Apparently, Mother Nature shared her chill for January with the local housing market.
Figures from the Chatham-Kent Association of Realtors (CKAR) show that home sales dipped by 15 per cent in January, as compared to January 2025.
That represents a drop in 13 sales, as 74 units changed hands last month.
That translates to a drop in about six per cent as compared to the five- and ten-year averages for the month of January.
Carrie Patrick, president of CKAR, said sales had not been that sluggish in a year.
“January MLS home sales were lower than a year ago, marking the slowest month we’ve seen since February 2025. The number of newly listed homes also slipped year over year,” she said in a media release.
The number of homes on the market is up, however.
“We did see a modest post-holiday rebound from December, bringing supply more in line with seasonal norms,” Patrick said. “Active listings remained elevated compared to long-term averages for the month, which was welcome news for buyers looking to jump into the market, as it gave them more choice than they’ve usually have in a typical January.”
Still, the number of new listings saw a decline of 15 per cent from January 2025. There were 153 new residential listings last month.
New listings were 1.7 per cent below the five-year average but 19.4 per cent above the 10-year average for the month of January.
In terms of what sold last month, prices are up.
“On the pricing side, the average price reached its highest level since January 2025 and ranked among the highest levels seen in any January on record. With rates appearing to hit bottom for now and the spring market right around the corner, we’re heading into 2026 with cautious optimism,” Patrick said.
The average price of homes sold in January 2026 was $449,774, down by 3.2 per cent from January 2025.
