TORONTO, August 6, 2019 – Toronto Real Estate Board President Michael Collins announced that Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® reported 8,595 sales through TREB's MLS® System in July 2019. This result was up by 24.3 per cent compared to July 2018. On a month-over-month basis, sales were up by 5.1 per cent, after preliminary seasonal adjustment.

New listings entered into TREB's MLS® System in July 2019 were up compared to July 2018, but by a much lesser annual rate than sales, at 3.7 per cent. With annual growth in sales far outstripping annual growth in new listings, market conditions clearly tightened compared to last year. Active listings at the end of July were down by 9.1 per cent year-over-year, further reflecting tightening market conditions.

As market conditions continued to tighten in July, the average selling price increased by 3.2 per cent on a year-over-year basis to $806,755. The MLS® Home Price Index Composite benchmark was up by 4.4 per cent. Higher density home types continued to drive price growth, whereas detached home prices remained down in many communities throughout the GTA.

Broadly speaking, increased competition between buyers for available properties has resulted in relatively strong price growth above the rate of inflation for semi-detached houses, townhouses and condominium apartments. However, the single-detached market segment, which has arguably been impacted most by the OSFI stress test, has experienced a slower pace of price growth, with average detached prices remaining lower than last year's levels in some parts of the GTA

Source:Toronto Real Estate Board

TORONTO, December 12, 2015 – Finance Minister Bill Morneau on Feb.11, 2015 announced changes to the rules for government-backed mortgage insurance to contain risks in the housing market, reduce taxpayer exposure and support long-term stability. Effective February 15, 2016, the minimum down payment for new insured mortgages will increase from 5 per cent to 10 per cent for the portion of the house price above $500,000. The 5 per cent minimum down payment for properties up to $500,000 remains unchanged.

See below my graphics on the changes and my impact assessment on the housing market.

Source: Government of Canada Takes Action to Maintain a Healthy, Competitive and Stable Housing Market

TORONTO, December 1, 2015 - There will be no extension of Municipal land transfer tax beyond Toronto. Toronto has been charging municipal land transfer tax on top provincial land transfer tax. The Ontario Real Estate Association was arguing against the additional land transfer tax and as a result this and other consultations by the Municipal Affairs Minister Ted McMeekin, he has decided not to extend the municipal land transfer tax beyond Toronto.

source

February 8, 2012 - Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and five other major real estate boards including Toronto Real Estate Board have developed a new index to measure the trend in house prices and inflation in the housing market. There are a number of indices under MLS® HPI indices. This is similar to Consumer Price Index (CPI) that is a measure of consumer price inflation.
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