The New Housing Price Index (NHPI) rose 0.2% in March compared with the previous month. Higher new house prices in Vancouver and Toronto led the gain.
New Housing Price Index, monthly change
New house prices were up in 10 of the 27 metropolitan areas surveyed, with the largest increases in Oshawa (+1.1%) and Guelph (+0.9%). In Oshawa, builders cited higher construction costs and improving market conditions as reasons for the gain. Builders in Guelph linked higher new house prices to improving market conditions and a shortage of developed land.
Vancouver was the top contributor to the national gain, with prices up 0.7%. Builders reported market conditions as the main source of the rise. This was the first price increase in five months and the largest since May 2016.
Ottawa (+0.6%) and Windsor (+0.4%) also posted significant price gains. Builders in Ottawa reported market conditions, a shortage of developed land and higher construction costs as the key reasons for the increase, the largest since April 2011. In Windsor, builders tied the price rise to higher land development costs and improving market conditions.
In Toronto, prices edged up 0.2%, the result of favourable market conditions.
New house prices were down in three metropolitan areas and unchanged in 14.
New Housing Price Index, 12-month change
The NHPI rose 3.3% over the 12-month period ending in March, largely reflecting higher prices for new homes in Toronto (+8.4%). Other notable year-over-year increases were reported in Victoria (+6.3%), Windsor (+6.2%) and St. Catharines-Niagara (+6.0%).
In March, six metropolitan areas recorded 12-month price declines with St. John’s (-0.7%) posting the largest decrease.
Content is for general information purposes only. It is not investment advice or a solution to buy or sell securities. Opinions are the authors; not necessarily that of OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc. or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers or directors. If you would like to reproduce or redistribute any of the content found on MarketPulse, an award winning forex, commodities and global indices analysis and news site service produced by OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc., please access the RSS feed or contact us at info@marketpulse.com. Visit https://www.marketpulse.com/ to find out more about the beat of the global markets. © 2023 OANDA Business Information & Services Inc.