Vacancy Rate in St. John’s Decreases

November 13, 2008 · Filed Under First Time Buyers, St. John's Investments and St. John's Real Estate · Comment 

Several factors will decrease the vacancy rate this year and in 2009 CMHC reports.

As home ownership costs rise, the movement of renter households to home ownership will continue to slow. However, out-migration of the 18 to 24 year-old segment of the population will persist and once again this will put upward pressure on the vacancy rate. In fact, close to 80 per cent of this age group tend to be renter households. Investment in rental housing will increase the supply only slightly this year and next.

Accordingly, the vacancy rate for structures containing three or more units is forecast at 1.0 per cent in 2008 and 1.5 per cent in 2009. With the vacancy rate decreasing, expect monthly rents to increase by 6.0 and 11 per cent this year and next, respectively, as landlords attempt to recover increased costs associated with maintaining the rental stock and lower vacancies and higher energy costs exert upward pressure on rents.