Bank of Canada's rate cut could spur housing demand as Toronto home sales fall in May
BNN Bloomberg
Real estate market analysts say the Bank of Canada's much anticipated decision to lower its key interest rate could be the sign that many would-be homebuyers have been waiting for to make their move.
The central bank announced the quarter-percentage-point cut on Wednesday, its first in more than four years, meaning its key interest rate now stands at 4.75 per cent.
It comes after some of Canada's largest cities have seen ballooning home listings in recent months from droves of sellers listing their properties, despite demand from potential buyers not keeping up.
That includes the Greater Toronto Area, where new listings last month jumped 21.1 per cent year-over-year, with 18,612 properties put on the market. But home sales fell 21.7 per cent in May year-over-year, the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board reported Wednesday.