THEbTEAM's October Market Summary

1. October 2011

2. Market Summary: October 2011
Another month passes and we continue to see some interesting trends on a month -to-
month as well as year-to-year basis. On many fronts, 2011 has landed somewhere in
between 2009 and 2010.
For the Niagara Region, the following Year-to-Date figures for 2011 are higher than in
2009 yet slightly off the 2010 figures : Total number of listings, total number of expiries &
total number of sales. The only number that is up is total sales dollar volume topping out
at just over 1.2 billion so far this year, up over 100 million since 2009.
Looking at individual cities throughout the region, average sale prices (YTD) for all cities
were up except for Welland which was off by $1,015. All other cities showed sales price
(YTD) values increasing with the leaders being Niagara-on-the-Lake, Thorold and Port
Colborne. The remaining cities have shown increases in the 1 to 2% for year to date sales
prices. Again, as mentioned in previous blogs, nothing of major significance happening one
way or the other.

3. Interestingly, total sales are slightly off of 2010 values except for Niagara-on-the-Lake. The
other cities are all down by between 1 and 15% for total sales between 2011 and 2010. While
15% may sound huge, keep in mind our market and some of the cities may see less than 150
or 200 sales for a whole year. Some examples ::
TOTAL SALES YTD
2011 2010
NOTL 205 198
St.Catharines 1373 1381
Niagara Falls 888 923
Fonthill 162 181
Welland 591 639
Sales to Listings Ratios are often looked at as a good indicator of the markets ability to
‘absorb’ or buy listings in relation to the number that are arriving on the market.
Niagara-on-the-Lake has consistently shown sales to listings ratios that indicate a buyer’s
market. For example, the YTD ratios were 35% for 2011 and 36% for 2010. It is fair to say
however, that NOTL is a unique market and difficult to compare on an ‘apples to apples’
basis with the rest of the region.

4. All other markets showed sales to listing ratios that indicate a more balanced market,
some even tipping towards the favour of the seller, a type of market we haven’t
experienced in several years. The figures YTD were all very close to 2010 figures.
St.Catharines and Thorold had the highest figures with 53% and 54% respectively.
Again, this indicates what could be described as a balanced market in general with a
healthy absorption of listings when compared to those coming on the market.
We shall see how the remainder of the year finishes up. Regardless, it is fair to say the
uncertainty and pressure in various levels of the economy is still putting a strain on all
real estate markets, ours included. The fundamentals still apply to selling a home.
Prepare, plan and proceed with confidence!
To discuss your home and where it fits into the market, feel free to contact us at your
convenience. Whether you are interested in moving soon or ‘in the next few years’, we’d
welcome your phone call or email!
Thank-you for visiting.
THEbTEAM.
Patrick Burke, Sales Representative, Sally McGarr Realty Corp., Brokerage. 905-380-6459.
Jim Broderick, Sales Representative, Sally McGarr Realty Corp., Brokerage. 905-321-2083.
Liana Romano, Sales Representative, Sally McGarr Realty Corp., Brokerage. 905-988-8372.

5. Listings
2010 vs 2011
3000
2500
2000
LISTINGS
1500
October '10
1000 October '11
YTD '10
YTD '11
500
0
AREA

6. Sales
2010 vs 2011
1600
1400
1200
1000
October '10
SALES
800 October '11
YTD '10
600
YTD '11
400
200
0
AREA

7. Sales to Listings Ratio
2011: October vs YTD
80%
70%
60%
50%
RATIO
40%
30% September '11
YTD
20%
10%
0%
AREA

8. Average Sale Price
2011: October vs YTD
$500,000
$450,000
$400,000
AVERAGE SALE PRICE
$350,000
$300,000
September '11
$250,000
YTD '11
$200,000
$150,000
$100,000
$50,000
$0
AREA

9. www.THEbTEAM.ca
JIM BRODERICK PATRICK BURKE
Sales Representative Sales Representative
(905) 321-2083 (905) 380-6459
jim@mcgarrrealty.com patrick@mcgarrrealty.com