Is Your Condo Leaving Money on the Table?
How Condo Boards Can Invest Wisely
Practical Guidance for Smarter Condominium Governance in Sarnia, Ontario
At Sapphire Condominium Management, we’ve helped manage over $60 million in reserve and operating funds for condominiums across Sarnia and Southwestern Ontario. Through disciplined financial planning and smart cash flow strategies, 99% of our clients have avoided the need for special assessments or debt financing, even during high-cost years due to healthy investment planning.
Conversations about how (and when) to invest surplus cash come up often. And while we may not manage every building in the region just yet, we believe every board should have access to trusted, practical financial strategies. The guidance that follows is the same we use with our clients to help you get the most from your reserves without unnecessary risk.
Most condo corporations hold onto extra cash "just in case," but if it just sits in a low-interest account, you’re missing easy gains. Each year, uninvested money loses 2-3% per year via inflation. If you’re not investing the money that’s available, your condo is going to fall behind. Even in the Reserve Fund plan, they estimate that you are investing the funds that are sitting available. It’s not an option; it’s necessary to have a healthily funded Reserve Fund.
The Mistake: No Investment Plan for Surplus Cash
Without a strategy, surplus funds grow slowly—if at all. By holding all your funds in a savings account in the bank, you will earn drastically less than you could. The bank will typically offer Prime Rate Minus 3.00%. For example, if the Prime Rate is 4.50%, the amount earned will be 1.5%. To put that into perspective, investing in a 1-Year GIC would earn you Prime Rate Minus 1.00%. Meaning at a 4.50% Prime Rate, your funds would be earning 3.50%.
Double the amount that you would earn otherwise.
A $500,000 Reserve Fund would earn $7,500 over the year at the bank offerred savings rate (1.5%). By investing in a 1-Year GIC (3.5%) for the same amount of funds, you would yield $17,500.
$10,000 more just by moving the funds out of the savings bank account and into an investment.
The Opportunity
Grow your reserve fund faster
Boost your interest income by thousands
Offset inflation and future cost increases
Smarter Financial Planning
Build an investment plan based on your reserve schedule
Shop multiple investment partners for top rates
Stay compliant with Ontario condo laws and regulations
If you’d like to learn more about better condominium governance, check out our other articles: