The Niagara real estate market is experiencing notable changes, with a slight increase in average home prices, while sales activity has declined compared to the previous year. It's important for buyers, sellers, and investors to understand these trends to navigate the current housing market effectively.

Home Prices in Niagara See Small Increase:
In February 2025, the average sale price in Niagara rose to $680,181, a 2.05% increase from last year. This indicates that while demand has slowed down somewhat, home prices are still stable and showing gradual growth.

Sales Drop, But Homes Are Selling More Quickly:

• Homes Sold: In February, 381 homes were sold, representing a 46.26% decrease compared to the same time last year.

• Days on Market: The average time it took to sell a home was 48 days, which is 6.67% faster than the previous year.
  Despite fewer sales, the slight price increase and quicker selling times suggest that buyers are more selective, but desirable properties are moving off the market faster than before.

Lower Number of New and Active Listings:

• New Listings: 1,084 homes were listed in February, down by 25.50% from last year.

• Active Listings: 2,488 homes remained on the market, a 4.31% decrease.
  With fewer homes being listed, the market remains competitive, and buyers have fewer options to choose from.

Price Trends by Property Type:

• Detached Homes: The average price of detached homes was $706,054, reflecting a 2.68% increase from last year. This shows that single-family homes continue to be in high demand.

• Semi-Detached Homes: The average price dropped to $575,805, a 5.37% decrease from last year. This may be due to buyers focusing more on fully detached homes or affordable condos.

• Townhouses: The average price of townhouses was $704,171, a slight 0.53% decrease, suggesting that townhouses remain a solid option for families and first-time buyers.

• Condos: Condos saw the largest price decrease, with the average price dropping to $431,464, down 6.04% from last year. This shift may present opportunities for buyers seeking more affordable homeownership or investment properties.

Bank Of Canada Slashes Interest Rate To 2.75% As Trade War Develops

Click the link to read more: Click here

Things to Consider as a Buyer:
-  You have more leverage to negotiate due to fewer sales.
- With fewer new listings, there are fewer homes to choose from.
-  Homes are selling faster, so if you find a property you like, be prepared to act quickly.

Things to Consider as a Seller:
- Detached homes are holding steady or seeing price increases.
- It’s crucial to price your home competitively in this slower market.
-  Properties are selling faster than last year, indicating strong buyer interest in well-priced homes.

These are the 4 steps it took to get the home sold for full asking price, under all my clients terms in only 2 short weeks!

Initial Meeting: 

1. I met my clients in September of 2024. They knew they wanted to list in February so we got all exterior photos and videos completed. This was important because they have a pool and wanted to show the backyard in its best light. This ensured prospective buyers could truly envision themselves in their very own backyard oasis.

Price + Marketing Strategy: 

2. We established a price. We priced it to SELL. I see so many sellers stretching their listing price, which ultimately doesn’t look good - they then have to make many pricing corrections or the house just sits stale on the market. We also discussed a marketing strategy. We again highlighted the backyard, ran many social media posts and created buzz around the listing with a “coming soon” video. High quality images and drone shots were also very important. I created personalized feature sheets and the home was always presented beautifully. My clients did an amazing job at putting things in storage and making the home look its best.  I hosted 3 open houses the first 2 weeks of listing (1 was cancelled due to a snow storm). This generated roughly 30 buyers from the open houses alone - they were the busiest open houses I have ever hosted.

Showings + Home knowledge:

3. We accepted every showing and I knew the home inside and out. If there were any questions that needed to be clarified the sellers got back to me right away and I ALWAYS provided answers ASAP. I  had all documentation on hand incase potential buyers were curious on pool info, pool costs, hydro/gas bills etc. We worked as a TEAM!

Offers + Negotiation:

4. Offers flooded in. We received a total of 4 offers. My clients stayed firm with their terms. Price and closing date were extremely important & we stuck to that. My clients received full asking price with very little conditions. I am so thankful they trusted me to get their home SOLD. It is a home that will truly be missed. I look forward to now helping them find a new home to make memories in. 

If you are looking for results like this, please reach out. It is never too early to start preparing a home to sell or simply getting the conversation started. I look forward to hearing from you!! 

The Niagara Falls Exchange.

 Click the link to view all of the events held by The Niagara Falls Exchange in the month of March: https://nfexchange.ca/events

Stained Glass Butterfly Workshops

Sundays March 9 and 16 | 9 a.m. – 12 noon | Garden Café, Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens.

Let your creativity take flight during one of our Stained Glass Butterfly Workshops at the Garden Café! Guided by expert Gord Maretzki from Urban Tractor Farm Winery, you’ll craft a vibrant Blue Morpho stained- glass butterfly with a wingspan of about 6 inches.

Tickets are $85 plus HST, which includes all materials and on-site parking as well as a light brunch. Enjoy a BLT Egg croissant with a side of fruit and a choice of juice or warm drink. Upgrade your juice to a mimosa for an additional $5. This workshop is open to ages 14 and up. Participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Spots are limited—reserve your place today!

Info and Tickets here: Click here

Rural Routes Paint Night

March 21 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Rural Routes Paint Night Fri Mar 21st 7-9pm at Meridian Community Centre in Fonthill. Bring your friends! Easy to follow step by step instruction is live, in person and viewed on a large screen. A canvas is pre-sketched for your convenience and all materials are included. Whether or not you have painted before, this is a fun event. The Meridian is fully licenced so stop by Mike’s Place and down the hall and bring your refreshment with you. Register now. Can’t make it? Book a private group Paint Night with co-workers, family or friends!

You can also register by pre-arranged phone call with a credit card or by E-transfer (include HST and contact info and event choice) Sorry, no refunds.

Text or call 289-990-8130 or email info@beverlysneath.com

Winter Jazz Night:

March 21 @ 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm  Winter Jazz Night - Winter Jazz Night

Kame & Kettle Beerworks 25 Pelham Town Square, Fonthill, Ontario, Canada. A little live jazz and a lot of cold beer! Featuring the Pelham Street Combo, reservations are encouraged.

Home Sweet Hive: Where Do Bees Live?

MARCH 30, 2025 - Lincoln Museum & Cultural Centre - Noon - 3 p.m. - All By Donation

Ever wondered where bees live? Join us on March 30th, 2025, at 12 p.m. for a fun-filled event where we’ll build and paint our Air BeeNBee, a cozy new home for solitary bees, right here at the Lincoln Museum & Cultural Centre!  Whether you're a bee lover or just curious about these incredible pollinators, this event is a great way to learn and help support local bees!

What’s Happening:
Noon - 1 p.m. Paint the Bee Hotel Frame: Help us paint the frame of our Air BeeNBee—a bee hotel designed specifically for solitary bees, which need safe, dry places to nest and raise their young. All ages can join in on the fun and add their own colorful touch to this important project!

1 - 2 p.m. Learn About Bee Homes: Discover how Honey Bees live in large colonies and how they’re different from the solitary bees that will make their nests in our permanent Air BeeNBee. Learn why providing a safe home for solitary bees is so important! 

2 - 3 p.m. Install the Air BeeNBee: Be a part of the installation process and watch as we set up the new bee hotel for our solitary bee residents. 

Why Attend?
Family-friendly: A great way to get kids and adults involved in creating homes for local bees.

Educational: Learn where bees live, the difference between solitary bees and honey bees, and how you can help protect their habitats.

Hands-on: Paint, install, and create something special for the bees that live in our community.

Let’s help create homes for bees and protect our pollinators this spring! 

Business of the Month: 416 Coffee Co.

 At 416 Coffee they know that great accomplishments come after great coffee. Their mission is to create incredible coffee experiences that blend tradition and innovation; to impress, excite and fuel winners.

LOCATIONS: 

ROASTING FACILITY

• 36 Wright Street, St.Catharines, ON, L2P 3J4

• Call: 416-910-5354

COFFEE BAR:

• 1412 Pelham Street, Fonthill, ON, L0S 1E7

• M - S | 8AM - 5PM

• Call: 416-668-5288

COFFEE BAR:

• 17 Lock Street, St.Catharines, ON, L2N 5B6

• M - S | 8:30AM - 5PM

• Call: 416-910-5354

COFFEE BAR:

• 2-2 Main Street West, Grimsby, ON, L3M 1R4

• M - S | 8AM - 4PM 

• Call: 416-668-5288

Visit their website: https://www.416-coffee.com/

Community Spotlight: Royal Lepage Shelter Foundation 

25 Years of Making Home a Safe Place for Everyone.

Royal LePage® professionals understand that a house is only a home if the people who live there feel safe. That’s why, 25 years ago, we unanimously agreed that helping women and children find safety from domestic abuse should be where we channeled our big hearts and charitable efforts. Since its founding in 1998, the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation has proudly grown to become the largest public foundation in Canada dedicated exclusively to funding women’s shelters and domestic violence prevention. Royal LePage is the only Canadian real estate company with its own charitable foundation.

The Shelter Foundation has raised more than $46 million to-date and currently supports 200 local women’s shelters and national partners. Our agents donate a portion of their commissions, and Royal LePage offices across Canada host local fundraising events. Our brokers, agents and staff also volunteer and provide in-kind goods to benefit the women and children residing in their local shelters. Every dollar raised goes directly to helping the more than 50,000 women and children who are served each year by the shelters and support programs we fund.

It’s important now more than ever to receive high level professional service and advice. The Niagara Real Estate Board has not put out monthly statistics since November 2024 due to a system change, which means we are missing important information. So how do you really know what is happening in today’s market? The only way to understand what is truly going on locally within Niagara is to work with an agent who is working day in and day out in this market - monitoring, tracking listings and showing properties throughout Niagara. 

The region has experienced an overall lack of new construction activity, due to the high costs of building.  

Buyer confidence is expected to be high in Niagara in 2025 compared to 2024, with continued interest rate decreases and amortization structures making it easier for first-time homebuyers to enter the market. 

According to CREA, Ontario’s sales activity is projected to rise 9.9%, but average prices will only see a modest 2.4% increase. This means there is likely to be enough new listings in Q1 to meet growing demand. overconfidence could not work in your favour.

The scheduled dates for the interest rate announcements for 2025 are as follows:

• Wednesday, January 29

• Wednesday, March 12

• Wednesday, April 16

• Wednesday, June 4

• Wednesday, July 30

• Wednesday, September 17

• Wednesday, October 29

• Wednesday, December 10

Here is a write up on the 2025 Housing Market Outlook from CMCH: https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/professionals/housing-markets-data-and-research/market-reports/housing-market/housing-market-outlook

If you’re ready to list in 2025 or looking to purchase or have general questions, let’s get the conversation started!

PRICE: I first determined an appropriate list price, which was based on the homes location, comparable homes in that specific area and also the market conditions. It is very important to ensure the home wasn’t listed too low but also was not overpriced. 

PREPARATION: My services included fresh landscaping in the front and rear of the property. A thorough de-clutter and deep clean was also completed to ensure the home would shine in its best light. I also utilized/re arranged many of the own clients furniture, but brought in my own staging items to give it a fresh look, which ultimately made it more inviting. 

PRESENTATION: Marketing is essential in today’s market. Professional high quality photos were taken along with a video of the property to attract buyers. Open houses were also held every weekend to bring in as many eyes to the property. Feature sheets were also available along with email blasts to my database. 

If you are looking for an agent that goes above and beyond to help sell your home, reach out to me today to chat more! I am not just your average realtor, I always go the extra mile. 

Residential home sales activity recorded through the MLS® for the Niagara Association of REALTORS® (NAR) totaled 488 units in August 2024, compared to 523 in August 2023. In August, the Niagara Association of REALTORS® listed 1192 residential properties compared to 1220 in August 2023. The average days it took to sell a home in August 2024 was 45 days, a 36.4% increase from August 2023. The New Listings dropped 11.4% but with sales holding steady it brings the inventory of listings in Niagara down which is needed to achieve that balanced market, that along with the cumulative days on market reaching 70 days on market, it is so important for sellers to work with a local REALTOR® to gain the knowledge and expertise to set themselves up for success. The Bank of Canada has reduced the policy interest rate to 4.25% another .25% reduction giving buyers even more confidence needed to move ahead with the process and come off the sidelines. Inventory is still holding fairly high, but recent improvement could be a sign of a busier than normal end of year for Niagara. The next scheduled date for announcing the overnight rate target is October 23, 2024.

In June 2024, the Niagara Association of REALTORS® reported a total of 541 residential home sales through the MLS®, down from 609 sales in June 2023. During the same period, the association listed 1,460 residential properties, compared to 1,403 in June of the previous year. The average time it took to sell a home rose to 36 days, marking a 20% increase from June 2023.

The benchmark price stabilized last month, suggesting that significant rate cuts from the Bank of Canada may be necessary to stimulate the housing market. Currently, there are over 2,800 active listings in Niagara, providing buyers with more choices and compelling sellers to adopt competitive pricing strategies to attract buyers. Collaboration among all levels of government to improve housing affordability in Niagara is a must. Now is the time to get in touch with a local real estate agent, who goes above and beyond of just putting a sign in your lawn and hoping for a sale.

In May, the Niagara Association of REALTORS® listed 1568 residential properties compared to 1318 in May 2023. The average days it took to sell a home in May 2024 was 37 days, a 23% increase from May 2023. Consumers who have been waiting on the sidelines should be in the market now with the Bank of Canada announcement reducing the interest rates. This has given both buyers and sellers the confidence in the market they needed. May was already showing signs of that confidence with May Sales identical to April and the Benchmark Price increase along with the days on market reducing. Although the rate decrease is a positive sign, we are still in a housing attainability crisis and need all levels of government to work together to get more homes built, streamline the process by reducing red tape and get creative to make housing attainable in Niagara. Consumers should be contacting their local Niagara REALTOR® to stay informed of the current market in their neighbourhood.

Allow me to breakdown the recent rate cut:

Interest rates were cut by 0.25%, bringing the key interest rate from 5% to 4.75%. This reduction is good news for both homeowners and those looking to purchase a home. Lower interest rates can make borrowing cheaper, especially mortgages. Although the 0.25% rate cut isn’t a substantial change, it could hint at more interest rate decreases in the future - over 2024-2025. For those whose mortgages are up for renewal soon or who have variable rate mortgages, this is encouraging - but rates are still higher than they were a couple years ago. If you’re thinking about buying a home, renewing a mortgage, or have variable rate mortgage, it would be a wise decision to speak with a Mortgage Specialist and review all options. I am always happy to connect you with the right fit and i’m happy to answer any questions. 

Through my real estate journey I have had the opportunity to work with and help some incredible clients. I wanted to share the success story of my clients A+M. A+M were originally living in Smithville, They had come to me wanting to sell their home and purchase in the Welland/Fonthill area. The reason being was they needed to be closer to family and wanted to start a family of their own. Buying and selling a home at the same time can be a stressful process. Many homeowners are not sure whether to buy or sell first so let’s get into it. Originally our plan was to view homes of interest that fit their criteria - they offered on a number of properties but included a “sale of property” condition - this condition was to ensure they were protected and had the necessary time to sell their property prior to firming up on their new property.

They ended up losing out on their offers due to this sale of property condition, so we had to put a plan in place that would ensure they weren’t continuing to miss out on their desired new home. By this time the busy Spring market was upon us and inventory was flooding in. We had decided to put their home up on the market which had sold within a very short time period of 10 days. Something that is very important was to ensure the closing date was 60+ days out, this would allow them to have 2+ months of searching for their dream property without worrying about their home selling. It would also allow them to come in with a “cleaner offer” (less conditions). They ended up purchasing their dream property in Fonthill and trusted the process the entire way! I am so happy to have them in Fonthill & to make things even better they just welcomed a sweet baby boy into their family. If you are reading this and considering selling your home and starting a new chapter, let’s connect!