me at 519-772-4376

Related Real Estate Investment Articles:

Real Estate Investment Tip: Raising Rent on Rental Units in Ontario

144 Park New Luxury Condos in Waterloo

Top 10 Reasons to Invest in Kitchener Waterloo Real Estate

Bauer Lofts, new luxury condos in Waterloo, Ontario

3 Things You Should Look For Before Investing in a Condo in Kitchener Waterloo

New Report Released About Kitchener Waterloo Real Estate

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