No doubt you have thought about the affordability of the current Canadian housing market. And chances are you have even thought about where houses prices will go in the future! Maybe you have parents that tell you stories of a different time when they bought their first house for less than you paid for you first car. Inflation accounts for some of the increase in prices, but there has to be something else (most likely lots of something elses).
In a recent study completed by Statistics Canada called: Employment patterns of families with children, 1976 to 2014, the study noted that…
“In 2014, 69% of couple families with at least one child under 16 years of age had two working parents, up from 36% in 1976.”
Said in another way (as it relates to affordability of housing)
In 1976, 36% of couple families with at least one child under 16 years of age had two working parents contributing to household income (including the mortgage). In 2014, this number jumped to 69%.
With almost 7 out of every 10 families having the ability to qualify for their mortgages using two incomes, it is no wonder that over the last 30 years house prices have increased significantly. As income is the main driver in affordability, double income families have more income than most single income families, so they can afford to spend more on housing.
So what does all this mean to you?
Well… if you are a single person or one half of a double income family, housing prices continue to go up, making housing less affordable. If you are considering getting into the market, making sure you look at all the mortgage options available to you and having a plan to pay off your mortgage is essential.
I am a mortgage professional and I would love to sit down with you and discuss your specific financial situation in order to help you arrange financing to purchase a home that suits your personal and family’s needs.
Here is the complete study from Statistics Canada for your reading pleasure.
