Home sales poised to moderate
Gerv Tacadena
REP
The COVID-19 outbreak will likely moderate house sales in the near term, according to an economist.
Brian DePratto, senior economist at TD Bank, said the current market conditions due to the impact of the coronavirus paint a bleak picture for home sales in the next months.
“That said, sales are well-positioned to make a strong recovery once the impact of the virus dissipates, helped by an ultra-low interest rate environment,” he said in a report in The Canadian Press.
DePratto said the recovery in sales once the concerns surrounding the COVID-19 ease will likely translate to price gains.
Home sales increased by 26.9% annually in February. On a monthly basis, sales were up by 5.9%, driven by the strong turnout in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). This came with a 7.3% growth in new listings.
The healthy sales activity and the gains in listings came with a 15.2% annual growth in the national average price for homes, which now stands at $540,000. Excluding the major markets of Greater Vancouver and GTA, the national average price during the month grew by 10.5% to $410,000.
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