Area real estate sales continue to reflect mixed results across the various areas of our region with stable being about the only adjective I can think of to describe the “overall” market.

  Following a very soft finish to 2012, MLS® sales volume in January reflected a 14% increase over January of last year. This was followed by a decrease in MLS® dollar volume in February of 7%, an increase of 3% in March with sales in April down 4% from April 2012.
 Year-to-date dollar volume is essentially
unchanged from one year ago with MLS®
sales totaling $179.2 million to the end of April, an increase of 1%.
 
  As I have said on previous occasions, our market consists of several micro-markets which makes it difficult to sum up overall market activity in one concise phrase. MLS® unit condominium sales to the end of April are up 6% whereas MLS® single family home sales
which total 396 properties are down 6%. We are seeing
steady sales activity in the under $200,000 price
range with sales up 4% as many first time buyers are
continuing to take advantage of the low interest rates.
Meanwhile sales above $1 million which total 7 sales
year-to-date are down 46% from one year ago when
13 MLS® sales have been reported.
The number of new MLS® listings hitting the market is down from the first four months of last year. To the end
of April there have been 2,268 new MLS® listings, a
 decrease of 5% from one year ago. At the same time,
expired listings have increased by 4% as many sellers
elect
to take their properties off the market or have chosen to
rent them out until such time as they perceive market
conditions have improved allowing them to realize their
selling price expectations.
While sales in Collingwood and Wasaga Beach are
essentially equal to last year at this time, sales in the
Blue Mountains are up 8%. Conversely, MLS® sales
in Clearview Township, Grey Highlands and the
Municipality of Meaford are all showing year-to-date
 ranging from 6% to 32% below the first four months
of 2012.
The month of May has brought with it near summertime temperatures, we’ll see if the change in weather serves to
heat up the slower segments of our real estate market in
the months ahead.