Canadian Home Sales Record Biggest Monthly Drop In Nearly 5 Years

Subsequent to the implementation of a foreign buyer’s tax by the Ontario government designed to cool the sizzling housing market, home sales throughout Canada saw a shrill debility last month. This was primarily caused by a plummet in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

The Canadian Real Estate Association asserted on Thursday that, the number of houses sold across Canada plunged by 6.2% in May compared to the previous month. This was the biggest month-to-month downward spiraling in about 5 years.

The industry group that represents realtors, salespeople and brokers in Canada, underscored that the unforeseen great debility of home sales experienced a massive 25.3% decline month-over-month in the GTA.

These statistics inferred that, even though the real estate may be native, the incitement bordered by the huge changes in a market of the size of Toronto, can measure immense catastrophic effects nationally.

“Since modifications to Ontario housing policy were made in late April, this is the first month covered throughout with great results realized. Thus, they afford clear indications that the changes have produced more balanced housing markets throughout the Greater Golden Horseshoe region. May sales activity were down most in the GTA and Oakville for housing markets in the region. This propounds that the changes have squashed speculative home purchases” CREA chief economist Gregory Klump said in a statement.

The government of Ontario employed a good number of measures, including the 15% tax on foreign buyers. This was particularly designed to calm down Toronto’s over heated housing market. Hence, prices of homes have gone out of reach for many would-be homebuyers both in and around the city.