Fitch Ratings says that new federal mortgage and tax rules should help cool Canada’s overheated housing market.
In a new report, the rating agency endorses the new mortgage rules that were unveiled last week by the federal Department of Finance, which include expanding interest rate stress tests for insured mortgages; tightening mortgage insurance eligibility requirements for “low-ratio” mortgages; and, curbing capital gains tax exemptions on foreign property sellers.
Fitch says that it believes that the new measures “may temper the housing market, especially in cities that are significantly overvalued.” Earlier this year, the rating agency estimated that home prices across Canada are approximately 25% above their sustainable value.
Additionally, Fitch says that the new rules could lead to improved credit quality in certain residential covered bond programs. “Changes to insured mortgage loan underwriting requirements could influence non-insured mortgage loan underwriting requirements,” it suggests, adding, “Any tightening of non-insured mortgage loan underwriting requirements would further help to cool the housing market and also help to address the concern of heightened borrower leverage.”
Photo copyright: xixinxing/123RF