Homes sales slump
But prices in May were higher than a year ago
Home sales were down 27 per cent last month in Trent Hills, but prices were up 6.5 per cent, compared with the same month last year, in a trend that we’ve seen all year.
Twenty-four homes sold in Trent Hills in May with a median price of $628,500, compared with 33 sales in the same month last year with a median price of $589,900, according to the Central Lakes Association of Realtors.
There were 81 new listings and 142 active listings at the end of last month, compared with 75 new listings and 123 active ones a year ago.
The market showed some life, since homes that sold had been on the market an average of 32 days this year, much quicker than the 56 days last year.
So far this year, 64 homes have sold in Trent Hills with a median price of $610,500, compared to 100 sales and a median price of $563,000 in the same period last year.
Looking back to 2024, 21 homes sold in May that year with a median of $686,900 and 96 homes sold with a median of $595,000 in the first five months of the year.
In all of Northumberland, 128 homes sold last month with a median price of $656,500. In the first five months of the year, 463 homes sold for a median $650,000, compared with 558 sales and a median of $661,000 last year.
In a report to council last week, Chief Building Official Stephen White said that in the first three months of 2026, the municipality issued 47 building permits with a value of $9.1 million, compared with 53 permits worth $5.8 million in the same period last year.
There were 39 residential permits issued valued at $4.6 million; 13 permits for new homes valued at $3.4 million and 18 for $1.2 million in renovations.
There were seven commercial/industrial permits issued with two for new buildings valued at $2.2 million and five for upgrades valued at $2.3 million.
“Where are we at this year with permits?” asked Deputy Mayor Mike Metcalf. “Is there a slowing down with the economy?”
“There is a slowdown throughout Northumberland County,” White replied, noting that some larger municipalities are still seeing gains because of efforts to build more affordable housing.
“We are doing better than other municipalities in Northumberland in terms of permits,” he said.
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It would be interesting to know how many permits were closed, of the “new home” permits issued, last year & this year. Just a thought.