Jubilant June! 
June is a month we enjoy so very much here in Canada, and undeniably, this June will be one that we really embrace after a thoroughly cold, wet and disappointing spring.  Surprisingly, the real estate market performed quite well despite the delayed spring weather conditions, proving once again how resilient Canadian buyers and sellers are! We predict that the summer months will be strong this year for resale home sales, perhaps even markedly stronger than last year. The new home market however, could remain another story, as sales continue to struggle and traffic remains low at sites across the area.

The June market for 2019 should see a continuation of reasonable conditions with fair, balanced pricing. The first time buyer segment is still fueling the entire spectrum, but that is no shock to us, since the Durham Region boasts the most affordable housing in the GTA. Many entry level buyers have had to adjust their expectations as multiple offers a ...

Magnificent May!
May is always a month full of anticipation: as Canadians, we all look so forward to the warmer weather, the lighter clothing and the appearance of those first flowering blooms on our favorite plants. It is by far one of the most beautiful months of the year here in the Durham Region, where we are fortunate to have so many green spaces and environmentally protected woodlands to explore. May is also a time when people are just simply out more: yard sailing, visiting open houses, stopping by garden centers and farm markets and of course, touring around the countryside looking for that perfect country home!  
The May 2019 real estate market will require close monitoring as entry level homes continued to dominate sales for the first quarter. We anticipate the usual increase in interest for making a move as the spring season lengthens, and current activity seems to indicate that a healthy market should proceed into the warmer months. As inventory remains slight ...

Springing into April!
A slower start to the real estate market in the Durham Region this year has largely been a result of harsh weather conditions. It was a classic Canadian winter, but with that behind us now, it should be interesting to see how the spring shapes up, both in volume of offerings and productivity. 

Top economic and housing analysts from the big banks are predicting that sales will be up overall for 2019 in our area, largely due to an influx of move up or transitional buyers into the market. These buyers were a scarce commodity last year, with the housing market depending heavily on the entry level, first time buyer segment in 2018, which was greatly restricted in and of itself due to the OSFI mandatory stress test. The result? We saw market conditions drastically decline. Now however, a savvy move up buyer population is recognizing that there are terrific opportunities out there in certain specific price ranges, so they are taking full advantage of favourabl ...

March
Putting the SPRING in our Step!
The opening months of 2019 have seen weather play a dramatic role in the buying and selling patterns of real estate consumers, making it difficult to truly ascertain what the temperature of the market is in broad, definable terms. What we can tell you is that the entry level market is still responsible for stimulating sales, and it’s where we are seeing the greatest activity. Multiple offers are occurring in this category, as a result of a shortage of inventory under the $500,000 threshold. However, in the upper price ranges, inventory is experiencing a quite different story, with longer market times, and position and strategy playing key roles in determining a successful sale. The condition, presentation and proper launch of a home to market has never been so imperative.
We understand these subtle nuances because of the coveted position The Geoff Appleton Team holds as the trusted source on residential trends in the Durham Region. We se ...

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue,  
I’ve Prepared Valuable Insights for You!

Welcome to the February instalment of Home’Ward Bound! This month, all of our 2018 stats are in so we would like to dedicate the majority of this month’s offerings to Market Intelligence, so that you are informed and educated on the historical data and can therefore see the trends of the new market unfolding for 2019. 

What are we anticipating for 2019? There are many factors at play right now, regionally, provincially and nationally and many voices that are indicating a challenging real estate marketplace ahead. However, we have seen challenging conditions before and succeeded – even thrived – in spite of it, netting great terms, conditions and value for our clients. And thus far, conditions have been balanced and fair, with all true indicators still showing us securely in the seat of a seller’s market. 

 It is ever our wish to be yo ...