Interest rates, monetary policy affect GTA new home sales in 2022
January 27, 2023
The GTA saw the lowest level of new home sales last year since 2018, the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) reports.
Overall, in 2022, there were 25,400 new homes sold in the GTA, according to Altus Group, BILD’s official source for new home market intelligence. This was 29 per cent below the 10-year average.
Sales of condominium units, including units in low-, medium- and highrise buildings, stacked townhouses and loft units, with 20,917 units sold in 2022, were 12 per cent below the 10-year average.
Single-family homes, including detached, linked, and semi-detached houses and townhouses (excluding stacked townhouses), accounted for 4,483 new home sales in 2022. This was 64 per cent below the 10-year average.
Market hesitation
“The hesitation new home buyers showed in the latter half of 2022 was no doubt largely the result of continued high interest rates and tightening monetary policy,” says Dave Wilkes, BILD president and CEO. “With interest rates at the top of the cycle, the further two per cent imposed by the minimum qualifying rate will almost certainly prove to be an insurmountable hurdle for thousands of new home buyers trying to finalize financing this spring. The federal government needs to reconsider its approach to monetary policy so families can purchase the homes they need without artificial obstacles.”
“GTA new home sales started strongly in 2022 before easing in the second half of the year with annual sales sitting at a 4-year low,” adds Edward Jegg, research manager with Altus Group. “However, prices steadied in December after months of declines, as buyer demand and builder supply were more closely aligned.”
Condo price increase
December contributed only 563 new home sales to the 2022 total. It was the second lowest level of new home sales for the month of December after December 2008. With 398 condominium unit sales, it was also the second lowest level of condo sales for December, since December 2008.
After five months of declining prices, the benchmark price for new condominiums rose in December, compared to the previous month, to $1.13 million. This is down 2.8 per cent over the last 12 months. The benchmark price for new single-family homes rose, after four months of declining prices, to $1.75 million, down 4.2 per cent over the last 12 months.