I was asked recently, just what is a "Clause Sale"?

Wow, that is a term I haven't heard in quite some time, but it makes sense that we, as Realtors, would start seeing it again with the Calgary real estate market being as slow as it is. (i.e. Both the new and resale markets).

So, what is a "clause sale"?

Let's start off with the fact that both terms and conditions in an "Agreement of Purchase and Sale" are collectively called "clauses." Okay, got that? But the term "clause sale" refers specifically to one very specific condition. That condition is that the buyer and the seller agree that the buyer has a type of first-right of refusal on the purchase of a home while they are actively trying to sell their own home.

Generally, we see these types of agreements when the market is slow, and the buyer wants to buy a particular home, but they need to get their own home sold first. So, the buyer and seller come to an agreement in an Agreement of Purchase and Sale with the terms set out in an Addendum...

The second half of the year is here, and here are the latest housing market updates for areas covered by the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB)!

As we have recently stated in our latest market report, oversupply is slowing down within the CREB trading area, but a buyers’ market remains.

New listings coming onto the market continued to decline in June, which is helping to reduce the oversupply of homes in Calgary.

Year-over-year, new listings saw a decrease of nearly 19%. Sales activity slowed this month compared to last year by 6%, but the pullback in new listings was enough to cause inventories to fall by 13% compared to last year’s elevated levels.

While the market still favours the buyer – with 4.3 months of supply – the amount of oversupply has eased and is slowing the decline in prices. As of June, the benchmark price in the city was $425,700, nearly 4% below last year’s levels and comparable to unadjusted prices recorded last month.

As noted by CREB®...

Oversupply is slowing, but a buyers’ market remains

City of Calgary, July 2, 2019 – New listings coming onto the market continued to decline in June, which is helping to reduce the oversupply of homes in Calgary.

Year-over-year, new listings saw a decrease of nearly 19 per cent. Sales activity slowed this month compared to last year by six per cent, but the pullback in new listings was enough to cause inventories to fall by 13 per cent compared to last year’s elevated levels.

“So far, the housing market has generally behaved as expected this year. Sales activity remains just below last year’s levels, prices have eased and supply is starting to adjust to the lower level of sales,” said CREB® chief economist Ann-Marie Lurie.

“However, it is mostly product priced under $500,000 that is trending towards more balanced conditions.”

While the market still favours the buyer – with 4.3 months of supply – the amount of oversupply has...