For those of you who have been patiently waiting for the right moment to buy a new home, now may be the time to move off the sidelines.

Or more specifically – it might be the perfect time.

Recent changes to housing policy from the federal and provincial governments are already having an impact in boosting buyer confidence and swaying those who have been hesitating to act sooner than later.

Opportunities abound

Why? Because they know that, as effective as the changes are, with the spring busy season picking up steam (if slightly delayed), opportunities abound.

“With all the recent government action on spurring new home construction and making it more affordable to buy, as well as incredible deals to be had, right now we are experiencing a buyers’ market,” real estate expert Barbara Lawlor writes in her column on page 32. “The HST rebate is definitely breathing new energy into new construction. Savvy buyers are finding great opportunities to buy into desirable locations with an HST rebate for up to $130,000 on closing.”

If you’re wondering if window on the spring market, while perhaps a little slower than usual, has closed due to a late start, our mortgage expert Jesse Abrams reassures that that’s not the case.

“Actually, quite the opposite,” he writes, on page 18. “When headlines get scary, the ‘tourist’ buyers, the people who aren’t really serious, drop out.

Picking up steam

“If you’re a buyer who is actually ready to move, this is your leverage.

“Global unrest creates a lot of smoke, but my job is to help you see the house through the haze. Don’t wait for the news to get better before you start planning. By the time the headlines are ‘safe,’ the best deals and the best rates will already be gone.”

Well, according to the latest statistics on the resale and new home sides, we may already be entering the safe territory. The Building Industry and Land Development Association reports improvement in March, and expects the HST rebate will energize the market for the balance of the year and build on the momentum.

In resale, meanwhile, the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board is also noting sales increases, and it too expects the momentum to continue.

The new home and resale markets, then, if a little slow out of the gate this spring, are picking up steam and looking increasingly steady.