House prices drop 15%
Sales remain steady but market shows signs of slowing
Home sales were steady in Trent Hills last month, but prices were down about 15 per cent from a month earlier and year-over-year.
In April, 23 homes sold in Trent Hills for a median price of $525,000. That compares with 17 homes sold in March at a median price of $620,000 and 24 sales in April 2024 with a median price of $622,500.
A further indication of market weakness is the growing length time that homes are on the market. Last month, the average was 45 days, down from 65 days in March, but up 40 per cent from 32 days in the same month a year ago.
The number of listings is also growing. At the end of April, there were 106 active listings, up from 95 at the end of March and from 92 a year ago.
“Sales are trending upward across all areas of our region, which is indicative of a spring market,” said Christine Riley, President of the Central Lakes Association Realtors. “We are also seeing an increase in the number of active listings, which is providing buyers with more options. This greater supply is contributing to lower average prices across our markets compared to last year.”
In Northumberland County, the average sales price increased year-over-year to $726,817 from $714,424. Sales decreased from 142 to 124 and the number of active listings grew 17 per cent from 511 to 600.
End approaching for Brighton landfill
For several years Northumberland county has been saying that the Brighton landfill, the only one it has, has enough capacity to last a decade.
That number hasn’t been dropping because the county has been successful in recycling more material and keeping it out of the landfill, Jennifer Moore, the county’s chief administrative officer, told Trent Hills council last month.
But Moore warned that will change fairly soon and the county will have to undertake a full environmental assessment to determine what to do in the future. For example, it could expand the Brighton site, find another location, or use other technology to dispose of our garbage.
One sign that the pressure is growing was the county’s announcement this week that starting on July 2 residents and businesses will be required to show proof of a local address when bringing materials to any of the county’s Community Recycling Centres (CRCs), including Seymour.
“This new requirement is being introduced to help protect the long-term sustainability of local landfill and waste management systems,” a county news release says. “By ensuring that CRCs are only used for waste generated within the County, we can help preserve this critical infrastructure for local use further into the future.”
“We appreciate the cooperation of residents, businesses and contractors as we make this important change,” says Adam McCue, Associate Director Operations, Public Works. “We understand this may be an adjustment, but it is a necessary step to protect our landfill and maintain an effective, reliable waste management system for our community.”
What this means for residents and businesses:
When visiting a centre to dispose of waste or recycling, individuals will need to bring proof of a local residence or business address.
Acceptable documents include:
Driver’s licence
Water, gas, electricity, internet or phone bill
Municipal tax bill
Lease agreement (valid for up to one year)
For small business:
An original signed letter on official company letterhead with a Northumberland County address
For contractors:
A signed contract, work order, or invoice showing the address of the Northumberland County property being serviced.
For more information visit Northumberland.ca/CRC or contact the County’s Waste Services team at 1-866-293-8379.
You can read all Trent Hills News stories on the website here.