Weak spot in Canada’s housing markets is now spreading past the foremost markets of Vancouver and Toronto, the most recent information reveal.
Nationwide dwelling gross sales have been down 5.8% in comparison with September, whereas new listings fell 2.3%, marking their first month-to-month decline since March, in response to figures launched as we speak by the Canadian Actual Property Affiliation (CREA).
Opposite to earlier months, when market weak point was largely confined to Toronto and Vancouver, gross sales have been down in practically all the nation’s main markets.
“We’re solely in November, nevertheless it seems many would-be dwelling consumers have already gone into hibernation,” stated CREA chair Larry Cerqua. “The October numbers additionally revealed some sellers could also be shelving their plans till subsequent spring.”
Dwelling costs have been typically flat within the month, with the MLS Dwelling Worth Index, which adjusts for seasonality, edging down by 0.8% month-over-month, though it remained up 1.1% from final yr. On a non-seasonally adjusted foundation, the nationwide common dwelling worth was $665,625, up 1.5% from September and 1.8% from a yr in the past.
“Robust situations” anticipated to proceed into 2024
Excessive rates of interest and ongoing affordability issues are driving the weak point, which, as talked about above, is now spreading past simply Ontario and B.C.
“In all, the info very clearly proceed to indicate a Canadian housing market weakening below the burden of stretched affordability and the cumulative results of sharply larger rates of interest,” famous Marc Desormeaux, principal economist at Desjardins.
Whereas regional variations nonetheless persist, Desormeaux says these variations have gotten “much less distinctive.”
12 months-to-date, current dwelling gross sales at the moment are down by double digits in practically all provinces, with the steepest declines being seen in Nova Scotia (-19.7%), Newfoundland and Labrador (-16.7%) and New Brunswick (-16.1%).
“Ample listings, restrictive mortgage charges, little or no investor demand and a subdued financial outlook all recommend robust market situations will proceed,” wrote BMO’s Robert Kavcic. “We consider costs at the moment are in one other leg decrease that would run via across the center of 2024, relying [on] how the financial system and mortgage charge backdrop evolve.”
With the decline in gross sales outpacing the pullback in new listings, the sales-to-new listings ratio continued to ease to a 10-year low of 49.5%. That’s down from 51.4% in September and a peak of 67.4% in April. Provide additionally rose to 4.1 months of stock from 3.7 in September.
Canada’s main housing markets at the moment are largely in what is taken into account “balanced” territory, whereas Toronto is “firmly in consumers’ market territory, and Vancouver seems headed that method as nicely,” Desjardins stated.
Cross-country roundup of dwelling costs
Right here’s a take a look at choose provincial and municipal common home costs as of October.
| Location | October 2022 | October 2023 | Annual worth change |
| B.C. | $930,418 | $967,221 | +4% |
| Ontario | $833,092 | $855,990 | +2.7% |
| Quebec | $467,849 | $490,504 | +4.8% |
| Alberta | $430,491 | $451,839 | +5% |
| Manitoba | $332,200 | $344,478 | +3.7% |
| New Brunswick | $272,800 | $293,100 | +7.4% |
| Higher Vancouver | $1,146,400 | $1,196,500 | +4.4% |
| Higher Toronto | $1,088,300 | $1,103,600 | +1.4% |
| Victoria | $870,600 | $878,900 | +1% |
| Barrie & District | $789,200 | $800,300 | +1.4% |
| Ottawa | $627,300 | $638,600 | +1.8% |
| Calgary | $508,200 | $555,400 | +9.3% |
| Higher Montreal | $499,600 | $516,000 | +3.3% |
| Halifax-Dartmouth | $482,900 | $528,200 | +9.4% |
| Saskatoon | $369,100 | $382,700 | +3.7% |
| Edmonton | $368,500 | $370,400 | +0.5% |
| Winnipeg | $336,900 | $340,300 | +1% |
| St. John’s | $323,100 | $333,700 | +3.3% |
*A few of the actions within the desk above could also be considerably deceptive since common costs merely take the entire greenback worth of gross sales in a month and divide it by the entire variety of models bought. The MLS Dwelling Worth Index, alternatively, accounts for variations in home kind and measurement and adjusts for seasonality.