Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Market Watch for October 2017
TORONTO, ONTARIO, November 2, 2017 – Toronto Real Estate
Board President Tim Syrianos reported 7,118 residential sales through TREB’s
MLS® System in October 2017. This result represented an above-average increase
between September and October of almost 12 per cent, pointing to stronger fall
market conditions. On a year-over-year basis, October sales were down compared
to 9,715 transactions in October 2016. Total sales reported through the first
10 months of 2017 amounted to 80,198 – down from 99,233 for the same time
period in 2016. “Every year we generally see a jump in sales between September
and October. However, this year that increase was more pronounced than usual
compared to the previous ten years. So, while the number of transactions was
still down relative to last year’s record pace, it certainly does appear that
sales momentum is picking up,” said Mr. Syrianos. The MLS® Home Price Index
Composite benchmark price was up by 9.7 per cent on a year-over-year basis in
October. Annual rates of price growth were strongest for townhouses and
condominium apartments. The average selling price for October transactions was
$780,104 – up by 2.3 per cent compared to the average of $762,691 in October
2016. “The housing market in the GTA has been impacted by a number of policy
changes at the provincial and federal levels. Similar to the track followed in
the Greater Vancouver Area, it appears that the psychological impact of the
Fair Housing Plan, including the tax on foreign buyers, is starting to unwind,”
said Jason Mercer, TREB’s Director of Market Analysis. “TREB will be
undertaking its annual consumer polling process over the last two months of
2017. This polling will include research into the impact of recent and proposed
government policy changes on consumer intentions to buy and sell homes in the
GTA, including the impacts of the new OSFI guideline and a potential vacancy
tax in the City of Toronto. In addition, TREB continues to work with different
levels of government on solutions to the long-term housing supply issues in the
region,” added Mr. Syrianos.
Toronto MLS Market Watch for September 2017
GTA REALTORS® RELEASE SEPTEMBER RESALE HOUSING MARKET
FIGURES -www.TREBhome.com TORONTO, ONTARIO, October 4, 2017 – Toronto Real
Estate Board President Tim Syrianos announced that Greater Toronto Area
REALTORS® reported 6,379 sales through TREB’s MLS® System in September 2017.
This result was down by 35 per cent compared to September 2016. The number of
new listings entered into TREB’s MLS® System amounted to 16,469 in September –
up by 9.4 per cent year-over-year. “The improvement in listings in September
compared to a year earlier suggests that home owners are anticipating an uptick
in sales activity as we move through the fall. Consumer polling undertaken for
TREB in the spring suggested that buying intentions over the next year remain
strong. As we move through the fourth quarter we could see some buyers moving
off the sidelines, taking advantage of a better-supplied marketplace,” said Mr.
Syrianos. The average selling price in September 2017 was $775,546 – up 2.6 per
cent compared to September 2016. The MLS® Home Price Index (HPI) composite
benchmark was up by 12.2 per cent on a year-over-year basis. A key reason for
the difference in annual growth rates between the average price and the MLS®
HPI composite is the fact that detached homes – the most expensive market
segment on average – accounted for a smaller share of overall transactions this
year compared to last. “With more balanced market conditions, the pace of
year-over-year price growth was more moderate in September compared to a year
ago. However, the exception was the condominium apartment market segment, where
average and benchmark sales prices were up by more than 20 per cent compared to
last year. Tighter market conditions for condominium apartments follows
consumer polling results from the spring that pointed toward a shift to condos
in terms of buyer intentions,” said Jason Mercer, TREB’s Director of Market
Analysis
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
GTA REALTORS® RELEASE AUGUST 2017 RESALE HOUSING MARKET FIGURES
TORONTO, ONTARIO, September 6, 2017 – Toronto Real Estate
Board President Tim Syrianos announced that Greater Toronto Area REALTORS®
reported 6,357 home sales through TREB’s MLS® System in August 2017. This
result was down by 34.8 per cent compared to August 2016. The number of new
listings entered into TREB’s MLS® System, at 11,523, was down by 6.7 per cent
year-over-year and was at the lowest level for August since 2010. “Recent
reports suggest that economic conditions remain strong in the GTA. Positive
economic news coupled with the slower pace of price growth we are now
experiencing could prompt an improvement in the demand for ownership housing,
over and above the regular seasonal bump, as we move through the fall,”
continued Mr. Syrianos. The average selling price for all home types combined
was $732,292 – up by three per cent compared to August 2016. This growth was
driven by the semi-detached, townhouse and condominium apartment market
segments that continued to experience high single-digit or double digit
year-over-year average price increases. The MLS® Home Price Index composite
benchmark, which accounts for typical home types throughout TREB’s market area,
was up by 14.3 per cent year-over-year in August. The fact that MLS® HPI growth
outstripped average price growth, points to fewer high-end home sales this year
compared to last. “The relationship between sales and listings in the
marketplace today suggests a balanced market. If current conditions are
sustained over the coming months, we would expect to see year-over-year price
growth normalize slightly above the rate of inflation. However, if some buyers
move from the sidelines back into the marketplace, as TREB consumer research
suggests may happen, an acceleration in price growth could result if listings
remain at current levels,” said Jason Mercer, TREB’s Director of Market
Analysis.
Monday, August 21, 2017
Market Continued to Adjust in July 2017
August 3, 2017 -- Toronto Real Estate
Board President Tim Syrianos announced that Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® reported
5,921 residential transactions through TREB's MLS® System in July 2017. This
result was down by 40.4 per cent on a yearover- year basis, led by the detached
market segment – both in the City of Toronto and surrounding regions.While
sales were down, the number of new listings reported were only slightly (+5.1
per cent) above last year's level.
"A recent release from the Ontario government confirmed TREB's own research which found that foreign buyers represented a small proportion of overall home buying activity in the GTA. Clearly, the year-over-year decline we experienced in July had more to do with psychology, with would-be home buyers on the sidelines waiting to see how market conditions evolve," said Mr. Syrianos.
"Summer market statistics are often not the best indicators of housing market conditions. We generally see an uptick in sales following Labour Day, as a greater cross-section of would-be buyers and sellers start to consider listing and/or purchasing a home. As we move through the fall, we should start to get a better sense of the impacts of the Fair Housing Plan and higher borrowing costs," said TREB CEO John DiMichele.
The MLS® Home Price Index (HPI) Composite Benchmark price was up by 18 per cent on a year-over-year basis. However, the Composite Benchmark was down by 4.6 per cent relative to June. Monthly MLS® HPI declines were driven more so by single-family home types. The average selling price for all home types combined was up by five per cent year-over-year to $746,218.
"Home buyers benefitted from more choice in the market this July compared to the same time last year. This was reflected in home prices and home price growth. Looking forward, if we do see some would-be home buyers move off the sidelines and back into the market without a similar increase in new listings, we could see some of this newfound choice erode. The recent changes in the sales and price trends have masked the fact that housing supply remains an issue in the GTA," said Jason Mercer, TREB's Director of Market Analysis.
"A recent release from the Ontario government confirmed TREB's own research which found that foreign buyers represented a small proportion of overall home buying activity in the GTA. Clearly, the year-over-year decline we experienced in July had more to do with psychology, with would-be home buyers on the sidelines waiting to see how market conditions evolve," said Mr. Syrianos.
"Summer market statistics are often not the best indicators of housing market conditions. We generally see an uptick in sales following Labour Day, as a greater cross-section of would-be buyers and sellers start to consider listing and/or purchasing a home. As we move through the fall, we should start to get a better sense of the impacts of the Fair Housing Plan and higher borrowing costs," said TREB CEO John DiMichele.
The MLS® Home Price Index (HPI) Composite Benchmark price was up by 18 per cent on a year-over-year basis. However, the Composite Benchmark was down by 4.6 per cent relative to June. Monthly MLS® HPI declines were driven more so by single-family home types. The average selling price for all home types combined was up by five per cent year-over-year to $746,218.
"Home buyers benefitted from more choice in the market this July compared to the same time last year. This was reflected in home prices and home price growth. Looking forward, if we do see some would-be home buyers move off the sidelines and back into the market without a similar increase in new listings, we could see some of this newfound choice erode. The recent changes in the sales and price trends have masked the fact that housing supply remains an issue in the GTA," said Jason Mercer, TREB's Director of Market Analysis.
Monday, July 10, 2017
Thursday, July 6, 2017
Market Watch for June 2017... More Moderate Price Growth in June
July 6, 2017 -- Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® reported
7,974 sales through TREB's MLS® System in June 2017 – down by 37.3 per cent in
comparison to June 2016.
The number of new residential
listings entered into TREB's MLS® System, at 19,614, was up by 15.9 per cent
compared to June 2016. While this annual rate of growth was sizeable, it
represented a more moderate annual rate of growth compared to May 2017, when
new listings were up by 48.9 per cent year-over-year.
"We are in a period of flux that
often follows major government policy announcements pointed at the housing
market. On one hand, consumer survey results tell us many households are very
interested in purchasing a home in the near future, but some of these would-be
buyers seem to be temporarily on the sidelines waiting to see the real impact
of the Ontario Fair Housing Plan. On the other hand, we have existing home
owners who are listing their home because they feel price growth may have
peaked. The end result has been a better supplied market and a moderating
annual pace of price growth," said Mr. Syrianos.
Annual growth rates for MLS® HPI
benchmark prices have moderated over the past two months, but remain strong.
The MLS® HPI composite benchmark price was up by 25.3 per cent on a
year-over-year basis in June. June's average selling price for all home types
combined for the TREB market area was $793,915, representing a 6.3 per cent
increase compared to the same month in 2016. A better supplied market has
certainly been a key factor influencing the moderation in price growth.
"Recent Ipsos survey results
suggest that home buying activity in the GTA will remain strong moving forward.
The year-over-year dip in home sales we have experienced over the last two
months seem to be the result of would-be buyers putting their decision to
purchase temporarily on hold while they monitor the impact of the Fair Housing
Plan. On the supply side of the market, it certainly looks as though buyers
will benefit from more choice in the second half of 2017 compared to the same
period in 2016,"said Jason Mercer, TREB's Director of Market Analysis and
Service Channels.
Tuesday, June 20, 2017
Market Watch for May 2017
June 5, 2017 -- Toronto Real Estate Board
President Larry Cerqua announced that Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® reported
10,196 sales through TREB's MLS® System in May 2017 – down by 20.3 per cent
compared to 12,790 sales reported in May 2016. Sales of detached homes were
down by 26.3 per cent. Sales of condominium apartments were down by 6.4 per
cent.
Active listings – the number of properties available for
sale at the end of May – were up by 42.9 per cent compared to the lowest level
in 15 years recorded in May 2016, but remained below the average and peak
during that period. The number increased considerably for low-rise home types
including detached and semi-detached houses and townhouses. Active listings for
condominium apartments were down compared to May 2016.
"Home buyers definitely benefitted from a better
supplied market in May, both in comparison to the same time last year and to
the first four months of 2017. However, even with the robust increase in active
listings, inventory levels remain low. At the end of May, we had less than two
months of inventory. This is why we continued to see very strong annual rates
of price growth, albeit lower than the peak growth rates earlier this
year," said Mr. Cerqua.
Selling prices continued to increase strongly in May
compared to the same month in 2016. The MLS® HPI Composite Benchmark price was
up by 29 per cent year-over-year. The average selling price for all home types
combined for the TREB Market Area as a whole was up by 14.9 per cent to $863,910.
Year-over-year price increases were greater for condominium apartments compared
to low-rise home types. This likely reflects the fact that the low-rise market
segments benefitted most from the increase in listings.
"The actual, or normalized, effect of the Ontario Fair
Housing Plan remains to be seen. In the past, some housing policy changes have
initially led to an overreaction on the part of homeowners and buyers, which
later balanced out. On the listings front, the increase in active listings
suggests that homeowners, after a protracted delay, are starting to react to
the strong price growth we've experienced over the past year by listing their
home for sale to take advantage of these equity gains," said Jason Mercer,
TREB's Director of Market Analysis.
Thursday, May 11, 2017
Market Watch for April 2017
TORONTO, ONTARIO, May 3, 2017 –The Toronto Real Estate Board
has examined property assessment and land registry data in Ontario and has
concluded that foreign buyer ownership, as well as speculation by foreign and
domestic buyers and multiple ownership in the Greater Golden Horseshoe housing
market remains low. TREB is releasing their analysis of this data at the same
time as TREB President Larry Cerqua announces that Greater Toronto Area
REALTORS® entered 33.6 per cent more new listings into TREB's MLS® System in
April 2017, at 21,630, compared to the same month in 2016. New listings were up
by double-digits for all low-rise home types, including detached and semi-detached
houses and townhouses. New listings for condominium apartments were at the same
level as last year. Total sales for the TREB market area as a whole amounted to
11,630 – down 3.2 per cent year-over-year. One issue underlying this decline was
the fact that Easter fell in April in 2017 versus March in 2016, which resulted
in fewer working days this year compared to last and, historically, most sales
are entered into TREB's MLS® System on working days. "The fact that we
experienced extremely strong growth in new listings in April means that buyers
benefited from considerably more choice in the marketplace. It is too early to
tell whether the increase in new listings was simply due to households reacting
to the strong double-digit price growth reported over the past year or if some
of the increase was also a reaction to the Ontario Government's recently
announced Fair Housing Plan," said Mr. Cerqua. The MLS® Home Price Index
(HPI) Composite Benchmark Price was up by 31.7 per cent year-over-year in April
2017. Similarly, the average selling price for all home types combined was up
by 24.5 per cent to $920,791. "It was encouraging to see a very strong
year-over-year increase in new listings. If new listings growth continues to
outpace sales growth moving forward, we will start to see more balanced market
conditions. It will likely take a number of months to unwind the substantial
pent-up demand that has built over the past two years. Expect annual rates of
price growth to remain well-above the rate of inflation as we move through the
spring and summer months," said Jason Mercer, TREB's Director of Market
Analysis.
Thursday, April 6, 2017
GTA REALTORS® RELEASE RESALE HOUSING MARKET STATISTICS - March 2017
TORONTO,
ONTARIO, April 5, 2017– Toronto Real Estate Board President Larry Cerqua
announced that Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® reported 12,077 residential sales
through TREB’s MLS® System in March 2017. This result represented a 17.7 per
cent increase compared to the 10,260 sales reported in March 2016. For the TREB
market area as a whole, annual sales growth was strongest for condominium
apartments and detached houses. The number of new listings also increased on a
year-over-year basis, at 17,051 – a 15.2 per cent increase compared to March
2016. The strongest growth in new listings was experienced in the detached
market segment. While new listings were up strongly compared to last year, the
rate new listings growth was still lower than the rate of sales growth. As a
result, GTA market conditions continued to tighten. “It has been encouraging to
see that policymakers have not implemented any knee-jerk policies regarding the
GTA housing market. Different levels of government are holding consultations
with market stakeholders and TREB has participated and will continue to
participate in these discussions. Policy makers must remember that it is the
interplay between the demand for and supply of listings that influences price
growth,” said Mr. Cerqua. Strong competition between buyers continued to cause
high levels of price growth in all major market segments. The MLS® Home Price
Index (HPI) Composite Benchmark Price was up by 28.6 per cent year-over-year.
For the TREB market area as a whole, the average selling price was up by 33.2
per cent, with similar annual rates of growth in the low-rise and condominium
apartment segments. “Annual rates of price growth continued to accelerate in
March as growth in sales outstripped growth in listings. A substantial period
of months in which listings growth is greater than sales growth will be
required to bring the GTA housing market back into balance. As policy makers
seek to achieve this balance, it is important that an evidence-based approach
is followed,” said Jason Mercer, TREB’s Director of Market Analysis.
Monday, March 6, 2017
Sales Up and Listings Down in February 2017 - Market Watch
March
3, 2017 -- Toronto Real Estate Board
President Larry Cerqua announced that Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® reported
8,014 residential sales through TREB's MLS® System in February 2017. Despite
the fact that February 2016 had one more day due to the leap year day, this
result was up on a year-over-year basis by 5.7 per cent compared to 7,583 sales
reported last year.
The February statistics tell me that
many Greater Toronto Area households continue to view home ownership as a great
long-term investment. The high demand for ownership housing we're seeing is
broad-based, with strong sales growth for most low-rise home types and
condominium apartments. This makes sense given the results of a recent consumer
survey undertaken for TREB by Ipsos, which found an even split between
intending first-time buyers and existing homeowners who indicated that they
were planning on purchasing a home in 2017," said Cerqua.
While the demand for ownership
housing grew over the past year, new listings entered into TREB's MLS® System
in February were down on a year-over-year basis by 12.5 per cent to 9,834.
The MLS® HPI Composite Benchmark
Price was up by 23.8 per cent compared to February 2016. Similarly, the average
selling price was up by 27.7 per cent year-over-year to $875,983. Annual rates
of price growth continued to be strongest for low-rise home types, particularly
detached houses. Growth rates for condominium apartment prices were also in the
double digits, likely a result of strong demand from first-time buyers.
"The listing supply crunch we are experiencing in the GTA has
undoubtedly led to the doubledigit home price increases we are now experiencing
on a sustained basis, both in the low-rise and high-rise market segments. Until
we see a marked increase in the number of homes available for sale, expect very
strong annual rates of price growth to continue," said Jason Mercer,
TREB's Director of Market Analysis.
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
GTA REALTORS® RELEASE MONTHLY RESALE HOUSING MARKET FIGURES For January 2017
TORONTO, ONTARIO, February 3, 2017 - Toronto Real
Estate Board President Larry Cerqua announced that Greater Toronto Area
REALTORS® reported 5,188 residential transactions through TREB's MLS® System in
January 2017. This result was up by 11.8 per cent compared to 4,640 sales
reported in January 2016. Annual rates of sales growth were higher for
condominium apartments than for low-rise home types. January 2017 picked up
where 2016 left off: sales were up on a year-over-year basis while the number
of new listings was down by double-digit annual rates for most major home
types. "Home ownership continues to be a great investment and remains very
important to the majority of GTA households. As we move through 2017, we expect
the demand for ownership housing to remain strong, including demand from
first-time buyers who, according to a recent Ipsos survey, could account for
more than half of transactions this year. However, many of these would-be
buyers will have problems finding a home that meets their needs in a market
with very little inventory," said Cerqua. The MLS® Home Price Index (HPI)
Composite Benchmark price was up by 21.8 per cent on a year-over-year basis in
January. Similarly, over the same period, the average selling price was up by
22.3 per cent to $770,745, with double-digit gains in the average prices for
all major home types. “The number of active listings on TREB’s MLS® System at
the end of January was essentially half of what was reported as available at
the same time last year. That statistic, on its own, tells us that there is a
serious supply problem in the GTA – a problem that will continue to play itself
out in 2017. The result will be very strong price growth for all home types
again this year,” said Jason Mercer, TREB’s Director of Market Analysis.
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
Market Watch- Another Record Year - December 2016
January 5, 2017 --
Toronto Real Estate Board President Larry Cerqua announced that 2016 was a
second consecutive record year for home sales. Greater Toronto Area REALTORS®
reported 113,133 home sales through TREB's MLS® System – up by 11.8 per cent
compared to 2015. The calendar year 2016 result included 5,338 sales in
December – an annual increase of 8.6 per cent.
The strongest annual rate of sales growth in 2016 was experienced for condominium apartments followed by detached homes.
"A relatively strong regional economy, low unemployment and very low borrowing costs kept the demand for ownership housing strong in the GTA, as the region's population continued to grow in 2016," said Mr. Cerqua.
The annual rate of growth for the MLS® Home Price Index (HPI) in the TREB market area accelerated throughout 2016 – from 10.7 per cent in January 2016 to 21 per cent in December 2016. The overall average selling price for calendar year 2016 was $729,922 – up 17.3 per cent compared to 2015. The pace of the annual rate of growth for the average selling price also picked up throughout the year, including a climb of 20 per cent in December.
"Price growth accelerated throughout 2016 as the supply of listings remained very constrained. Active listings at the end of December were at their lowest point in a decade-and-a-half. Total new listings for 2016 were down by almost four per cent. In 2016, we saw policy changes and policy debates pointed at the demand side of the market. If we want to see a sustained moderation in the pace of price growth, what we really need is more policy focus on issues impacting the lack of homes available for sale," said Jason Mercer, TREB's Director of Market Analysis.
The strongest annual rate of sales growth in 2016 was experienced for condominium apartments followed by detached homes.
"A relatively strong regional economy, low unemployment and very low borrowing costs kept the demand for ownership housing strong in the GTA, as the region's population continued to grow in 2016," said Mr. Cerqua.
The annual rate of growth for the MLS® Home Price Index (HPI) in the TREB market area accelerated throughout 2016 – from 10.7 per cent in January 2016 to 21 per cent in December 2016. The overall average selling price for calendar year 2016 was $729,922 – up 17.3 per cent compared to 2015. The pace of the annual rate of growth for the average selling price also picked up throughout the year, including a climb of 20 per cent in December.
"Price growth accelerated throughout 2016 as the supply of listings remained very constrained. Active listings at the end of December were at their lowest point in a decade-and-a-half. Total new listings for 2016 were down by almost four per cent. In 2016, we saw policy changes and policy debates pointed at the demand side of the market. If we want to see a sustained moderation in the pace of price growth, what we really need is more policy focus on issues impacting the lack of homes available for sale," said Jason Mercer, TREB's Director of Market Analysis.
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