18 Canadian Cities With Below Average Home Prices And Sample Listings

Janine Rane
The Vancouver Sun

According to the latest data from the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), housing market conditions across Canada resulted in a new record for home sales in January, with 36,897 homes changing hands; a 35.2% increase on a year-over-year (y-o-y) basis. 

By comparison, new listings dropped nationally by 2.9% y-o-y, with just 52,342 properties being added to the market last month. As such, the overall housing market was highly competitive for home buyers in January, as indicated by the sales-to-new-listings ratio (SNLR) of 70%. The SNLR is a measure of marketing competition during a defined period of time, and is calculated by dividing sales by the total number of new listings added to the market during that time. A number over 60% depicts a seller’s market: where demand outpaces supply and competition conditions favour home sellers over buyers. 

According to CREA, as the spring market approaches, the current pace of home sales growth might be inhibited by an evident lack of supply, particularly in Ontario markets, to meet growing home buyer demand. However, CREA notes that new supply “could materialize as current COVID-19 restrictions are increasingly eased and the weather starts to improve.” 

Prevalent market conditions in January also put upward pressure on home prices: the national average home price rose 23% annually in January to $621,525. To better understand where home buyers may find pockets of affordability, Zoocasa took a closer look at the average home price in each of the 25 regional housing markets covered in CREA’s monthly report, and ranked every market based on the annual rate of growth of the average home price. We also identified where the average home price fell below and above the national average home price, and curated a list of example homes in each market that sold within a $20,000 range of the average home price.    

Of the 25 regional housing markets included in CREA’s monthly report, 24 markets posted a y-o-y increase in the average home price, ranging from 5% to 41%, and just one market – Regina – saw the average home price decrease by 3% to $273,885. Further, 12 housing markets, or almost half of the areas included in the report, posted a growth in the average home price of at least 20%. 

Average Home Price Below National Average in 18 of 25 Regional Markets Across Canada 

Despite strong annual growth in the average home price in nearly every market, the average home price remained below the national average of $621,525 in 18 markets. 

Saint John took the title of Canada’s most affordable housing market in January, despite an 8% increase in the average home price y-o-y to 199,853. On the other hand, Greater Vancouver recorded the highest average home price in January at $1,089,096 – an 11% increase y-o-y. 

Despite tying for the highest increase in the annual average home price at 41%, the average home price in London and St. Thomas remained below the national average at $608,049. There was also a 41% increases y-o-y in the Niagara Region, however, the average home price clocked in at $651,138, nearly $30,000 higher than the national average. 

$30,000 higher than the national average. 

Sample Listings in Canada’s 18 Most Affordable Regions 

1. London and St. Thomas 

• Average Home Price: $608,049
• Annual Price Growth: +41%
• What you could buy: 362 Ridout Street South
• • List Price: $599,900
  • Property Details:
  • • Detached 
    • 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom, 5 parking

2. Sudbury 

• Average Home Price: $356,633
• Annual Price Growth: +38%
• What you could buy: 4436 Hector
• • List Price: $349,700
  • Property Details: 
  • • Detached
    • 5 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 1 parking

3. Windsor-Essex 

• Average Home Price: $492,480
• Annual Price Growth: 31%
• What you could buy: 686 Dynasty
• • List Price: $488,888
  • Property Details:
  • • Detached
    • 3+1 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 1 parking 

4. Halifax-Dartmouth 

• Average Home Price: $433,000
• Annual Price Growth: +31%
• What you could buy: 3145 Veith Street
• • List Price: $424,900
  • Property Details:
  • • Semi-detached
    • 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom, 0 parking

5. Ottawa 

• Average Home Price: $591,413
• Annual Price Growth: +26%
• What you could buy: 83 Armagh Way
• • List Price: $598,800
  • Property Details:
  • • Detached
    • 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom, 3 parking 

6. Trois Rivières, CMA

• Average Home Price: $225,694
• Annual Price Growth: +24%
• What you could buy:450-452 Rue Lacerte
• • List Price: $219,900
  • Property Details:
  • • Duplex
    • 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 0 parking

7. Gatineau CMA

• Average Home Price: $338,679
• Annual Price Growth: +21%
• What you could buy: 26 Rue Beauséjour
• • List Price: $325,000
  • Property Details:
  • • Single Family House
    • 5 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 0 parking 

8. Montreal

• Average Home Price: $516,350
• Annual Price Growth: +20%
• What you could buy: 85 Rue De Castelnau O. #413
• • List Price: $519,000
  • Property Details:
  • • Condo Apartment
    • 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 0 parking 

9. Sherbrooke CMA

• Average Home Price: $317,545
• Annual Price Growth: +19%
• What you could buy: 1786 Rue des Pois-de-Senteur
• • List Price:$320,000
  • Property Details:
  • • Single-Family House
    • 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 0 parking 

10. Thunder Bay

• Average Home Price: $258,738
• Annual Price Growth: +16%
• What you could buy: 1405 Arthur St. West
• • List Price: $269,900
  • Property Details:
  • • Detached
    • 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 0 parking 

11. Calgary 

• Average Home Price: $518,237
• Annual Price Growth: +15%
• What you could buy: 201 560 6 Ave
• • List Price: $525,000
  • Property Details:
  • • Apartment
    • 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 1 parking 

12. Quebec CMA

• Average Home Price: $313,811
• Annual Price Growth: +14%
• What you could buy: 1571 Rue Camus
• • List Price: $309,000
  • Property Details:
  • • Single-Family House
    • 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 0 parking 

13. Winnipeg 

• Average Home Price: $320,814
• Annual Price Growth: +10%
• What you could buy: 250 Queen Street
• • LIst Price: $309,900
  • Property Details:
  • • Single-Family House
    • 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 0 parking 

14. Saguenay CMA 

• Average Home Price: $206,242
• Annual Price Growth: +10%
• What you could buy: 4685 Ch St. Paul
• • LIst Price: $209,000
  • Property Details:
  • • Single-Family House
    • 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 0 parking 

15. Saint John 

• Average Home Price: $199,853
• Annual Price Growth: +8%
• What you could buy: 251 City Line
• • List Price: $195,000
  • Property Details:
  • • Single-Family House
    • 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 0 parking 

16. Saskatoon

• Average Home Price: $331,555
• Annual Price Growth: +7%
• What you could buy: 213 X Ave N
• • List Price: $329,900
  • Property Details:
  • • Single-Family Home – Bungalow
    • 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 0 parking 

17. Edmonton 

• Average Home Price: $375,874
• Annual Price Growth: +5%
• What you could buy: 605 – 9741 110 St Nw
• • List Price: $365,000
  • Property Details:
  • • Apartment 
    • 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 0 parking  

18. Regina

• Average Home Price: $273,885
• Annual Price Growth: -3%
• What you could buy: 853 Connaught Street
• • List Price: $279,900
  • Property Details:
  • • Row/Townhouse 
    • 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 0 parking  

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