Nothing stimulates the real estate market like the arrival of spring. Now, I'm not referring to the March 21st kind of spring when you're more likely still scraping ice off your windshield than visiting the garden centre. I'm taking about the birds chirping, buds budding, perennials blooming and warm weather kind of spring that we're finally enjoying now. This magical season somehow makes buyers more eager to buy, sellers motivated to sell and this year is no different. In fact, according to statistics released by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), this spring's market rebound is well under way. Existing MLS home sales increased for the second month in a row in March 2009. A seasonally adjusted total of 31,135 homes traded hands nationally via MLS in March. This is an increase of seven per cent from the previous month, and builds on the 10.3 per cent activity gain in February. The number of transactions in March 2009 stands 18 per cent above levels reported in January 2009, when activity sank to the lowest level in a decade. The fact that these statistics are seasonally adjusted is significant. It indicates that this market rebound has more to do with just the coming of spring. Locally, the numbers look encouraging and one builder in Guelph that I know of actually put his prices up this week. If that's not a market barometer, I don't know what is.
Dean, I'm sad that you're writing about spring in May. I love Canada, but damn that's a long winter. Here's a Hawthorn blossom from this week as a touch of California weather for you.
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