Median-income earners would have to save 20 per cent of their salary for 52 years to afford a home in Greater Vancouver, according to a new study.
Calculations released by real estate agency Zoocasa on Thursday found that median-income households earning $72,662 in the region, where the benchmark home price costs $993,300, would qualify for a mortgage of only $241,994.
This would leave a shortfall of $751,306, necessitating a hefty down payment with a savings timeline that spans decades.
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Overall, the study found median-income earners would not be able to afford homes in about half of Canada91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s major housing markets.
In seven of 15 urban centres, such as the Fraser Valley in B.C. and Greater Toronto Area, median-income households would not qualify for a mortgage large enough to fund their benchmark home purchase.
In the eight other markets, such as in the Prairies as well as parts of the Maritimes, the study said median-income households would be able to save up the required down payment in less than a decade.
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For the study, Zoocasa calculated the maximum mortgage that median-income households would qualify for in each region, assuming a three-per-cent interest rate and 25-year amortization, and that the equivalent of one per cent of the total home purchase price would be put toward annual property taxes.
An additional $100 per month for heating costs was also factored into the calculation.
karissa.gall@blackpress.ca
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