As we approach the May 2-4 long weekend, we are crossing our fingers and hoping to get some warm weather so we can start our outdoor activities. Patios sit empty as we wait for sunny days. Wondering if it will ever warm up? But, one thing is for sure the Toronto real estate market is heating up. The buzz around the office has been exciting with new listings and agents busy helping buyers get their dream home. It’s an interesting market happening out there these days. Properties that look compelling and well presented aren’t getting offers on offer night and others are selling with sky high results. It all comes down to strategic pricing. Price low and wait....or price at market value. That is the big question!

After a flurry of listing activity two weeks in a row, listings were still up but only a slight 6% increase. The good news is that sales were up 34% week-over-week creating nothing short of a mini buying frenzy. In fact, 65% of all homes sold occurred at or above the asking price. While this is not the highest percentage we have seen this year, the east end and west end of the city both displayed 77% of properties that sold, were sold in a bidding war.

The condo market had a great week with a 15% increase in new listings, and sales rose slightly by 2%. The number of transactions that took place at or above the list price was at a steady 51%, a slight drop from previous weeks.

A senior economist at RBC sees evidence that the GTA market is turning a corner. The sales rebound in April, plus the rise in benchmark prices for a second month, suggest that the market is recovering from a dismal February/March which were hammered by winter storms.