February Update on the Kitchener Waterloo Real Estate Market

SOLID HOME SALES ACTIVITY IN FEBRUARY KITCHENER-WATERLOO, ON (March 3, 2011) –Sales of residential properties via the Multiple Listing System (MLS®) of the Kitchener-Waterloo Association of REALTORS® (KWAR) continued their steady pace in February.

There were a total of 491 residential properties sold last month, a 32.7 percent increased compared to January’s results, and a 6.7 percent decrease compared to February of last year.

“These are above average numbers for February”, says KWAR President George Patton. “Keeping in mind that this time last year we had an unusually active February, setting a record for home sales in that month.”

Residential home sales last month included 308 detached homes (down 11.3 percent from 2010), 104 condominium units (up 19.5 percent from 2010), 46 semis (down 4.2 percent from 2010), and 31 freehold townhouses (down 26.2 percent from 2010).

While the most popular price range selling in February of last year was in the $300,000 to $350,000 category with 76 sales, there were almost the same number of homes (72 units) selling in the $250,000 to $275,000 price range last month.

“Vigorous activity for condos and homes in the mid price ranges was reflected in the slight decrease in the average overall residential sale price,” says Patton.

The average sales price of all residential sales decreased 0.8 percent to $288,404 compared with February 2010. While single detached homes sold for an average price of $331,027, an increase of 1.1 percent compared to last year. In the condominium market the average sale price in February decreased 2.4 percent to $196,213 compared to the same month a year ago.