The Ontario government has lifted the ban on public open houses effective today in regions entering Stage 3 and Toronto is expected to follow suit by the end of the month. But is this such a good idea? Will sellers allow them? And will buyers attend? And what about the safety of the Realtor? The topic has become a hot one among real estate agents. Many people would attend open houses as a pastime – even if they weren’t planning to buy right away. Open houses were just an easy way to see homes and sometimes viewed as an ineffective way of driving traffic to a property. So far business has been booming in Toronto and the surrounding regions with no open houses. Sales representatives can now market your home effectively using an array of technological tools that can be accessed easily by buyers. Virtual viewings are now mainstream, have increased in popularity and have a much wider audience reach. Statistics show that consumers using virtual tools are more likely to reach out to a Realtor. If agents had been unable to do business maybe open houses would be necessary, but agents and their clients have adapted to the new ways of doing business. Safety first!

Last week the freehold market recorded a solid 10% increase in new listings, and overall sales were up a whopping 40% from the previous week. Competition for homes is still strong with 63% of all properties selling at or above the list price While this is frustrating buyers across the 416 that same enthusiasm for home ownership is spreading throughout the province, all the way up to cottage country.

The condo market continues its positive activity. New listings did not change from the previous week, but sales jumped 40%, the largest jump in weeks. The percentage of suites selling at or above the list price is at 37%. The demand is picking up for condos again.