Average GTA house price up 10%

Toronto Real Estate Board President Mark McLean announced that Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® reported 7,998 residential transactions through the TREB MLS® System in August 2015. This result represented a 5.7% increase compared to 7,568 sales reported in August 2014. On a GTA-wide basis, sales were up for all major home types.

The annual growth rate in new listings was greater than the annual growth rate in sales, but active listings at the end of August were still down compared to last year. This suggests that sellers’ market conditions remained in place, especially where low-rise home types like singles, semis and townhouses were concerned.

“Buyers in the GTA remain confident in their ability to purchase and pay for a home over the long term. They see ownership housing as a quality investment that has historically produced positive returns while at the same time providing owners with a place to live in their chosen community,” said Mr. McLean.

Both the MLS® Home Price Index (HPI) Composite Benchmark and the average selling price for all home types combined were up substantially in August compared to the same period in 2014, with both increasing by approximately 10 per cent year-over-year.

“A record year for home sales continued to unfold in August as competition between buyers exerted upward pressure on selling prices. It was encouraging to see annual growth in new listings outstrip annual growth in sales, but we will need to see this for a number of months before market conditions become more balanced," said Jason Mercer, TREB's Director of Market Analysis.

See the Toronto Real Estate Board's full Market Watch Report →

September 7, 2015 in Toronto Real Estate Board, Toronto Real Estate Market, Toronto Real Estate Update | Permalink

Toronto average home price up 11.7%

Greater Toronto Area Rrealtors reported 3,729 home sales through the TREB MLS® System during the first 14 days of August. This result represented an eight per cent increase compared to 3,453 sales reported for the same period in 2014.

For the TREB market area as a whole, sales were up on a year-over-year basis for all major home types. Detached and semi-detached home sales were down in the City of Toronto.

While the demand for ownership housing remained strong in the first half of August, the supply of listings continued to be an issue for many would-be home buyers. The number of new listings entered into TREB's MLS® System was up, but by a lesser annual rate compared to sales. This suggests that market conditions were tighter compared to 2014, with more competition between buyers.

With sellers’ market conditions prevalent throughout much of the Greater Toronto Area, August mid-month average selling prices were up for all major home types compared to 2014. The average selling price for all home types combined was up by 11.7 per cent year-over-year to $601,996.

It is important to note that average price growth can be driven by different factors. Over the past year, tight market conditions, with strong demand and constrained supply, have certainly underpinned much of the price growth we have experienced. However, in some market segments, including detached homes in the City of Toronto, average price growth has also been influenced by a greater share of high-end home sales this year compared to last.

At month-end, a comparison of growth in the MLS® Home Price Index (HPI) versus growth in the average price will help to differentiate between price growth based purely on market conditions and growth resulting from changes in the types of homes sold.

August 19, 2015 in Toronto Real Estate Board, Toronto Real Estate Market, Toronto Real Estate Update | Permalink

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July 16, 2015 in Buying Toronto Real Estate, Toronto MLS Listings, Toronto Real Estate Board, Toronto Real Estate Market | Permalink

July Home Prices Up 11.5%

Toronto Real Estate Board President Mark McLean announced that 4,332 sales were reported through TREB’s MLS® system by Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® during the first 14 days of July, 2015. This sales figure was up by 11.9 per cent compared to 3,871 transactions reported during the same timeframe in 2014. Over the same period, new listings were down by 5.4 per cent to 6,831.

“There are many reasons why demand for ownership housing remains strong in the GTA. The fact that we benefit from steady population growth and a strong regional economy, compared to many other parts of Canada, is clearly important. On top of this, of course, home buyers continue to benefit from historic or near-historic lows in terms of borrowing costs, which is key from an affordability perspective,” said Mr. McLean.

The average selling price for July 2015 mid-month transactions was $610,724 – up by 11.5 per cent compared to the average price of $547,777 for sales reported in the first 14 days July 2014. Year-over-year price growth was reported for all major market segments.

“The persistent lack of listings in many segments of the GTA housing market has been a key story this year. We have seen strong demand from all buyer groups – from first-time buyers through to those seeking to purchase a luxury home. The problem is that many of these would-be home buyers have not been able to strike a deal on a home that meets their needs. The lack of supply has led to increased competition between buyers and strong upward pressure on home prices,” said Jason Mercer, TREB’s Director of Market Analysis.

July 16, 2015 in Toronto Real Estate Board, Toronto Real Estate Market, Toronto Real Estate Update | Permalink

Record Toronto Home Sales in May

Toronto Real Estate Board President Paul Etherington announced 11,706 sales reported by Greater Toronto REALTORS® in May 2015. This result was up by 6.3% in comparison to 11,013 sales reported in May 2014. For the TREB market area as a whole, sales were up for all major housing types. However, in the City of Toronto, where the supply of low-rise listings has been constrained, sales were down for detached homes.

“During my tenure as TREB President over the past year, it is clear to me that ownership housing remains top of mind as a quality long-term investment for GTA households. This is why, despite a shortage of listings in some market segments, we experienced a record number of sales reported through TREB’s MLS® System for the month of May,” said Mr. Etherington.

Record May transactions, coupled with a dip in the number of homes available for sale, resulted in strong price growth. The MLS® Home Price Index (HPI) Composite Benchmark was up by 8.9 per cent year over year in May. The MLS® HPI uses benchmark homes to estimate price growth. This allows for an “apples to apples” comparison of price growth that is not affected by changes in the mix of sales activity.

The average selling price for all home types combined in May 2015 was up by 11 per cent annually to $649,599. The higher annual rate of average price growth compared to the MLS® HPI Composite Benchmark points to the fact that the proportion of high-end home sales continued to be greater compared to 2014.

“Tight market conditions, especially for singles, semis and town homes in the GTA, have resulted in strong price growth regardless of the price metric being considered. With no relief so far on the listings front, expect similar rates of price growth as we move through the remainder of 2015. At this point, a number of months where listings growth outstrips sales growth would be required to satisfy pent-up demand,” said Jason Mercer, TREB’s Director of Market Analysis.

See the Toronto Real Estate Board's Market Watch Report →

June 3, 2015 in Toronto Real Estate Board, Toronto Real Estate Market, Toronto Real Estate Update | Permalink

Record Month for Toronto Sales

Toronto Real Estate Board President Paul Etherington announced a 9.6 per cent year-over-year increase in home sales reported by Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® during the first 14 days of May. There were 5,655 sales reported in the first two weeks of May 2015 compared to 5,160 sales during the same period in May 2014.

“It is clear that demand for ownership housing remains very strong in the GTA. So much so that, if the pace of sales experienced in the first half of this month is sustained in the second half, we will see record home sales for the month of May,” said Mr. Etherington.

The average selling price for transactions reported during the first 14 days of May was $ 652,782 for all home types combined – up by 10.7 per cent compared to the first two weeks of May 2014. The strongest price growth was experienced in the detached market segment, with the average price up by 13.8 per cent.

“The low-rise market segments, including detached home sales, have been the driver of average price growth in the GTA this year. As market conditions have tightened, average price growth has remained very strong. However, while tighter market conditions have been a key factor, so too has been a shift to higher priced homes. Detached sales growth in the City of Toronto, for example, has been strongest for high-end homes. The resulting change in the mix of homes sold has also been an important factor in pushing the average price higher,” said Jason Mercer, TREB’s Director of Market Analysis.

May 20, 2015 in Toronto Real Estate Market, Toronto Real Estate Update | Permalink

Toronto home prices up 10%

Toronto Real Estate Board President Paul Etherington announced that Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® reported 8,940 sales in March 2015. This result represented an 11 per cent increase compared to March 2014. Sales were up for most major home types, both in the City of Toronto and the surrounding regions. New listings were also up, but by a lesser 5.5 per cent, indicating tighter market conditions.

“Home sales increased compared to last year as the cost of home ownership remained affordable, with lower interest rates going a long way to mitigate the effect of rising home prices. However, a substantial amount of pent-up demand remains in place, especially as it relates to low-rise market segments. This suggests that strong competition between buyers, which has fuelled strong price growth so far this year, will continue to be experienced throughout the spring,” said Mr. Etherington.

In March, the average selling price for all reported transactions was $613,933 – up 10 per cent year-over-year. The MLS® HPI Composite Index, which tracks benchmark homes with the same attributes from one period to the next, was up by 7.9 per cent. Average price growth was strongest for detached homes in the City of Toronto, at 15.9 per cent. Over the same period the detached MLS® HPI in the '416' area code increased 7.8 per cent.

The MLS® HPI provides a clear indication of price growth due to market forces - the relationship between demand and supply. Comparing MLS® HPI growth to average price growth provides a sense of the changing mix of home types sold from one period to the next.

"It is clear that seller's market conditions in many parts of the GTA are driving price growth. However, looking at the detached market segment in the City of Toronto in particular, growth in the average selling price outstripped growth in the MLS® HPI. This points to the fact that the mix of detached homes sold this year compared to last has shifted towards more expensive properties," said Jason Mercer, TREB's Director of Market Analysis

See the Toronto Real Estate Board's Market Watch Report for March →

April 7, 2015 in Toronto Real Estate Board, Toronto Real Estate Market, Toronto Real Estate Trends | Permalink

Over One Million Dollars ...

The Average Price of a Detached Toronto Home

Toronto Real Estate Board President Paul Etherington announced that Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® reported 6,338 home sales through the TorontoMLS system in February 2015. This result represented a substantial 11.3 per cent year-over-year increase compared to February 2014. Large annual increases in transactions were noted for most major home types, in the City of Toronto and surrounding GTA regions.

“Even with the record low temperatures last month, we still saw an increase in the number of people purchasing homes in the GTA. This speaks to the importance households place on home ownership and the fact that buyers continue to view ownership housing as a quality long-term investment in which they can live,” said Mr. Etherington.

The overall supply of homes for sale, as measured by the count of active listings at the end of February 2015, was down by 8.7 per cent compared to the same count in February 2014. This means that market conditions became tighter, leading to more competition between buyers.

The overall average selling price for February 2015 home sales was $596,163 – up by 7.8 per cent compared to the average for February 2014. Driving this increase was the detached market segment. In the City of Toronto, the average detached selling price moved above $1 million dollars for the first time in a calendar month.

“The strong year-over-year price growth we experienced in February points to the robust demand for ownership housing in the GTA, coupled with a constrained supply of homes for sale in some market segments, especially where low-rise home types like singles, semis and townhouses are concerned,” said Jason Mercer, TREB’s Director of Market Analysis.

See full details on the Toronto Real Estate Board's Market watch Report

March 4, 2015 in Toronto Real Estate Market, Toronto Real Estate Update | Permalink

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February 23, 2015 in Pay what you want listings, Toronto Real Estate Market | Permalink

Toronto Real Estate Market Report

Toronto's housing market gets off to surging start in 2015

Toronto Real Estate Board President Paul Etherington announced a strong start to 2015, with robust year-over-year sales and average price growth in January. Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® reported 4,355 home sales through the TorontoMLS system during the first month of the year. This result represented a 6.1 per cent increase over January 2014. During the same period, new listings were up by 9.5 per cent.

"The January results represented good news on multiple fronts. First, strong sales growth suggests home buyers continue to see housing as a quality long-term investment, despite the recent period of economic uncertainty. Second, the fact that new listings grew at a faster pace than sales suggests that it has become easier for some people to find a home that meets their needs," said Mr. Etherington.

The average selling price for January 2015 home sales was up by 4.9 per cent year-over-year to $552,575. The MLS® Home Price Index (HPI) Composite benchmark was up by 7.5 percent compared to January 2014.

"Home price growth is forecast to continue in 2015. Lower borrowing costs will largely mitigate price growth this year, which means affordability will remain in check. The strongest rates of price growth will be experienced for low-rise home types, including singles, semis and town houses. However, robust end-user demand for condo apartments will result in above-inflation price growth in the high-rise segment as well," said Jason Mercer, TREB's Director of Market Analysis.

See the Toronto Real Estate Board's Market Watch Report »

February 5, 2015 in Toronto MLS Sales, Toronto Real Estate Board, Toronto Real Estate Market | Permalink