September sales on the Toronto Real estate Board were 6500 units, up 1.9% compared to September of last year. This is not as positive a sign as it appears. September sales were down 5% from August (very unusual). When you compare to last year, September sales were 1% higher than in August. The reality is that sales volumes will be mired at these levels until something fundamentally changes.
August sales on TREB were 6,800 units, an increase of 8.5% over August of 2017. Sales were also level with those in July which is normal in terms of seasonality. In terms of sales, we have definitely passed the bottom but of most concern is what does the fall market look like? ‘New’ listings in August were 6% higher than August of last year (more supply).
Making recent news is a Brokerage who is suing for commission from a Seller on a deal that did not close. Agents work on commission but that does not mean that they work for free. For Sellers, when you sign a listing agreement it states that you owe a commission on the successful completion of your sale. What happens if the Seller accepts an offer and the sale does not complete and close?