It’s Condolicious … !

The Greater Toronto Area resale housing market reported 5,155 sales in October, Toronto Real Estate Board President Maureen O’Neill announced today.

This represents a 35 per cent decline from the 7,915 sales reported in October 2007 and a 25 per cent decrease from the 6,876 transactions that took place during the same period two years ago.

In the City of Toronto, there were 2,136 sales, with sales activity down 38 per cent from the 3,455 transactions recorded last October.

In the 905 Region 3,019 sales were recorded, with sales activity down 32 per cent from a year ago when 4,460 homes changed hands.

With 68,570 transactions to date this year, sales are within 16 per cent of the 81,563 transactions noted a year ago. The 2007 market referred to was a record breaking year with each month breaking records for the entire year. Putting into perspective 2008 figures are indicative of a return to a more balanced market.

In the City of Toronto 27,324 sales year-to-date are within 18 per cent of the 33,441 transactions recorded last year at this time.

In the 905 Region the 41,246 sales to date are within 14 per cent of the 48,122 homes that changed hands up to this point a year ago.

In the City of Toronto, the current average price of a home is $376,896, down 13 per cent from last October’s average of $434,022 and within three per cent of the October 2006 average of $386,807.

In the 905 Region homes are selling for an average price of $336,049, a decline of eight per cent from October 2007’s average of $364,142. Prices in this area however, remain one per cent higher than the October 2006 average of $332,822.

“Earlier this year the International Monetary Fund undertook a study of housing markets in 17 countries and found that Canada was one of only two nations in which house prices are supported by the economy,” said Ms. O’Neill. “There’s no doubt that real estate will continue to be a solid long-term investment in our country.”

TREB Members reported 5,155 sales in October, down 35 per cent from the 7,915 sales reported in October of 2007, and also down 25 per cent from the 6,876 sales reported during October 2006.

Within the City of Toronto, 2,136 sales were recorded. This was down 38 per cent from the 3,455 sales recorded in October of last year. In the 905 suburbs, however, the 3,019 sales recorded were down 32 per cent from October 2007’s figure of 4,460.

GTA-wide, prices declined 10 per cent to $352,974 from last October’s average of $394,646. They were down one per cent over the average recorded in October 2006 of $356,423. As with sales, price declines differed according to region.The City of Toronto average was $376,896, down 13 per cent from the $434,022 recorded during the same month in 2007, and down about three per cent from the $386,807 recorded in October 2006. Meanwhile, the average for the City’s 905 suburbs was $336,049.This is down eight per cent from the $364,142 recorded last October, and up one per cent from the $333,166 recorded in October 2006.

Breaking down the total, 2,064 sales were reported in TREB’s 28 West districts and averaged $335,329; 892 sales were reported in the 14 Central districts and averaged $450,437; 946 sales were reported in the 23 North districts and averaged $382,032; and 1,253 sales were reported in TREB’s 21 East districts and averaged $290,719.

You can download and review the complete market report here.