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Home prices remained stable in May
Demand for detached housing continues to rise
Fueled by the detached sector, Calgary home prices trended up for the fourth consecutive month, but remain below 2014 highs.
"The economic climate is supporting detached housing market recovery," said CREB® chief economist Ann-Marie Lurie.
"Improved demand and easing supply has created more balanced conditions and ultimately some modest price gains. While it will still take some time for prices to recover, the transition in the detached segment is an important first step to stabilization across all segments of the housing market."
For the first time since June 2015, prices in the detached sector did not decline on a year-over-year basis. Unadjusted detached benchmark prices reached $509,000 in May, one per cent higher than last month and May 2016 levels.
Like the detached market, the attached product has moved towards more balanced conditions. This has supported some recent directional shifts in pricing. However, monthly price declines had fallen by 4.7 per cent over peak levels and year-to-date benchmark prices remain two per cent below last year's levels.
"We can really see a slow but sure recovery in the housing market," said CREB® president David P. Brown.
"Demand for detached product is driving a new sense of optimism for consumers as we move further into spring."
Against this backdrop, the number of new listings rose to 3,866 units in May, which is 17 per cent higher than last year's total for the month. Despite this rise, year-to-date new listings have declined by one per cent over last year.
"With the change in market dynamics, people no longer feel like they may need to settle for a second choice in a property," said Brown.
"There are lots of housing choices in every segment of the market and that made for a good situation in an already active spring market."
Housing Market Facts
Apartment-style inventory levels totaled 1,780 in May, 11 per cent higher than last year’s levels
and accounting for nearly 30 per cent of city wide inventory. Inventory gains were mostly under $300,000 and occurred across all districts except the North West
Apartment benchmark prices totaled $271,200 in May, 2.9 per cent below, and over 11 per cent below 2014 monthly highs.
Apartment price adjustments have varied across the city, with the largest peak to trough
declines occurring in the South East, South and City Centre district. This is likely related to the amount of new condominium construction in these areas.
Detached sales improved across all price ranges representing 65 per cent of all Calgary
sales in May, the highest level since 2012. The largest detached sales growth occurred in the $600,000 - $999,999 range.
The North West sector recorded the tightest market conditions in the detached sector. Months of supply have averaged below two months in the detached sector, which accounts for over 70 per cent of sales in the area. Tighter conditions have supported modest price growth so far this year.
Semi-detached prices totaled $390,200 in April, a 0.15 per cent increase compared to last month and 1.72 per cent higher than prices recorded one year ago. Meanwhile, row prices totaled $305,900 in April, 0.59 per cent above last month, but 2.83 per cent below last year
The west area has seen the most significant turnaround in detached prices this year. Yearto-date
benchmark prices are $713,580. This is a 2.7 per cent increase over last year and just below highs recorded in 2015.
Source: CREB®
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