Thursday, 6 April 2017

Sales just keep 'March'ing along in WIDREB area

More than 200 transactions reported in Woodstock-Ingersoll trading area

Good news for buyers is number of new listings is finally rising

By Mark Schadenberg
Is there a ceiling or will the numbers stay above the clouds throughout this year?
The Woodstock-Ingersoll District Real Estate Board (WIDREB) stats for March of 2017 indicate that factors continue to be pointing to an on-going hectic market.
Multiple offers? Check
An increase in average sale prices by more than 25% in the past year.
A true lack of listings or overall inventory continues.
Month-by-month reports on total sales continues to surpass all numbers in the record books.
In March of 2017 there were 202 transactions reported (WIDREB is Woodstock, Ingersoll, Sweaburg, Innerkip, Norwich, Burgessville, Beachville, Salford, Thamesford, Embro, Hickson, etc), which is a significant jump from 158 last year, and 116 in 2015. To paint an even more accurate picture, during the auto industry slowdown of 2009, there was only 71 sales in March during that calendar.
The year-to-date number is already 455 versus 323 in 2016 and 286 in 2015. In 2009 – again comparing apples to apples – the 3-month total was only 165.



If you asked me 2 years ago about supply and demand I would have said most buyers had an advantage because there were actually a few homes to consider in each price range, and you were not in an absolute rush to offer on a home the same day it was viewed.
Now, most listing agents – including myself – are using a strategy that ensures the ‘market’ can have a chance to view the home. As an example, a new listing appears on a Monday and an open house is scheduled for five days later on the Saturday. Then and only after the home has been promoted well through www.realtor.ca and many other sources, the seller will consider signed offers a couple days later.
One other important number from WIDREB’s report of March 2017 is that there has been 536 listings so far this year, which is an increase compared to 504 in 2016 and 499 in the first three months of 2015.
As home sellers see the average price of a detached home in Woodstock leap over the $325,000 barrier (and higher), these home owners have decided now is a great time to sell --- and it is in fact a wonderfully great time to sell. There were 205 new listings in March of this year compared to 167 last year in March.
I usually post the year-end numbers dating back to 2005 here since statistics are all about long term analysis. For example, climate or weather is determined over a 30-year cycle. If that was the case now in real estate from Toronto through to London along both the 401 and 403 corridors it would be sweltering with no shade to be found anywhere.

Year-By-Year Numbers (Totals in WIDREB)
By looking at the totals, keep in mind 2015 was considered a good year. The 2016 year tops the remarkable 2005 when it was announced Woodstock was to receive a Toyota manufacturing facility.
2016: 1545
2015: 1424
2014: 1180                           2013: 1252                                        2012: 1066               2011: 1158   
2010: 1216                            2009: 1080                            2008: 1176                            2007: 1359   
2006: 1278                            2005: 1473 (Correct) 
Average for past 12 years: 1267


OUTSIDE OF OXFORD COUNTY
Also in this report are links to updates in the Kitchener-Waterloo area, plus London – St Thomas (LSTAR), and Toronto.
The average price of a freehold home (not a condo) in Cambridge is now $509,000, which is a 37% increase over the past 12 months.
In the LSTAR region, saw 1,242 transactions in March of 2017, which is an increase of 44% over 12 months earlier.
It would appear no matter which indicator you look at, the market is extremely active – average prices, total sales, and a low inventory of listings.
In Brantford, there is a proposal from a residential development to convert golf course land into a modest-sized condo neighbourhood. An update on that item is also posted below.
Shelburne.
What about Shelburne -- a smallish community between Orangeville and Barrie where prices have also moved upward at a torrid pace: http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/i-m-shaking-my-head-hot-toronto-housing-market-driving-prices-up-in-small-town-ontario-1.4077117


LINKS:





All items on this site are written by:
Mark Schadenberg, Sales Representative
Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES designation)

Royal LePage Triland Realty
Independently Owned & Operated, Brokerage
757 Dundas St, Woodstock
(519) 537-1553, cell or text
Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com
Twitter: markroyallepage
Facebook: Mark Schadenberg, Royal LePage Triland


Discussion . . . Direction . . . Determination . . . Destination

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