As the leaves continue to fall in Ottawa, we are seeing an increase in units sold, as well as an increase in average sale price. Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 1,073 residential properties in October through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® system, compared with 1,059 in October 2011, an increase of 1.3 per cent. The five-year average for October sales is 1,067. “Compared to the five-year average, Ottawa is right on track, indicating that we are not experiencing a real estate downturn in Ottawa, but a slow, steady incline in units sold and average sale price,” notes Ansel Clarke, President of the Ottawa Real Estate Board. “Ottawa continues to be great place to buy and/or sell a home.” October’s sales included 237 in the condominium property class, and 836 in the residential property class.
The Ottawa market continues to be on track historically in regards to the number of sales to date as well. Since 1999 the number of sales through the MLS® System in Ottawa has ranged from a low of 11,329 to a high of 14,783. Sales for the first ten months of the year are at 12,768. Year-to-date average sale price is also up over 2011. The average sale price of residential properties, including condominiums, sold in October in the Ottawa area was $346,492, an increase of 2.5 per cent over October 2011. The average sale price for a condominium-class property was $267,037, an increase of 3.0 per cent over October 2011. The average sale price of a residentialclass property was $369,016, an increase of 1.8 per cent over October 2011.
“Although the Ottawa market is characterized as stable and steady, there can be pockets of our market where fluctuations, such as larger increases in price, exist,” explains Clarke. “This is why it is important for buyers and sellers to talk to their Ottawa area REALTOR® for more information about the housing.