Dave Dry

This is an article taken from the Alberta Realtor association (AREA) Update of March 10 2009.

For Canadians, it’s mind-boggling to hear about the prices foreclosures are going for in the United

States. Fifty thousand dollars for a 5-bedroom, 3-bathroom, single-family, semi-detached home with

enough closet space to hold fifty thousand pairs of shoes_ Where do I sign?!

Busted!

Typically, foreclosures aren’t as glorious in Canada as they are south of the border.

Why?

In Canada, there are two methods for lenders to recover mortgage debt:

1. Judicial Sale – Lenders must receive the court’s permission before they can sell the property.

2. Power of Sale – Lenders can sell the property without the court’s involvement.

Judicial sale is the primary debt-recovery method used in Alberta.

Two other important factors differentiate Canadian foreclosures from those in the United States. In

Canada:

_ Properties cannot be sold under market value

_ Properties must be accompanied by an appraisal.

Risks

Aside from the likelihood that the foreclosure isn’t a great bargain, purchasers of foreclosure properties

face several other risks. For example, banks have the ability to sell or dispose of property “as is”. This

means that, before putting a property on the market, banks don’t have to remediate or repair structural

defects, environmental or health hazards, or homes that have been condemned.

The Bottom Line

Before packing their shoes or reaching for their wallets, buyers should be advised to seek professional

assessments. It’s never wise to buy something sight unseen. And if profit is the motivation behind

purchasing foreclosures, Canadian buyers may be disappointed. 

My comment

 One of the big reasons for the housing crash south of the border is that the banks can offer property at less than market value. The bank is only looking to recover the unpaid balance. This forces the average home owner to lower the price of any property they are trying to sell to compete.

Making your Real Estate needs my priority.

Dave Dry