Topic: How To Invest

What is Pat’s commentary for the week of June 10, 2014

Article Excerpt

Dear Inner Circle member, A friend, Mr. S., has a large profit on his home, and he wonders if he should sell. A lot of Toronto homeowners are asking themselves that question, but my friend’s case is different. He bought his house 15 years ago for $325,000. Similar houses six blocks away are now worth perhaps $750,000, but his is worth nearly twice as much. The value of his home went up faster than average because his area has been re-zoned for high-rise condo construction. Re-zoning can have a huge impact on real estate prices. The land under the house now provides a site for one house. But if a developer assembles a parcel of 10 adjacent houses, he might be able to win approval to build 50 or 100 or more condo apartments on the site, depending on the condo plan and the number of stories the authorities allow. This potential “change in use” and the value it generates attracts condo developers,…