Canadian Real Estate Prices Go Negative

Canadian real estate markets are heading into the busy season with negative price growth. Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) numbers show an annual decline for the price of a benchmark home in February. The decline for the benchmark is the first since 2009, and the first for the index outside of recession. The price of a typical home in Canada made the first annual decline in almost 10 years, last month. The CREA benchmark fell to $615,300 in February, up 0.3% from the month before. Prices are now down 0.13% lower when compared to the same month last year. This is the first annual decline since 2009, and the only one outside of a recession. The annual pace of growth (or lack thereof) is trending lower. The 0.13% decline is small, but lower than the month before. This is the sixth consecutive month of declines, with prices dropping 1.45% over just the past 6 months.