Showing posts with label property taxes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label property taxes. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

New Property Assessment Roll is Out. How Did Your Area Fare?

The city of Montrea released its triennial property roll this morning. Property values are up across the board, though the rate of increase varies widely depending on the property type and borough or municipality within Greater Montreal.

In brief, the value of the average Montreal home rose by 4.6 per cent, while the value of the average condo rose by a scant 2.2 per cent. The one type that saw a big jump was the multi-unit building with six or more apartments. The average value rose by a whopping 13.2 per cent.

The city takes a snapshot of property values once every three years and sets property taxes according to the value. The snapshot the city is using for this roll was taken in July, 2015. The new roll will apply from 2017 through 2019.

Of course, the increase in a property's value is only one half of the equation. We now wait to see what mill rate will apply in each of the boroughs and municipalities. The mill rate is the tax per $100 of property value. In Verdun, the basic 2016 mill rate was 0.5795cents per $100. In the Plateau, the base rate was set at 0.6562 cents per $100.

The new budget should be out mid November.

You can check your new evaluation by visiting the city's web site here and then click on "Consultation du role foncier" in the left margin. Enter the robot-fooling alpha-numeric code and then enter your civic number and street name. Have fun.

In the meantime, here's a map that shows how evaluations have risen across the island since the last roll was created.





Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Divided versus Undivided, A Reader Asks about Taxes

MontReal Estate reader Sabrina read a post I wrote about the differences between divided and undivided properties. One of the most interesting differences about the two is that the property taxes on undivided properties are generally substantially lower on undivided than divided.

Sabrina wrote to ask how much of a difference there is. So here goes.

I can't give you a precise mathematical answer to the question, Sabrina. If you own a condo, your property taxes will be based on a formula the city works out every three years when it adjusts the property tax rolls.

For example, if you look at Plateau Mont Royal, the basic 2012 tax rate or mill rate is .8183 cents per $100 for evaluation if your unit is in a building with five units or less. Add to that .1403 cents per $100 of evaluation for water tax and a road improvement tax of .0047 cents per $100 of evaluation.

If you live in a condo, also known as a divided property, the city will base its evaluation on the value of your property alone, though the truth is that evaluations generally trail market values. Thank goodness.

If you have an undivided property, the property tax will be based on the value of the entire building and will be divided among the co-owners according to what percentage of the building they own. If your property is part of a triplex, that might work out to 31 per cent for the middle floor, 35 per cent for the ground floor and 34 per cent for the top floor. (The percentages can vary, depending on if the person on the ground floor also gets access to a basement, or whether the second floor is smaller than the third floor because of the staircase etc.)

Have I bored you to tears yet, Sabrina?

Here's a more visual illustration. I looked up four properties that sold within the last 6 months in the Plateau. All sold for between $345,000 and $350,000. Two are divided properties and two are undivided. Have a look.


Berri St. undivided. Sold $350,000.  Building evaluation $754,000. Ownership share = 30 per cent. Taxes= $2230.50















De Bullion St. divided. Sold for $350,000. Evaluation $343,000. Taxes= $3,965















Waverly St. undivided. Sold for $345,000. Building evaluation $510,300. Ownership share = 30 per cent. Taxes = $1567.















Henri-Julien Ave. divided. Sold for $350,000. Evaluation $270,3000. Taxes = $1,747.















As you can see, there can be wide differences in property taxes, depending on whether your evaluation is low or high. A low evaluation today will be corrected next time the property rolls are updated. The one thing that doesn't change is that the taxes on an undivided property are lower than those on a divided property that sells for the same price.

 I hope that helps, Sabrina. Thanks for writing!







Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Divided Versus Undivided Co-Ownership, What's the Difference?

I'm working with a new client ready to buy his first property.  He said he was looking for a condo, but I've come to realize that buyers throw that term around without knowing what it means.
In Quebec, there are two kinds of shared ownership properties: undivided co-ownerships and divided co-ownerships. People tend to use the word condo to mean both but they are distinct and there are things a buyer should understand about each before purchasing.
When buying into an undivided co-ownership property, you are, in fact, buying a share in a property as a whole. In a triplex, that typically means that you are buying about 33 per cent of the roof, foundation, walls and yard. You are given exclusive use of a portion of the property but you are essentially a shareholder in the whole.  The property has one tax account, divided among the owners according to their share of the property. One of the big advantages to this kind of ownership is that property and school taxes are substantially lower.
Undivided co-ownerships have their own particularities. 
As a rule of thumb, asking prices for undivided properties are lower than those for divided properties of similar size and with similar features. That's because buyers are obliged to provide a larger down payment when buying into an undivided property, 20 per cent down, versus the usual minimum 5 per cent.
Only two lenders will mortgage them: The National Bank and the Caisse Populaire. You can't choose, the lender will already be in place when you make an offer to purchase.
The third thing about undivided properties is that you have no automatic right to occupy the premises. Whaaaa?  It's true. If you lease your "apartment" in an undivided co-ownership building, Quebec law says that you cannot then reclaim it unless the tenant agrees to go.  It is equally true that if a rental building is turned into a undivided co-ownership property, the tenants cannot be turfed out, regardless of how many months notice they are given, or how much money you offer them as an inducement to leave.
For this reason, many undivided properties have clauses in their co-ownership agreements that forbid owners from leasing their properties.
Life is much more straightforward with a divided co-ownership property. Properly, this is what people mean when they talk about condos.  You own your unit, its walls, floors and ceilings. Your tax bill will be higher, because it will more closely reflect the market value of your individual unit. This kind of ownership is relatively new in Quebec. It only became possible to divide a property after the Quebec Civil Code was revised by the National Assembly in 1969.
Unlike an undivided, the down payment can be as low as 5 per cent and you can seek a mortgage with any lender you like.
Which is the better option? There is no easy answer. For some people, substantially lower tax bills trump all other considerations.  For others, there is a clean, simple logic to owning a unit, versus a share in a property.
The main thing is to consider what you're buying into. Read the co-ownership agreement. It will be so very booooooooooooring, but you'd be a fool not. A good agent will read it too, and advise you on potential problems. Are dogs allowed or not? Are carpets mandatory, or can you have hardwood floors? Are window boxes okay? Who has use of the yard or the basement? How much is each owner required to contribute to the reserve fund. All will be spelled out in a well-written co-ownership agreement.
Also read the minutes to the last two or three annual meetings of the co-owners. These will give you an idea of the issues and possible conflicts in the building. Examine the financial statements so that you know what big bills may be coming due and how much money is in the reserve fund.