Kitchener Waterloo Market Update for March

KITCHENER-WATERLOO’S REALTORS® POST SOLID HOME SALES IN MARCH KITCHENER-WATERLOO, ON (April 5, 2011) –Sales of residential properties via the Multiple Listing System (MLS®) of the Kitchener-Waterloo Association of REALTORS® (KWAR) ran slightly above the five-year average for the first quarter.

During the first quarter of 2011, there were a total of 1474 home sales, 10.4 percent below last year’s record for the same period.

“Residential real estate sales in the area continue to perform well,” says George Patton, President of KWAR. “We’ve not set any records yet this year, but a stable market is a good market.”

Home sales for the month of March totalled 608 units, 15.4 percent lower than the same month a year ago —also a record breaking period. Of those sales, there were 385 single detached homes, 116 condominium units, 61 semi-detached and 40 freehold townhouses.

Patton says he is paying attention to see what effect the recent mortgage rate increases by several of Canada’s big banks will mean for the typically busy spring real estate market. “By historical standards, mortgage rates are still pretty low,” he said. “With the economy continuing to strengthen, the housing market should stay balanced.”

While the most popular price range selling in March of last year was in the $225,000 to $250,000 category, making up 16.7% of the residential market, this month’s sales activity shifted to the higher price ranges, with nearly 15% of sales occurring in the $300,000 to $350,000 price range.

This has pushed the average sales price for all residential properties in the month of March up 5.4% to $298,671 compared with the same month a year ago. However, on a year-to-date basis, the average sale price has increased more gradually with a one percent increase to $290,148 relative to last year.