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Why the London, ON Real Estate Market Continues to Thrive – RE/MAX News

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London was considered by many to be Ontario’s best-kept secret. It was a city with everything you would want: affordable housing, jobs and even lauded as the brain capital of province. With more people desiring to escape the big city and find refuge in an urban locale with a small-town charm, London’s popularity is skyrocketing. This is great news for the London real estate market.

Recent data point to an incredible recovery in the housing industry in the wake of the COVID-19 public health crisis. With tight supply and growing demand, the Canadian real estate market is enjoying record-setting numbers in every possible category. All the early forecasts suggest that London can sustain this trend to finish the year and head into 2021.

Although the coronavirus pandemic continues to threaten the broader national recovery, accommodative monetary policy and pent-up demand are driving the country’s real estate industry. So, what is going on in London, Ontario?

Why the London, ON Real Estate Market Continues to Thrive

London is witnessing some strong Fall market activity as the city basks in the afterglow of the best performance for the month of August in more than 40 years, followed by a record-breaking September. According to the London and St Thomas Association of REALTORS® (LSTAR), 960 homes were sold in September, the best September since 1978! Local headlines also spotlighted that the average home sales price reached $521,883, up a whopping 98 per cent compared to the same time five years ago.

Industry observers also point out that homes are being exchanged at a faster pace. In London, the median number of days that a home sat on the market fell from 12.5 in July 2020 to just 10 days in August and a mere eight days in September.

Demand is gaining steam, with interest booming in the market for condominiums, single-detached homes and everything in between. This has sparked interested prospects to submit bids over the asking price, and this could continue to be the norm if demand remains strong and inventories remain low.

“The strong momentum experienced during the summer months continued through September,” said 2020 LSTAR President Blair Campbell. “Similar to many other housing markets across Canada, many are still playing catch up from the COVID-19 lockdown we had during the spring.”

Campbell noted that “Each of the five major areas in LSTAR’s jurisdiction posted gains, led by Middlesex with average sales price of $575,785. Again, it’s important to note this figure encompasses all housing types, from a two-storey single-detached home to a high-rise apartment condominium.”

Campbell said in a recent interview with CTV News, that nobody is really surprised by the developments. Instead, real estate agents and the broader market are surprised by how quickly it occurred. But what is driving this surge in London real estate?

What is Driving London’s Real Estate Market?

After experiencing a brief “pandemic pause” at the height of the coronavirus outbreak in March, the wait-and-see approach was abandoned, and now the pent-up demand is stimulating London’s housing market. Like other cities across Canada, buyers and sellers have returned from the sidelines to take advantage of current conditions and trends.

Since Queen’s Park reopened the province, buyer confidence has swelled, which has been reflected in the latest housing data. Of course, real estate agents are still diligently adhering to public health guidelines. This includes social distancing, wearing face masks, showcasing listing via virtual open houses and facilitating digital paperwork completely online by means of technology.

That said, the second wave is already prompting some local governments to reimpose COVID-19 restrictions, and industry experts say that people on both sides of real estate transactions are looking to get some deals done before any drastic measures transpire. Plus, as market observers understand, cool temperatures and the flu season can impact real estate. With so much uncertainly on the horizon, the market remains hot as buyers and sellers fight to “get in while they can.”

London, like other smaller towns across the province, is witnessing an influx of buyers from the Greater Toronto Area. Although London area home prices have gone up, they remain more affordable than what you can purchase within downtown Toronto, or even other municipalities within the Greater Toronto Area.

Homebuyers are ostensibly using the work-from-home trend to their advantage, no longer tied to live close to their workplace. Plus, with greater investment in public transit within cities province-wide, if professionals needed to travel into the nearest urban centre, there are a greater number of transportation options at their disposal.

Moreover, since more people are spending significantly more time at home amid social distancing measures and remote working environments, a lot of buyers are reconsidering their living space. For example, some seek to upsize to properties that have room for an office, a learning centre for kids, and other features that may not have been important even just a year ago.

As the list of priorities for homebuyers changes, real estate trends are shifting across the country and municipalities like London, Ontario are projected to continue this trend of strong housing demand, tight supply, and swelling real estate prices into 2021!

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Greater Toronto home sales jump in October after Bank of Canada rate cuts: board

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TORONTO – The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board says home sales in October surged as buyers continued moving off the sidelines amid lower interest rates.

The board said 6,658 homes changed hands last month in the Greater Toronto Area, up 44.4 per cent compared with 4,611 in the same month last year. Sales were up 14 per cent from September on a seasonally adjusted basis.

The average selling price was up 1.1 per cent compared with a year earlier at $1,135,215. The composite benchmark price, meant to represent the typical home, was down 3.3 per cent year-over-year.

“While we are still early in the Bank of Canada’s rate cutting cycle, it definitely does appear that an increasing number of buyers moved off the sidelines and back into the marketplace in October,” said TRREB president Jennifer Pearce in a news release.

“The positive affordability picture brought about by lower borrowing costs and relatively flat home prices prompted this improvement in market activity.”

The Bank of Canada has slashed its key interest rate four times since June, including a half-percentage point cut on Oct. 23. The rate now stands at 3.75 per cent, down from the high of five per cent that deterred many would-be buyers from the housing market.

New listings last month totalled 15,328, up 4.3 per cent from a year earlier.

In the City of Toronto, there were 2,509 sales last month, a 37.6 per cent jump from October 2023. Throughout the rest of the GTA, home sales rose 48.9 per cent to 4,149.

The sales uptick is encouraging, said Cameron Forbes, general manager and broker for Re/Max Realtron Realty Inc., who added the figures for October were stronger than he anticipated.

“I thought they’d be up for sure, but not necessarily that much,” said Forbes.

“Obviously, the 50 basis points was certainly a great move in the right direction. I just thought it would take more to get things going.”

He said it shows confidence in the market is returning faster than expected, especially among existing homeowners looking for a new property.

“The average consumer who’s employed and may have been able to get some increases in their wages over the last little bit to make up some ground with inflation, I think they’re confident, so they’re looking in the market.

“The conditions are nice because you’ve got a little more time, you’ve got more choice, you’ve got fewer other buyers to compete against.”

All property types saw more sales in October compared with a year ago throughout the GTA.

Townhouses led the surge with 56.8 per cent more sales, followed by detached homes at 46.6 per cent and semi-detached homes at 44 per cent. There were 33.4 per cent more condos that changed hands year-over-year.

“Market conditions did tighten in October, but there is still a lot of inventory and therefore choice for homebuyers,” said TRREB chief market analyst Jason Mercer.

“This choice will keep home price growth moderate over the next few months. However, as inventory is absorbed and home construction continues to lag population growth, selling price growth will accelerate, likely as we move through the spring of 2025.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Homelessness: Tiny home village to open next week in Halifax suburb

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HALIFAX – A village of tiny homes is set to open next month in a Halifax suburb, the latest project by the provincial government to address homelessness.

Located in Lower Sackville, N.S., the tiny home community will house up to 34 people when the first 26 units open Nov. 4.

Another 35 people are scheduled to move in when construction on another 29 units should be complete in December, under a partnership between the province, the Halifax Regional Municipality, United Way Halifax, The Shaw Group and Dexter Construction.

The province invested $9.4 million to build the village and will contribute $935,000 annually for operating costs.

Residents have been chosen from a list of people experiencing homelessness maintained by the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia.

They will pay rent that is tied to their income for a unit that is fully furnished with a private bathroom, shower and a kitchen equipped with a cooktop, small fridge and microwave.

The Atlantic Community Shelters Society will also provide support to residents, ranging from counselling and mental health supports to employment and educational services.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 24, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Here are some facts about British Columbia’s housing market

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Housing affordability is a key issue in the provincial election campaign in British Columbia, particularly in major centres.

Here are some statistics about housing in B.C. from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s 2024 Rental Market Report, issued in January, and the B.C. Real Estate Association’s August 2024 report.

Average residential home price in B.C.: $938,500

Average price in greater Vancouver (2024 year to date): $1,304,438

Average price in greater Victoria (2024 year to date): $979,103

Average price in the Okanagan (2024 year to date): $748,015

Average two-bedroom purpose-built rental in Vancouver: $2,181

Average two-bedroom purpose-built rental in Victoria: $1,839

Average two-bedroom purpose-built rental in Canada: $1,359

Rental vacancy rate in Vancouver: 0.9 per cent

How much more do new renters in Vancouver pay compared with renters who have occupied their home for at least a year: 27 per cent

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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