News

Something unusual is happening across most Canadian housing markets this year. In the past, as the springtime was approaching, new home listings were usually rising more strongly than home sales.

This year, the opposite is the case.

Why is there a shortage of new home listings in Canada? What makes homeowners reluctant to bring their homes to the market? How is this trend affecting home prices? And most importantly, what can we expect for the remainder of this year?

A look at the latest data for the main markets in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, and Vancouver suggests possible answers.

Among the best indicators of the state of a housing market are comparative trends in home sales and new home listings. The sales-to-new-listings (S/NL) ratio of, say, 0.5 simply means that in a given month there are 50 sales for every 100 new listings. Traditionally, a ratio in the 0.4 to 0.6 range is considered a sign of a “balanced” market, while ratios above or below that range indicate “sellers’” and “buyers’” markets, respectively.

The S/NL ratio in Canada’s housing market rose in all four months of 2023, from 0.53 in January to 0.72 in April. At this S/NL level, the country’s home market is clearly in “sellers’” territory where sellers have an advantage over buyers in a negotiating process. A look at the main regional markets confirms the trend.

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During these difficult times with the wildfires smoke you will find below information on air quality and other tips to help with the smoke. Click HERE for more info on how to keep your house air clean as well as other tips.

Get started on spring cleaning by kicking gently used items to the curb for others to find!Make sure free items are clearly marked and removed after the weekend is over.Kick It this weekend on May 20, 21 & 22. Post your items to social using #RDKickIt2023. For more details visit www.reddeer.ca/kickit.

With homeowner property taxes due on June 30, we want to remind you about our TIPP program!

TIPP allows for annual taxes to be divided by the remaining months of the year and the monthly payment will be deducted from your account on the last business day of each month.

Sign up for TIPP by May 20, 2023! More information is available at www.blackfalds.ca/taxes

(NC) Interior design is a world of creativity. Your home has endless opportunities for expression and personalization. Here, Sharon Grech, Benjamin Moore colour and design expert, shares some commonly overlooked design opportunities to expand your design canvas in creative and bold ways.

Don’t forget about your fifth wall
Found in any room is a fifth and forgotten wall with infinite design possibilities – the ceiling. “Use a shade lighter than your surrounding walls to brighten a room and create the illusion of a larger space,” suggests Grech. For a space with lighter, neutral-toned walls, expand your creativity up high and opt for a bold and rich hue that will draw your guests’ gaze upwards.

Embrace your mouldings
Whether they are plain or feature an intricate Victorian-inspired design, mouldings contribute to a home’s charm and personality. Often made with wood and painted, updating the mouldings appears to be an under-used interior design hack. “If your walls feature a neutral or light colour, paint the mouldings a deep hue to add dimension and bring appealing framing to a room” shares Grech. “They are also a great way to play with perceived room size. Extend your wall colour onto mouldings to bring an elongated, uniform feel and a sense of expansion to the space.”

Add character to your home’s exterior
The change in season brings better weather and reveals new chances to play with exterior design. “Pay attention to an exterior’s potential-rich accents such as front doors, window frames and shutters, garage doors, pillars and sheds,” suggests Grech. “Giving these a fresh coat of colour with an outdoor-friendly paint such as Element Guard can be a time-efficient way to change the look of your home and add curb appeal.”

www.newscanada.com