Centris System
The Centris system is the most comprehensive, up-to-date database of real estate transactions. It is governed by very specific rules that all real estate brokers in Québec must adhere to. Only real estate brokers who are members of the Quebec Professional Association of Real Estate Brokers (QPAREB) or a real estate board have access.
Source: QPAREB by the Centris system
Residential
Includes the following property categories: single-family homes, condominiums, plexes (rental properties with 2 to 5 units) and hobby farms.
New Listings
The number of new brokerage contracts with a signature date that falls within the targeted period.
Active Listings
The total number of listings that have an “active” status on the last day of the month. Quarterly and annual data correspond to the average monthly data for the targeted period.
Number of Sales
Total number of sales concluded during the targeted period. The date of sale is when the promise to purchase is accepted by both parties.
Volume of sales
Amount of all sales concluded during the targeted period, in dollars ($).
Average Selling Time
Average number of days between the date the brokerage contract was signed and the date of sale.
Variation
Due to the seasonal nature of real estate indicators, quarterly variations are calculated in relation to the same quarter of the previous year.
Average Sale Price
Average value of sales concluded during the targeted period. Some transactions may be excluded from the calculation to obtain a more meaningful average price.
Median Sale Price
Median value of sales concluded during the targeted period. The median price divides all transactions into two equal parts: 50 per cent of transactions concluded at a lower price than the median price and 50 per cent concluded at a higher price. Some transactions may be excluded from the calculation to obtain a more meaningful median price.
Inventory
Corresponds to the average number of active listings in the past 12 months.
Number of Months of Inventory
The number of months needed to sell the entire inventory of properties for sale, calculated according to the pace of sales of the past 12 months. It is obtained by dividing the inventory by the average number of sales in the past 12 months. This calculation eliminates fluctuations due to the seasonal nature of listings and sales.
For example, if the number of months of inventory is six, this means that it would take six months to sell the entire inventory of properties for sale. We can also say that the inventory corresponds to six months of sales. It is important to note that this measurement is different than the average selling time.
Due to the way the number of months of inventory is calculated
Market Conditions
Market conditions are based on the number of months of inventory. Due to the calculation method (see above), market conditions reflect the situation of the past 12 months.
If the number of months of inventory is between 8 and 10, the market is considered balanced, meaning that it does not favour buyers or sellers. In this context, price growth is generally moderate.
If the number of months of inventory is less than 8, the market favours sellers (seller’s market). In this context, price growth is generally high.
If the number of months of inventory is greater than 10, the market favours buyers (buyer’s market). In this context, price growth is generally low and may even be negative.
Caution
Average and median property prices are based on transactions concluded with the Centris system during the targeted period. They do not necessarily reflect the average or median value of all properties in a sector. Similarly, the evolution of average and median prices between two periods does not necessarily reflect the evolution of the value of all properties in a sector. As a result, caution is required when using these statistics, particularly when the number of transactions is low.
The content of this publication is protected by copyright laws and is owned by the Quebec Professional Association of Real Estate Brokers (QPAREB). Any reproduction of the information contained in this publication, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, is specifically forbidden except with the prior written permission of the owner of the copyright.