January often sees a lull in the sales of houses and condos, with buyers less willing to traipse from viewing to viewing in the chilly weather. However, the latest monthly stats from the Toronto Real Estate Board—and new reports of bidding wars—suggest the new year has brought renewed vigour to the city’s lagging housing market. We unpack the latest intel below.
• In January, 4,375 GTA homes changed hands through MLS, a slight (1.3 per cent) decrease compared to January 2012. Realtors see that number as encouraging, since the GTA has seen double-digit decreases for the last few months. TREB president Ann Hannah said the statistics suggest buyers who were spooked by the mortgage regulations introduced over the summer are now ready to enter the market—a theory supported by mortgage broker reports of a surge in applications from prospective homebuyers since Christmas.
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