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A recent survey of RE/MAX brokers and agents found that recreational properties are experiencing a surge in pricing, with 78 per cent of regions surveyed showing a higher median price in 2018 compared to 2017. A RE/MAX survey conducted in the spring showed that 91 per cent of popular Canadian recreational markets are being driven by retirees, and with seniors outnumbering children in Canada for the first time as reported last year, retirees as a population are also driving up prices.Compared to 2018, the median price of recreational properties, including waterfront, non-waterfront, water access and ski-in properties, has increased by 13 per cent across Canada. Median price information was calculated for the periods of July 2016 to June 2017, and July 2017 to June 2018. Read more.

Price appreciation in the second quarter of 2018 showed a marked improvement over Q1 figures, with the average detached housing values in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) on par or climbing in 75 per cent of Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) districts, according to a report released by RE/MAX INTEGRA, Ontario-Atlantic Region. The RE/MAX Hot Pocket Communities Report examined sales and average prices for detached homes in 65 TREB districts for the first and second quarters of 2018. The quarterly comparison found that second-quarter sales were up almost across the board (63/65), with housing values on par or rising in three-quarters of GTA markets (49/65). Read more.

The RE/MAX 2018 Recreational Property Report reveals that in 91 per cent of popular Canadian recreational property markets examined, retirees were the key factor driving activity. This includes established recreational regions such as Prince Edward County and Comox Valley. This is in stark contrast to last year’s findings, when retirees were a dominant driving force in only 55 per cent of markets examined. The survey found that in British Columbia, Ontario and Atlantic Canada, more retirees and soon-to-be retirees are purchasing recreational properties outside of urban centres for use as retirement homes, increasingly blurring the line between recreational and residential properties. Read more.

The 2018 Spring Market Trends Report reveals that more than one in four Canadian homebuyers is feeling the effects of the stress test. Government intervention and the new mortgage rules are expected to continue playing a pivotal role in home-buying behaviour in the months ahead. Despite these factors, the spring market across most of the country is projected to strengthen as we head into the warmer months. Supply is still low in many markets, and while prices may not reach the same levels as this time last year, RE/MAX expects healthy price appreciation to continue from the earlier months of this year across many regions in the country. Read more.

The 2018 RE/MAX Luxury Property Report reveals luxury homes sales in Toronto, Oakville and Hamilton-Burlington are short of 2017’s record-breaking pace, but will still see plenty of move-up activity in 2018. The report found 76 properties over the $3-million price point sold in the GTA between January 1 and February 28, down from 180 during the same period in 2017. Homes priced $5 million plus fell 46 per cent in the GTA. Oakville reported six sales over $3 million, compared to 15 one year ago. Hamilton-Burlington saw 59 homes over $1 million sold in January and February, versus 133 in 2017. Only Toronto condominiums and townhomes bucked the trend, with eight sales over $3 million in 2018, up from five during the same period in 2017. Read more.

Low interest rates, population growth, investment and unprecedented equity gains all combined to spark one of the strongest decades for price appreciation in Ontario’s six largest housing markets.Between 2007 and 2017, the province’s six major housing markets experienced substantial growth despite some serious challenges that included a financial crisis and subsequent recession. RE/MAX found that housing values more than doubled in the 10-year period in the Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton-Burlington, while average price rose 81 per cent in Kitchener-Waterloo; 63 per cent in London-St. Thomas; 62 per cent in Windsor; and 44 per cent in Ottawa. Read more.

This past year saw the single-family detached home and condo markets diverge on distinctly different paths in Canada’s two highest-priced real estate markets, Greater Vancouver and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The trend is expected to continue into 2018 as a mix of relative affordability for condo units and price appreciation for detached homes in recent years, combined with government policy changes in both markets, has helped push an influx of buyers toward condo ownership. The RE/MAX 2018 average residential sale price expectation for Canada is an increase of 2.5 per cent as the desire for home ownership remains strong, particularly among Canadian millennials. Read more.

Both Calgary and Edmonton saw strong year-over-year increases in total dollar value of commercial property sales during the first half of 2017 as a result of the ongoing stabilization of the oil sector. In contrast, total dollar value of commercial real estate sales in Greater Vancouver declined by 37.5 per cent during the second quarter, indicating a return to market activity at levels seen prior to 2016, which was a year of record-setting activity. Winnipeg’s commercial market remained strong with high demand across almost all property types, while Regina and Saskatoon slowed due to the ongoing downturn in the commodity sector….read more.

As real estate prices remain high in Canada’s urban centres, young families are looking for unique ways to finance their dreams of recreational property ownership. In a recent survey conducted by Leger, more than a quarter (28 per cent) of Canadians with children under the age of 18 indicated they would consider selling their primary residence in the city in which they live in order to purchase a cottage, cabin or ski chalet. Other options that these potential buyers are willing to consider include fractional ownership in a shared property, purchasing a recreational property with a friend or family member, and renting out the recreational property they purchase on a vacation rental website such as AirBnB…read more.

Significant price increases and high demand in The GTA during the first quarter of 2017 spurred growing numbers of buyers to leave the downtown core. These buyers are looking for greater affordability in markets across southern Ontario and are driving price appreciation in Mississauga, Brampton, Durham, Barrie, Hamilton-Burlington, Windsor, and as far away as Kingston.At the same time, housing demand has slowed in Greater Vancouver compared to Q1 of 2016, and the average residential sale price decreased 11 per cent year-over-year, from $1,094,936 in the first quarter of 2016 to $969,900 in 2017…Read More

The average residential sale price increased 13 per cent in Greater Vancouver to approximately $1,020,300 and rose 17 per cent in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to an estimated $725,857. Although demand remains high in both urban centres, limited inventory in the freehold market, the new 15 per cent foreign-buyer tax in Vancouver and the recent tightening of mortgage rules by the federal government are expected to soften market activity in the short term…Read More

Much of Western Canada continued to experience slower market activity in the first half of the year, as regional economies continued to recover from the downturn in the oil sector. However, in B.C.’s Lower Mainland, activity was brisk and prices continued to increase significantly in the commercial property market…Read More

As real estate prices rise, many Canadians are looking for alternative ways to finance their dreams of cottage or cabin ownership. In a recent survey of RE/MAX agents and brokers, more than half reported seeing an increase in buyers who planned to rent out their property full- or part-time. In a separate survey of Canadians, conducted by Leger, nearly 60 per cent agreed that due to the emergence of popular, user-driven vacation rental websites, it is easier for an owner to rent out an investment property today versus five years ago…Read More

Vancouver and Toronto continued to see significant price appreciation in the first quarter of the year. Greater Vancouver’s average residential sale price in the first quarter of 2016 rose 24 per cent, and the Greater Toronto Area, the average residential sale price during the first quarter rose 14 per cent. Outside of Vancouver and Toronto, surrounding regions continue to experience a spillover effect as buyers move farther out in search of affordable single-family homes…Read More

Low inventory in High demand and low supply continued to characterize Vancouver’s and Toronto’s housing markets throughout 2015 as competition from buyers over the limited inventory of single-family homes pushed prices higher. The average residential sale price increased 17 per cent in Greater Vancouver and 10 per cent in the Greater Toronto Area, to approximately $947,350 and $622,150, respectively. As demand shows no signs of waning, these markets are expected to continue to see price appreciation in 2016, of seven per cent in Greater Vancouver and five per cent in the Greater Toronto Area…Read More