Why I think the housing market will be busier than usual this winter

They say the real estate market slows down once winter weather hits, but this year, I’m not so sure. I remember days when November would arrive and most builders would be planning their spring releases, but the demand is strong, so I’m seeing openings and new launches happening right now, halfway through the month.

That's not to say builders aren’t in the process of planning for spring 2019. I’ve heard about some exciting things to come in the new year, and my team is eager to share the details. If you know anything about the building industry though, you know everything is subject to change up until the very last second, so I’m waiting on the green light from my peers before I share any info.

So, what’s happening in November that has me thinking this winter won’t be quite as slow as past winters?

Fieldgate Homes hosted an event last weekend at Impressions in Kleinburg. They were offering a special bonus on their inventory homes, which have spring 2019 closings. I heard that there were a couple buyers soon after they opened their doors Saturday morning.

Fieldgate is also planning a huge event at Upper Valleylands in Brampton. On November 17th, they are giving the first 30 homebuyers their share of $500,000 worth of incentives. In my decades in the new home industry, this might be one of the largest incentives I’ve seen. Upper Valleylands can already be considered a successful community, and after next weekend, there will be 30 more families calling it home.

At the beginning of the month, Podium Developments and Building Capital opened Ironwood in North Oshawa for preview registration. Podium and Building Capital have done a lot of amazing work in Oshawa, and they recognize that urban towns are high in demand right now. They’ve built student housing in the neighbourhood, as well as larger homes, so move-up, low maintenance towns make a lot of sense.

It’s not just the single-family market seeing new releases. Mattamy’s highly anticipated Saturday in Downsview Park in Toronto opened to the public last weekend. The first building features two-bedroom suites starting from the low $500,000s. This is another move-up opportunity for couples looking to start a family without abandoning the easy-going condo lifestyle. Mattamy understands Toronto real estate better than anyone, and if they’re opening a condo in November, then you know the demand is there.

There was also an opening in Stoney Creek recently; Branthaven Homes and Marz Homes opened Casa Di Torre, an incredible boutique condo with hotel-inspired amenities. These two builders know the Hamilton and Niagara region like the back of their hand, so when I hear that they opened their presentation centre, I know that there are many young couples and empty nesters in search of this lifestyle in the neighbourhood.

This is just a handful of the exciting openings I’ve heard about recently. I wouldn’t be surprised if a few more popped up across the GTA and beyond in the coming weeks. Of course, I don’t think we’ll see new home supply skyrocket during the winter months, but there are options right now, you just need to know how to find them.