Newfoundland Real Estate January

Well the first month of the year has past. Personally I find January the slowest month of the year for real estate, but this year was a little different. Inventory levels of homes for sale in St. John’s and surrounding areas seem to be very low. On the flip side there are lots of buyers. I’ve been involved in a few multiple offer situations so far this year and have heard from other Realtor’s that they too have been involved in multiple offers. As well, I’ve seen a fair number of homes sold within 24 to 48 hours from being listed on MLS. Based on CMHC’s stats from ‘Newfoundland MLS Trends for 4th quarter of 2009‘ we ended 2009 in a sellers market. I feel this trend will continue into the better part of the summer. When the Bank of Canada increases it’s interest rates we’ll probably see a little pull back in sales.
Total # of new MLS Listings [Jan] =615 (based on residential stats)
Total # of Sales [Jan] = 240
Number of Active Listings in the NLAR MLS System (ALL of Newfoundland) = 2458 (residential only)
Here is a break down by area for the month of January
St. John’s Real Estate: Listings = 155 Sales = 89 Sales/Listings Ratio = 57%
Average Sale Price is St. John’s: $271,674 for the month of October and the 12 month average $237,988
Mount Pearl Real Estate: Listings = 21 Sales = 3 Sales/Listings Ratio = 14%
Average Sale Price (12 month average): $218,729
Paradise Real Estate: Listings =28 Sales = 21 Sales/Listings Ratio =75%
Average Sale Price (12 month average): $269,242
East Extern Real Estate: Listings = 40 Sales = 15 Sales/Listings Ratio = 38%
Average Sale Price (12 month average): $259,029
Conception Bay South Real Estate: Listings = 34 Sales = 18 Sales/Listings Ratio = 53
Average Sale Price (12 month average): $223,082
Newfoundland Real Estate Stats for October

CMHC released their Third quarter data for Newfoundland MLS Real estate the other day. As expected, we are officially in a balanced market now within the St. John’s Real Estate area. New MLS listings edged down once again, as did the number of sales compared to September’s Newfoundland Real Estate Stats. New listings were on par with 2008’s third quarter, but with available inventory 27% higher, this gives buyers more time to shop and compare houses. Total number of houses that expired in October was up 53% since October of last year. Having your house priced correctly is KEY in this market.
Total # of new MLS Listings [Oct] =397 (based on residential stats)
Total # of Sales [Oct] = 325
Number of Active Listings in the NLAR MLS System (ALL of Newfoundland) = 1829 (residential only)
Here is a break down by area for the month of October
St. John’s Real Estate: Listings = 167 Sales = 132 Sales/Listings Ratio = 79%
Average Sale Price is St. John’s: $217,032 for the month of October
Mount Pearl Real Estate: Listings = 26 Sales = 23 Sales/Listings Ratio = 88%
Average Sale Price: $218,681
Paradise Real Estate: Listings =40 Sales = 41 Sales/Listings Ratio =102%
Average Sale Price: $262,591
East Extern Real Estate: Listings = 28 Sales = 19 Sales/Listings Ratio = 68%
Average Sale Price: $249,459
Conception Bay South Real Estate: Listings = 45 Sales = 31 Sales/Listings Ratio = 69%
Average Sale Price: $216,627
Newfoundland Real Estate Stats for September

September appeared to be a fairly balanced month for the St. John’s Real Estate market. New MLS listings edged ever so slightly down, as did the number of sales compared to August’s Newfoundland Real Estate Stats. Both the Canadian Real Estate Association and RE/MAX released reports last month indicating strong housing sales and positive real estate markets throughout Canada. Here in St. John’s our 12 month average price for a home is $228,325 (single family home). Huge increases if you compare past Newfoundland average housing prices of $170,482 for 2008 and $147,201 for 2007.
Total # of new MLS Listings [Sept] =462 (based on residential stats)
Total # of Sales [Sept] = 331
Number of Active Listings in the NLAR MLS System (ALL of Newfoundland) = 2093 (residential only)
Here is a break down by area for the month of September
St. John’s Real Estate: Listings = 188 Sales = 135 Sales/Listings Ratio = 72%
Average Sale Price is St. John’s: $237,259 for the month of September
Mount Pearl Real Estate: Listings = 32 Sales = 20 Sales/Listings Ratio = 63%
Average Sale Price: $219,715
Paradise Real Estate: Listings =41 Sales = 38 Sales/Listings Ratio =93%
Average Sale Price: $281,817
East Extern Real Estate: Listings = 38 Sales = 27 Sales/Listings Ratio = 71%
Average Sale Price: $256,696
Conception Bay South Real Estate: Listings = 40 Sales = 26 Sales/Listings Ratio = 65%
Average Sale Price: $229,135
St. John’s Area August Housing Starts – Press Release from CMHC
Urban housing starts decreased during the month of August, according to preliminary data released today by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). August’s housing starts totaled 151 throughout the St. John’s real estate area versus 249 starts in August of 2008. An additional 18 starts were recorded in other urban areas across the province, for a total of 169 provincial starts compared to 316 the previous August. For the January to August 2009 period, the St. John’s area posted 1,026 housing starts versus 1,079 starts during the same period last year, while provincial starts totaled 1,180 compared to 1,312 a year ago.
“Despite August’s decline, the local residential construction sector has posted solid year to date results,” said Chris Janes, senior market analyst with CMHC in Newfoundland and Labrador. “Employment and population growth throughout the St. John’s area this year continues to bode well for residential construction activity,” added Janes.
For Canada’s urban centres, total housing starts fell 27 per cent with 12,187 recorded in August compared to 16,807 during August of 2008. Single-detached starts decreased 26 per cent to 5,211, while multiple starts of 6,976 represent a 28 per cent decline from a year ago. Throughout Atlantic Canada, there were 835 urban housing starts posted versus 879 the previous August, a decline of 5 per cent.
Newfoundland Real Estate Stats for August

We are about to enter into the fall St. John’s real estate market and things are still looking positive for the remainder of the year. Average MLS housing prices for Newfoundland have been steadily increasing throughout the year. Thanks to continuing low mortgage rates first time buyers and those looking to up size to bigger homes can still do so despite the large increase in Newfoundland housing prices since last year. Two apartment (2-apt) homes are still in high demand and if priced right usually sell fairly quickly and for top dollar.
The average price for a home in St. John’s edged slightly higher again for another month, currently at $223,810 for a 12 month period) compared to the Newfoundland Average Sale Price of $201,799. This is up from $170,941 from last years prices.
Total # of MLS Listings [Aug] =494 (based on single family homes)
Total # of Sales [Aug] = 336
Number of Active Listings in the NLAR MLS System (ALL of Newfoundland) = 2261 (residential only)
Here is a break down by area for the month of August
St. John’s Real Estate: Listings = 187 Sales = 147 Sales/Listings Ratio = 79%
Average Sale Price is St. John’s: $244,195 for the month of August
Mount Pearl Real Estate: Listings = 25 Sales = 26 Sales/Listings Ratio = 104%
Average Sale Price: $200,862
Paradise Real Estate: Listings =65 Sales = 33 Sales/Listings Ratio =51%
Average Sale Price: $261,353
East Extern Real Estate: Listings = 36 Sales = 23 Sales/Listings Ratio = 64%
Average Sale Price: $250,678
Conception Bay South Real Estate: Listings = 37 Sales = 40 Sales/Listings Ratio = 108%
Average Sale Price: $228,363
MLS Listing Sales down – St. John’s housing prices up
MLS sales retreated 8% to 996 units compared to 2008’s second quarter sales of 1,084 units. April, May and June MLS sales were 259, 316 and 421, respectively. Despite the drop in sales, second quarter average MLS prices for St. John’s and surrounding areas up 20% to $203,854 compared to $169,942 during the second quarter of last year. This is the only consecutive price growth in Canada since the fourth quarter of 2008.
Sales-to-active listings ratio increased to 19.6% in June and averaged 16.4% during Q2, indicating the market favouring buyers, particularly in April and May. However, as you can see from the chart, we are swinging upwards and my estimate we’ll see a balanced market for the third quarter. The St. John’s real estate market actually feels like a balanced market now.
The Bank of Canada left the prime lending rate at 0.25% the other day. However mortgage rates are predicted to drift higher in 2010.
New Addition to the Father And Son Team
Well, it’s been a few weeks since I’ve posted anything on my blog, but all with good reason – It’s a baby boy! Nicholas Winters is the quasi new member of the Father and Son Team. Or is it Grandfather and Father Team now.
The St. John’s Real Estate Market average house prices are still slowly increasing. Up to approx $211,000 now. CHMC haven’t released this quarters stats yet but I’d be curious to see if the trend has shifted from a buyers market to a balanced market. It does feel more balanced out there on the street. Active listings are still up in number but buyers are plentiful as well.
The local St. John’s housing market has been in the news the past week. I’ve watched news clips on both CBC News and the NTV Evening News. Both reports positive market conditions.
RE/MAX has released a press release titled Recovery underway in key Canadian markets ends buyer dominance in resale housing, says RE/MAX which boasted even more positive news for the St. John’s market. You can read the St. John’s Market-by-Market review here.











