The April Real Estate Market in Wateloo Region is a study in Shifting Dynamics

WATERLOO REGION, ON (May 5, 2025) —In April, a total of 595 homes were sold in the Waterloo Region via the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) System of the Cornerstone Association of REALTORS® (Cornerstone). This represents a 14.1 per cent decrease compared to the same period last year and a decline of 26.7 per cent compared to the average number of homes sold in the previous ten years for the same month. 

“Home sales in April showed typical seasonal improvement over March, but remained notably below the ten-year average,” says Christal Moura, spokesperson for the Waterloo Region market. “What we’re seeing is a clear market rebalancing, with inventory levels up 75% above the ten-year average and nearly four months of supply across all property types. This shift is creating more opportunities for buyers who now have more time for due diligence and negotiations, while sellers are adapting to a market that demands strategic pricing and patience. Waterloo Region’s strong economic fundamentals continue to support overall market stability, even as we move away from the intense seller’s market of recent years.” 

Total residential sales in April included 356 detached homes (down 12.5 per cent from April 2024), and 109 townhouses (down 19.9 per cent). Sales also included 71 condominium units (down 22.8 per cent) and 59 semi-detached homes (up 5.4 per cent).  

In April, the average sale price for all residential properties in Waterloo Region was $789,639. This represents a 1.7 per cent decrease compared to April 2024 and a 2.7 per cent increase compared to March 2025.  

• The average price of a detached home was $927,591.?This represents a 1.7 per cent decrease from April 2024 and an increase of 0.9 per cent compared to March 2025.

• The average sale price for a townhouse was $615,982. This represents a 7.0 per cent decrease from April 2024 and a decrease of 0.2 per cent compared to March 2025.  

• The average sale price for an apartment-style condominium was $473,079.?This is on par with April 2024 and an increase of 3.5 per cent compared to March 2025.  

• The average sale price for a semi was $659,017.  This represents a decrease of 0.7 per cent compared to April 2024 and a decrease of 0.6 per cent compared to March 2025. 

There were 1,371 new listings added to the MLS® System in Waterloo Region last month, a decrease of 4.9 per cent compared to April last year and a 10.5 per cent increase compared to the previous ten-year average for April.  

The total number of homes available for sale in active status at the end of April was 1,936, an increase of 39.5 per cent compared to April of last year and 75.3 per cent above the previous ten-year average of 1,105 listings for April. 

The total inventory across the market increased by 52.0 percent, resulting in a 3.8-month supply of all property types by the end of April. Condominium apartments had the highest inventory, with 8.0 months’ supply, followed by townhouses with 4.9 months’ supply and detached homes with 2.89 months’ supply. The number of months of inventory represents the time it would take to sell all current inventories at the current sales rate. 

The average time to sell a home in April was 20 days, compared to 24 days in the previous month. In April 2024, it took 15 days for a home to sell, and the five-year average was 14 days. 

“For those concerned about current market conditions, it’s important to remember that Waterloo Region remains one of Ontario’s most dynamic economic hubs, supported by our diverse employment base in tech, manufacturing, education, and healthcare,” says Moura. “My advice is to work closely with a REALTOR® who understands these shifting dynamics, focus on your long-term housing needs, and remember that real estate has historically proven to be a sound long-term investment in our region.” 

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Professional Photography is Key in Selling a Home

Since many buyers are turning to the internet to shop before they take a drive around neighbourhoods, photography can make the difference in selling your home quickly.
 
A picture is worth a thousand words, and with the right listing pictures, you can attract more people to your property by showing your home’s highlights. Below are tips on how you can take the best quality pictures of your property to showcase it properly. 

Read to the bottom for the best tip of all!
 
Clean the entire house before taking photos.
Never take photographs of a dirty home. Remove all trash cans from all rooms being photographed. Tidy up any clutter and remove personal photos and drawings from refrigerators and bulletin boards.
 
Think about the picture before you take it. 
What are you trying to show in the photo?  Do you want to move or remove anything before you take it?
 
Highlight the best features of your home. 
Do your rooms have spectacular views? You can take pictures of your rooms to show off their views. Let the potential purchaser imagine themselves standing in the room with the view. They will appreciate the picture more knowing where they will be able to enjoy the view when they purchase the home.
 
A general photography rule of thumb is the closer the subject, the better the photo.  However, it may be useful to take a few steps back or use a wide-angle lens to give the viewer more context and make your home seem more spacious.
 
Take a shot of every part of the house, including the living room, kitchen, dining room, and other key areas of your home.
 
Pay attention to lighting. 
Lighting is the key to good photography; you must choose the optimum time of the day for the shot, typically when the sun is behind you. If the front of the house faces east, the morning is the best time. If the front faces west, you want to take your pictures in the late afternoon.
A good general time of the day is around noon or early afternoon on a sunny day for most exterior pictures since the sun is overhead and there are few shadows.  If it is overcast, you can set your camera to a lower shutter speed to absorb more light and create a brighter image.

The light source also affects colour. When the sun is lower in the sky, either in the morning or in the late afternoon, you get more intense colour. This time of day makes the sky pop blue and the house shows off its best colour. High noon overhead sunlight tends to wash out colour.

Cloudy and overcast days can often provide surprisingly wonderful diffused light that can bring out great colour, although shots like this lack the bright blue sky in the background.

For dramatic evening photography, turn on all the house lights, and take the picture after sunset but before it is totally dark.  You will see light coming out of the windows, however, there will be enough exterior light to capture the details of the house. 

For interior room photography, avoid midday, on sunny days, the light coming in the windows will be too bright. The best times are after daybreak and just before sunset.  Use a powerful flash or turn on all the lights.

Take many shots. 
If you are using a digital camera, you can take multiple shots of the same room and then pick which one looks best. You can try different angles and pick the winning view of the room.

You can touch up your pictures on your computer software, including brightening up a darker picture. After you have a look at your pictures, you will have a better idea of how to improve them. Some indoor pictures can look too warm due to the lighting. You can always reduce certain colours with your photo editing software to make it look more natural.

Consider hiring a professional real estate photographer.  
Many real estate agents and homeowners simply do not have the time, equipment, or skills necessary to take good photographs of a home or building they are listing for sale. Professional photography is provided by many brokerages as an optional service and the price is extremely reasonable.

Photos of your home are the first introduction of your new listing to the world. This is the visual element that captures the imagination of buyers and sends them running to contact you for a first look

FINAL TIP:  Insist that your Realtor hire a professional photographer.  Just as you entrust a professional to sell your home, your Realtor should entrust a professional to take the listing photos!

How to Maintain Good Credit

In today’s society, credit is our gateway to purchasing big-ticket items like a home, cars, electronics, and many other daily needs. When you buy something on credit, you are responsible to repay it under the contract with the lender. If you do not pay the debt according to the terms and agreement, your credit score will be affected. When you have bad credit, you will be denied financing up to 90% of the time because the lender looks at you as a serious risk, which is not good.

 
So, how do you build and maintain good credit?
 
Establish chequing and savings bank accounts
This is the basic step necessary to build credit. Lenders see bank accounts as signs of stability. Opening a chequing and savings account is one of the few things young people can do to start building a financial history. While you can't get a credit card in your own name until you're 18, many banks have no problem letting you open an account.
 
Always pay your bills on time
This is one of the major factors that keep people from increasing their credit score. When you make a late payment, the lender will mark your credit report, and this will substantially affect your credit score. Some people do not listen to this and charge more than they can afford. They get caught in a trap that they can never get themselves out of because they can barely afford to pay the payments.
 
Check your credit report regularly
Your credit report is available to you at little or no charge from major credit reporting agencies like TransUnion or Equifax.
 
Your credit report contains all your financial obligations and accounts associated with you. This is what banks, mortgage, credit card, and auto loan companies use when reviewing your application. Every transaction or purchase that you have made shows on your credit report.
 
Check your credit report for inconsistencies, incorrect information or accounts that you do not know about. If there are any corrections that need to be made, follow up with the credit bureaus.
 
Do not spend more than your credit limit 
A limit is set for you so you do not go over it. A creditor looks at you and thinks that you spend beyond your means, and instead of trying to improve your score, you are hurting it.
 
The best way to avoid going into serious debt or financial trouble is to avoid using credit at all, and use cash or your bank account instead. If you are in a situation where it is an emergency use credit and then pay it off immediately. The problem with today’s society is that we spend way more than we make, and this is what gets us all in trouble.

How to Make Garage Sales Fun and Profitable

Rather than discarding what you may no longer use or want, a yard or garage sale can help you clear clutter and earn some extra cash. A garage sale can be a profitable and fun way to make sure items you no longer use or want are reused. Holding a garage sale is easy to do, and all it takes is some time, a few organisational skills, some marketing, and you will be on your way to turning your junk into cash.

The following are some tried-and-true tips for a successful garage sale:

1. Planning
The success of your garage sale depends on how well you organise for this big event. You should prepare yourself several weeks in advance, as you have to sort, clean, test, repair, label and count all items included in the sale. Choose a date that will not conflict with holidays. The weekends are a better choice than weekdays because more people are likely to show up. You should also consult your real estate agent about any pertinent bylaws from your municipality, as certain cities control the number and length of garage sales in their area. Ask neighbours if they want to take part in a neighbourhood sale as this will give your sale a party atmosphere, which will draw larger crowds.

2. Items for Sale
You should display and sell practical household goods, bicycles, children’s toys, clothes, sports equipment and garden tools in your garage sale. All items should be clean, polished, and in good repair. Remember to limit yourself to the sale of used personal items, otherwise, you'll need a permit and GST/PST registration numbers if you are selling new items.\

3. Advertising
As the big day approaches, promote your event effectively to attract as many people as possible. Put up posters in your neighbourhood to promote your event and write your address in big letters, and don't forget to include the date and time of your garage sale. Make sure that the poster is legible from 10 to 15 metres away. You could also place a classified ad in your neighbourhood newspaper, distribute flyers to your neighbours, and get your family and friends to help spread the word about your garage sale.

4. Displaying Your Items
Before your event begins, ensure that you display your items attractively in neat and clean surroundings. Place things in categories, as it will look more attractive. Place the more desirable items toward the back so browsers can notice other merchandise on their way to the best items.

5. The Big Day
On the day of your garage sale, put up a big poster with balloons at the end of your street as well as the busiest intersection near your house to attract and direct people. Be ready early because the real garage sale pros tend to be early birds. Mark the price of articles and leave some room for bargaining. Don't be too rigid about the prices because you are having fun while cleaning out your house and garage. Make sure you have change, bags, boxes and tissue paper for fragile items and remember to have an extension cord and batteries to test that certain items are in working order. Use your garage sale as an opportunity to mingle with the neighbours and create a sense of community. Be creative and have fun! Mark the season of spring as your time to clean up your house and discard items that are cluttering the garage and house. Throwing a garage sale will help you do just that while having fun and enjoying a sunny afternoon.

5 Home Upgrades that Pay Off!

When it comes to preparing your home for sale, most home sellers aim to get the most return on their home's value. Before starting any home improvement, you should evaluate the return on investment (ROI). Ask yourself what renovations will boost the resale value of the house.

Here are a few renovation ideas that pay off.

1. Floors
Replacing dated, scuffed floors can give your house a new sheen and make small spaces seem larger. Flooring can generate a payback as high as 75% on investment.  If you have carpet in the family, dining, and living rooms, it is recommended to change to hardwood and/or tiles. Not only will it make your home more elegant, but you will also enjoy the benefits of a healthier indoor environment, with fewer allergens.

According to the Appraisal Institute of Canada, the ROI on floor upgrades ranges from 50% to 75%. That means if you spend $5,000 redoing your floors, you can expect to recoup anywhere from $2,500 to $3,800 of your costs. If you’re a handy person, you can save yourself a few hundred dollars by installing the floors yourself.

2. Interior and exterior paint
Painting is an inexpensive and very profitable renovation project. Rolling on a new interior or exterior paint colour can generate a 50% to 100% return on investment. If you are planning on selling your house, choose neutral shades over trendy colours that may not appeal to all buyers.

3. Kitchen
Instead of spending a bundle gutting this essential room, think smaller. Counters, sinks, plumbing and lighting fixtures, and appliances can change their look and cost far less than a major renovation. From an investment standpoint, the kitchen may be the best place to sink your money: Kitchen facelifts pay back about 80% of their cost.

Granite is the standard high-end finish for kitchen counters, but high-end synthetic stone materials look just as good, wear better, and cost about the same. Installing a granite or solid-surface counter, along with a stainless-steel sink and faucet, will probably run $5,000 to $8,000.

Your contractor might suggest that, while you’re replacing the counter, get a new backsplash, too. Save your money, as backsplashes don’t get the wear and tear counters do and can add $2,000 or more to the cost of your modest upgrade.

3. Bathrooms
You can expect to recapture about 75% of the cost of a minor bathroom remodel. Most bathtubs already have showers built in, so the plumbing infrastructure is likely there. Replace a dated, rarely-used tub with a spacious shower and multiple showerheads. Similarly, adding a decent-sized shower to a half-bath makes it a whole bath — and much more marketable.

You can purchase a big “rainfall” showerhead for about $200, or spring for a fancier handheld showerhead and other gadgets for $500 and up. Don’t bother building a niche into the shower wall to hold shampoo bottles and such (typical cost: about $300).

4. Closets
Large and organized closets are a big draw for prospective buyers, though it’s impossible to put an exact payback percentage on them. Fitting a walk-in master closet with drawers, shelves, shoe racks, hooks and poles can cost $500 to $2,500 or more, depending on the quality of the materials and the complexity of the design. Wood is the most expensive material, but typically delivers the best return on investment.

This is a job where it’s easy to overspend. So decide exactly what you want and need before you either buy the supplies or bring in a professional closet organizer, who will charge $50 to $150 an hour. Make sure you square reality with the many options: Will you really sort your socks into separate drawer dividers?

5. Energy Upgrades
Real estate agents say energy-saving amenities make a house more attractive to buyers. New windows, for example, return 77% of the project cost, according to Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report. But there’s another good reason to upgrade now; you can, in some cases, let the government help shoulder the cost of projects to make your house more energy efficient and more attractive to prospective buyers.

You may need to wait years to recoup some energy conservation moves. So if you’re more worried about money than your carbon footprint, run the numbers to ensure you’ll be there by the time the cost gets covered. When you’re ready to sell, spell out your energy improvements for prospective buyers. Create a worksheet showing what you spent, plus the before-and-after utility bills.

Remember to keep receipts and careful records for all your energy-saving expenses. This will keep you square with the Canada Revenue Agency and let you prove to potential buyers that you have lowered their future energy bills.

Starting from Scratch

 

Knocking down an old home to build another can prove a rewarding move. But, it requires careful consideration.

While renovating or moving home may be more traditional methods of solving a housing issue, knock-down-rebuild projects are becoming an increasingly popular housing strategy.

 Why knock down and rebuild?
There are a number of reasons to consider a knock-down-rebuild project. The chief reason for knocking down a home is because it’s beyond repair. As a general rule of thumb, the more work that needs to be done to a property, the more value a rebuild will offer. When it comes to especially old houses, a rebuild is often the most cost-effective solution.

In established inner city metropolitan areas where land is increasingly in short supply, rebuilding is also sometimes the only way to get into a neighborhood or stay in one.

Many people also consider a knock-down rebuild when a home is no longer suitable for their lifestyle but they don’t want to change location. Many of us have a strong affinity with our local community – be it the shops, schools or our neighbours – and a rebuilding project means this need not be disturbed.

And finally, people are often attracted to rebuilding because it can be much less stressful than renovating. We’ve all known friends who have spent months living without kitchens or bathrooms; a rebuild can be a much more hassle-free solution.

Rebuilding and financing
The real financial benefit of a knockdown rebuild is the fact that there are no hidden costs.

Renovations are notoriously difficult to budget for, with unexpected hurdles likely to bring up countless additional expenses. Because of this, finance can be difficult to arrange compared to a rebuild, which is straightforward.

Of course, building a new home doesn’t come cheap either, so it’s important to seek professional building advice as well as a range of quotes to determine what will be the most cost-effective solution for you.

Important points to consider

• Don’t forget that you may be eligible for new home incentives from the government if you decide to rebuild rather than renovate.
• Be sure not to overcapitalise – a new home always involves unexpected expenses.
• If you’re knocking down your existing home, you’re going to have to pay for rent during that time or find somewhere to live. So factor in possible extra costs.
• City approval for rebuilding can be difficult, time-consuming, and expensive. But remember, carrying out any work without approval is illegal, so don’t be tempted to try to slide under the radar.

The Path to Real Estate Investment Success

 Residential property can be a great investment selection, but you need to buy well to secure the best return.

Property is widely considered a great investment and a powerful wealth creation strategy. But as with anything in life, there are no guarantees.

Yet if you back yourself with the power of knowledge and employ the right investment strategy, there is no reason why property investment can’t be a powerful wealth creation strategy for you and your family.

If real estate investment is on the horizon for you, try to keep the following tips in mind, and you’ll be well on track to securing yourself a great investment.

Know your limits
Overstretching your budget is a sure-fire way to cripple your chances of doing well in the property market.

Whether you are a seasoned investor or new to the market, there is nothing more important than determining your budget and understanding how much you can afford to borrow.

A mortgage broker can work with you to assess your borrowing capacity and ensure you embark on an investment strategy that fits your budget. With pre-approved finance, you’ll also be ready to strike when the right property comes along.

Location, location, location
When investing in property, the location of your potential purchase should always be at the front of your mind.

Be sure to consider areas that are backed by strong population growth, employment opportunities, development prospects, and solid infrastructure projects.

A great idea is to take a drive around any areas you’re interested in and note all local schools, transport hubs, and shopping centers.
 
A property that is in proximity to such key amenities is usually in higher demand for both tenants and future buyers, which should maximize your prospects of achieving solid capital growth and stable rental income.

Understand the tenant
The location and type of property you purchase will be a strong motivating factor in the type of tenant you are likely to attract.

If you are seeking a long tenancy agreement with a family, it may be wise to consider areas that support such a demographic.

Once again, consider a safe area surrounded by a range of schools and shopping centers to support the needs of your target market.

While there are no guarantees with any investment strategy, understanding these three essential aspects of successful property investment should get you closer to ensuring good returns on your next purchase.