Moncton records increased activity for higher end real estate properties in third quarter

Increased interest in higher-end homes fuels price appreciation, while new builds keep inventory levels stable

MONCTON, NB, Oct. 15, 2014 /CNW/ - The Royal LePage House Price Survey released today showed continued price gains among housing types surveyed in Moncton.

Standard two storey home prices led the way, with the average price jumping 7.0 per cent year-over-year to $155,157.  Detached bungalow prices saw more modest gains, rising by 2.0 per cent to $150,911.

"We're seeing a number of contradictions in the market this quarter," said Carla Bouchard, Manager, Royal LePage Atlantic. "Increased activity in the higher end of the market has driven average home prices up this quarter, yet we actually are still experiencing a strong buyer's market, with over 4,000 active listings. While we've also seen an increase in the number of sales year-over-year, active new construction in the area has kept both inventory levels and days-on-market rates high."

Bouchard also cautioned that the availability of financing is becoming more of a factor. "We've seen a greater number of deals fall through on financing than usual, although it hasn't yet had a significant impact on average prices," she noted.

Nationally, the average price of a home in Canada rose between 4.4 per cent and 6.1 per cent year-over-year in the third quarter of 2014. According to Royal LePage, the average price of a standard two-storey home rose 5.5 per cent to $441,714, while detached bungalows increased 6.1 per cent to $405,101.  Condominiums on average showed slightly lower year-over-year gains, posting a 4.4. per cent increase to $257,377.

"In the seven years since the Canadian housing market began its recovery from the worldwide recession, home price growth has been robust, often greater than the long-term average of approximately five per cent," said Phil Soper, president and chief executive of Royal LePage. "We are now experiencing a natural slowing in the rate of year-over-year price appreciation, with real estate markets moderating in most parts of the country, a transition to what our agents  refer to as a 'Goldilocks market,' one that is neither too hot, nor too cold. To be clear, we expect home prices to continue to grow in the months ahead, but at a slower rate than we have seen in recent years."

About the Royal LePage House Price Survey

The Royal LePage House Price Survey is the largest, most comprehensive study of its kind in Canada, with information on seven types of housing in over 250 neighbourhoods from coast to coast. This release references an abbreviated version of the survey which highlights house price trends for the three most common types of housing in Canada in 90 communities across the country. A complete database of past and present surveys is available on the Royal LePage website at www.royallepage.ca. Current figures will be updated following the complete tabulation of the data for the third quarter of 2014. A printable version of the third quarter 2014 survey will be available online on November 12, 2014. Housing values in the Royal LePage House Price Survey are Royal LePage opinions of fair market value in each location, based on local data and market knowledge provided by Royal LePage residential real estate experts.

About Royal LePage

Serving Canadians since 1913, Royal LePage is the country's leading provider of services to real estate brokerages, with a network of over 15,000 real estate professionals in over 600 locations nationwide. Royal LePage is the only Canadian real estate company to have its own charitable foundation, the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation, dedicated to supporting women's and children's shelters and educational programs aimed at ending domestic violence. Royal LePage is a Brookfield Real Estate Services Inc. company, a TSX-listed corporation trading under the symbolTSX:BRE.

For more information visit: www.royallepage.com   

SOURCE: Royal LePage Limited

Ray McIlroy, Kaiser Lachance Communications, 647-725-2520 x215, [email protected]; Tammy Gilmer, Director, Public Relations and National Communications, Royal LePage Real Estate Services, 416-510-5783, [email protected]