WinnipegREALTORS® Press Release, December 5, 2015

WINNIPEG – Mild weather, hosting the Grey Cup, being singled out as one of the best destinations in the world to visit by National Geographic Traveler magazine, or just having a an excellent supply of terrific listings to choose from with such favourable mortgage rates, it was the first time November nudged over 900 sales in WinnipegREALTORS® 112-year history. 

Not surprisingly, dollar volume was at its highest level too for this month at nearly $245 million and with a month to go, it is virtually assured a new annual dollar volume record will be set around the $3.5 billion mark. November also set a record for the highest-priced residential-detached or single family property sold ever at $2.7 million. It is a spectacular home and acreage nestled along the Assiniboine River in St. Francois Xavier.

“We have said all along this year Winnipeg is a very stable real estate market with good fundamentals supporting it,”...

WinnipegREALTORS® Press Release, November 5, 2015

WINNIPEG - With two months to go, it is too close to call whether this year’s sales activity can eke out a victory over 2015. The lead has changed a few times when comparing sales activity between 2015 and 2014. At present, 2014 regains the lead with a total of 11,391 versus 11,382 sales this year. Last year was WinnipegREALTORS® fifth highest sales year recorded at over 12,800 sales. It was a good year and only less than 2% off the best year in 2007.

On the other hand, MLS® dollar volume continues to set new records every year even if sales fall short of previous years.  2015 is no different.  Its $3.1 billion in MLS® sales transactions activity is up 2% over 2014. Listings entered on the MLS® for the first 10 months are 22,400, an 8% increase over 2014.

October MLS® sales of 1,084 represent a decrease of less than 3% from October 2014 while dollar volume of $283 million dropped a similar percentage...

WinnipegREALTORS® Press Release, October 8, 2015

WINNIPEG - September MLS® sales activity and the year-to-date pace is indicative of a steady market.  It is tracking very closely to 2014 as was forecast.  2014 saw WinnipegREALTORS®’ 5^th highest MLS® sales result in its 112-year history.

If we even use the third quarter or the past 3 months as an example, and look back over 3 years including 2015, it is quite remarkable how similar they are. Some may say nearly identical as there is a difference of only 7 sales between the highest and lowest sales results.  In order of highest third quarter MLS® sales to lowest they are as follows: 2013 – 3,803; 2014 – 3,802; 2015 – 3,796. You would be hard pressed to find such a minimal sales difference in any other major Canadian real estate market.

“They are not headline grabbing numbers,” said WinnipegREALTORS® president David MacKenzie. “What they tell us is we are very...

WinnipegREALTORS® Press Release, Septemer 8, 2015

WINNIPEG - The strong sales performance in August resulted in bringing year-to-date sales ahead of last year for the first 8 months of 2015. Last month 2014 was ahead slightly but the lead slipped away by the end of August owing to the 11% increase in sales over August 2014.

Dollar volume on the other hand has remained ahead of 2014 throughout the year.  In fact, August reinforced this consistent edge by setting a new dollar volume record for this month.  Over $340 million was transacted through the MLS® in August with one single family home sale fetching $2.1 million. Year-to-date dollar volume is now over $2.5 billion. It is up nearly 3% over last year and is the highest level it has ever been for the first 8 months.

At 1,258 sales, August 2015 is right up there with the best. The three higher August month sales on record are modestly better with none reaching the 1,300 level.  As for listings, compared to the last...

WinnipegREALTORS® Press Release, August 7, 2015

WINNIPEG - It is no easy feat to overtake a record July set in 2014. Nonetheless, July 2015 sales were still brisk. At nearly 1,400 sales, they are 6% higher than the 10-year sales average and third highest for this month ever. If not for condominium sales lagging behind in July as well as this year-to-date, July 2015 would have narrowed the gap in MLS® sales from last July and been even more impressive.

Residential-detached sales continue to perform well in comparison to 2014. They are only down 2% from last July and are up 3% year-to-date.  On the other hand, condominium sales are off 22% in July and 17% for the year.

“We are a little bit surprised by how condominium sales are not rebounding from a slow start this year,” said WinnipegREALTORS® president Dave MacKenzie. “One thing I know for sure is it has nothing to do with lack of supply. With 939 condo listings available at the end of July, it is over...

WinnipegREALTORS® Press Release, July 9, 2015

WINNIPEG   - Since 2007 when for the first time June sales surpassed 1,500, this level has become the new benchmark upon which June is judged.  At 1,509 MLS® unit sales in June, over 1,500 sales have occurred three times after 2007 including last year when there were 1,515 sales. There is only a 55 unit sales difference or over 3% higher sales activity in the record-setting June 2008.

Not much difference on a year-to-date basis either.  Year-to-date sales are running less than 1% ahead of last year with 6,502 sales. This total is only off 7% from 2007, which at the halfway mark and year end holds the highest unit sales level in WinnipegREALTORS® 112-year history.  

This reinforces why Winnipeg’s real estate market may lack the excitement of other housing markets because it’s so steady and stable in generating similar results every year.

“In all honesty, our Winnipeg market can be quite...

WinnipegREALTORS® Press Release, June 4, 2015

WINNIPEG - While still a large influx of new listings came onto the market in May, it was the first decrease over the same month the previous year in over two years. Just this year alone monthly increases have been significant (e.g. 33% spike in March over March 2014).

One month does not make a trend. However, due to less inventory going into June and higher sales activity occurring in the spring market, the Multiple Listing Service® inventory has a supply of four months.  Altus Group, a leading national housing consulting firm which tracks local markets every month, states five months inventory of resale product is considered to be a “normal” market.

“Overall our local market is balanced and offers plenty of choice for discerning buyers to find their preferred property,” said WinnipegREALTORS® president David MacKenzie.  “Sellers on the other hand need to be realistic in their pricing as there...

WinnipegREALTORS® Press Release, May 7, 2015

WINNIPEG - The real estate market is either very, very good … or really, really suspect … depending on which headlines you choose to read.

It’s difficult to decide what’s really happening from the sound bites, but the numbers on the resale market for the first 4 months of the year paint a fairly rosy picture. Statistics for the first third of the year are up from comparable numbers last year, and last year recorded the 4^th best resale numbers in the past 20 years and the best dollar volume ever through the Multiple Listing Service®.

“Our numbers continue to support our Forecast Breakfast predictions.” said WinnipegREALTORS® President David MacKenzie. “In January we predicted that sales would be up 0-2% year-over-year and home prices would increase by the same amount. And the January through April activity bears that out and then some."

The April MLS® listing inventory, the number of ...

WinnipegREALTORS® Press Release, April 8, 2015

WINNIPEG - More spring-like weather this March compared to the previous few years helped spur more sales activity. MLS® sales climbed over 1,000 and ended up being just 2% off the ten-year March average of 1,025. First quarter sales activity showed a similar pattern, also off 2% from the ten-year average of 2,318 MLS® sales.

MLS® dollar volume of $276 million was up 11% over March of last year and up 9% over the ten-year average.

New and available listings continue to be impressive when compared to last March.  New listings entered on the MLS® in March increased 33% while the active listings or existing inventory were up 29% to 4,338 MLS® listings. Whatever is being sold is more than being replenished by the entry of new listings on the system.

You have to go back to 1999 to find as many listings available for sale at this time of year and back to 1995 when there were more new listings entered on MLS® in March....

WinnipegREALTORS® Press Release, March 5, 2015

WINNIPEG – There will be an excess of white noise from all media outlets across the country about real estate market activity in the first two months of the year.  We will be bombarded by new highs and lows from Toronto and Calgary and Vancouver … but the real story should address what’s happening in Winnipeg. If we want to know the weather, we don’t listen to the Toronto radio and TV feeds – we listen to our local experts. The same should be true about our real estate market.

February MLS® listing inventory, the number of properties available for sale in Winnipeg, rose 24%. So buyers had more properties to choose from than last February, which should indicate more balance in the marketplace.

Listings entered into the MLS® system were also up 18% over last February, with the addition of 1,535 properties.

The number of sales processed in the month was just 8 shy of last February, with 672 sales...

WinnipegREALTORS® Press Release, February 5, 2015

WINNIPEG - MLS® activity in January was very solid with the third highest sales total on record for this month.  It also ushered in a new January monthly dollar volume high of over $150 million.  New listings coming on to the market remain robust with a 25% increase over 2014. This increase is even more significant considering the rise in new listings is at 40% when you compare it to a ten-year average. Not surprisingly, active listings or the inventory available for buyers to choose from is up 25% as well over 2014.

January MLS® unit sales were up 4% (588/565) while dollar volume rose 4% ($151.6 million/$146.0 million) in comparison to the same month last year.

“At our annual forecast breakfast last month we said 2015 would be a more balanced market and January results bear this point out, “ said Dave MacKenzie, president of WinnipegREALTORS®.  “The healthy influx and overall supply of listings...

WinnipegREALTORS® Press Release, January 9, 2015

WINNIPEG – While the increase in MLS® listings has been grabbing headlines in 2014 MLS® sales have still fared well. MLS® sales in December were up 5% over December 2013 and 3% above the 10-year average for December sales activity. As for annual MLS® sales, it was a repeat performance. When it was all said and done sales in 2014 fell shy of 2013 by only 42 sales (well under 1%). This makes 2014 WinnipegREALTORS® 5th highest year for MLS® sales.

The widest margin in sales activity from the highest sales year in 2007 to 2014 is less than 2% so the top five years are all in a very narrow range.  2014 MLS® sales are also less than 2% ahead of the 10-year annual average of 12,631 sales.

A similar trend is not the case for MLS® listings. This was especially evident in 2014 when current listings entered on the MLS® system each month were consistently up over the previous year and in many months the...

WinnipegREALTORS® Press Release, December 4, 2014

WINNIPEG - When Santa descends on Winnipeg and surrounding rural municipalities and cities such as Steinbach this Christmas he will see plenty of real estate signs. For vendors they will be wishing for a sold affixed to their sign. Buyers with more choice to find that perfect home may wish for the same on a house they are successful in securing before year end.

2014 has been an extremely busy listing year with active MLS® listings at the end of November up 20% from 2013 and current MLS® listings or new ones coming on the market in November up 6% from last November.  Based on the average number of listings remaining for sale at the end of November over the last 10 years, there are approximately 1,500 more MLS® listings available for sale this December. This larger inventory has created buyers’ market conditions. It makes the word “comparable” take on increased meaning when there is this much more selection...

WinnipegREALTORS® Press Release, November 5, 2014

WINNIPEG – WinnipegREALTORS® experienced its fourth busiest October on record. It had over 1,100 MLS® sales which is 5% higher than the ten-year average for October and only 7% off the best October months in 2007 and 2013. Dollar volume decreased slightly more than sales did in October as significant inventory is putting pressure on holding prices down. However, the second highest dollar volume for October was still enough to push year-to-date dollar volume over $3 billion for the first time with still two months to go.

MLS® listings remain an important development in how the market is evolving this year. New listings entered on the MLS® in October were up 7% while the active listings or current inventory heading into November has risen 21% over last year. The three month streak of 5,000 MLS® listings going into the next month came to an end though with more than 4,600 MLS® listings available at present....

WinnipegREALTORS® Press Release, October 8, 2014

WINNIPEG - Buyers took advantage of the over 5,000 MLS® listings available at the beginning of September. As a result, sales were less than 3% off the best September recorded in 2011. The 2,364 new listings entered on MLS® during the month of September kept listings at a level not seen since 1997. 

Given such a competitive market with supply presently outstripping demand, there were price adjustments happening for a number of MLS® listings. MLS® dollar volume was still up 9%. It was the first time dollar volume in September went over $300 million. 

September MLS® unit sales increased 5% (1,182/1,123) while dollar volume rose 9% ($305.1 million/ $278.8 million) in comparison to the same month a year ago. Year-to-date MLS® sales are up less than 1% (10,278/10,234) while dollar volume has increased 4% ($2.75 billion/$2.64 billion) in comparison to the same period last year. MLS® listings entered on MLS...

WinnipegREALTORS® Press Release, September 10, 2014

WINNIPEG - 2014 is going down as the year of more listings. In August the healthy supply of MLS® listings did not translate into more sales. In fact, MLS® sales dropped 12% in comparison to the same month last year. The 10-year average for August sales activity still shows August 2014 down 5%. 

Listings is another story altogether. Based on the 10-year average for August active listings or current inventory at the end of August, August 2014 has 59% more listings at 5,108. As for new MLS® listings entered on MLS® in the month of August, the 2,106 new listings were up 22% over the 10-year average. While a disappointing result, year-to-date sales activity is in a virtual deadlock with last year. 2013 is the fourth best year on record for sales activity. Dollar volume on the other hand is on pace to set another annual record as is up nearly 4% from last year which turned in a third consecutive record-breaking dollar...

WinnipegREALTORS® Press Release, August 8, 2014

WINNIPEG - Not only were the ice cream vendors hopping in July. REALTORS® were kept busy too with the most active July in WinnipegREALTORS® 111-year history. Close to 1,500 MLS® sales were transacted with a record-breaking July dollar volume of nearly $390 million. MLS® listings kept coming on the market too with more than 2,300 new ones to whet the appetite of eager buyers. It resulted in building a healthy inventory of over 5,000 MLS® listings by month end. 

July 2014 compares favourably to a good month in June and was only 2% off June 2014 when it enjoyed the third highest sales for this month. This gives credence to comments made at the end of the second quarter that Winnipeg is in a delayed spring market due to a prolonged winter.
To show just how record-breaking this July was in terms of sales, July 2014 is only the second time MLS® sales reached over 1,400 sales for this summer month. It outperformed the...

WinnipegREALTORS® Press Release, July 8, 2014

WINNIPEG - June 2014 MLS® sales rank third highest on record for this month and have only been eclipsed by 3% in June 2007 and June 2008. As a result, year-to-date sales for the first half of 2014 show a slight edge over 2013 at close to 6,500 sales – only 1% off the 10-year average. Just shy of $416 million, June MLS® dollar volume resulted in the second highest MLS® monthly total ever. Only last month is higher when $438 million worth of listings was sold on MLS®. 

New listings entered in June on MLS® continue to march along on an upward trend in 2014 with a 22% increase over June 2013. It leaves year-to-date listings placed on MLS® up 13% to 12,052 listings. There are 1,000 more MLS® listings available going into July than was the case last year at this time. 

For the first six months, condominium listings have increased 33% over 2013. A number of new projects are helping add to the jump in listings...

WinnipegREALTORS® Press Release, June 10, 2014

WINNIPEG - An all-time record setting month for MLS® dollar volume and the third highest month for MLS® sales brings year-to-date sales even with last year and dollar volume ahead by 4%.

May is really a make or break one for the year and if this is a marathon we are right up with the lead runners when it comes to staying with 2013. Where we are ahead of 2013, however, is in listings. The over 4,500 active listings by month end are up 22% from last year. New listings entered on the MLS® in May rose 10% over May 2013. It was not until 2006 that new listings in May consistently eclipsed 2,000 and we have now reached 2,755 in May 2014.

Helping set a new monthly dollar volume record was seeing for the first time the average monthly residential-detached sales price reach and climb over the $300,000 level to $300,786. The year-to-date average residential-detached price is lower at $294,232. May 2014 had three homes sell for over $1...