Montreal home sales down 36% from January 2022: Quebec real estate association

Signs advertising houses for sale are shown in Montreal, Friday, March 4, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

The Quebec Professional Association of Real Estate Brokers says Montreal's January home sales fell to a level not seen since 2009 as the market slowdown continued.

The association says last month's sales totalled 1,791, down 36 per cent from 2,816 in January 2022.

Charles Brant, the association's market analysis director, says these numbers mean activity is approaching a historic low for the month of January and come as rising interest rates are weighing on homebuyers.

He says first-time homebuyers in particular are taking a cautious wait-and-see attitude despite recent drops in prices.

The median price of a single-family home edged down seven per cent to $500,000 year over year, while condos dipped three per cent to $370,000 and plexes dropped six per cent to $675,000.

As median prices fell so did new listings, which hit 4,598 compared with 4,808 a year ago.

- This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Feb. 7, 2023