The Teranet-National Bank of Canada Composite Index declined for the fourth consecutive month and at an accelerated pace, with property prices falling by 1.0% between February and March, compared with a 0.6% drop the previous month, according to data released Friday.
As a result, prices have fallen by 2.3% over the past four months and by 5.0% year-over-year, while 55% of all markets tracked by price indices in March were down 10% or more from their peak, the release noted.
Although this proportion is lower than what was recorded in 2022, it remains very high by historical standards, especially given the current environment of more accommodative interest rates, said the release. The continued price decline in March comes as the number of transactions in the resale market remains particularly low, despite stabilization in sales during the month, it added.
In fact, the ratio of transactions per household nationwide was 26% below its historical average, the release noted.
Friday's release pointed out the price decline over the past year was nearly as significant for condos (-5.6%) as it was for single-family homes (-4.9%), illustrating the widespread weakness of the Canadian residential market. It said there is no doubt that several factors continue to weigh on the real estate sector, including demographic decline, the weak labor market since the start of the year, and trade uncertainty -- to which geopolitical uncertainty has now been added.
The conflict in the Middle East has even had repercussions on the Canadian real estate market, with mortgage rates rising in March as bond yields climbed due to higher inflation anticipated by the markets, the release noted.
Against this backdrop, prices are expected to continue their downward trend in the coming months, assuming there is no positive turnaround in trade tensions with the United States.