A market analyst says 2020 was a terrific year for house sales in Steinbach. Now, one year later, the numbers are even stronger.

Peter Squire with Multiple Listing Service (MLS) says through the first three-quarters of 2021, there were 474 single family home sales in Steinbach, from 578 listings. That is a conversion rate of 82 per cent. During the same stretch a year ago, there were 449 sales from 619 listings, for a conversion rate of 73 per cent.

"If you had more listings there would be that many more sales and even a bigger increase over 2020," suggests Squire.

According to Squire, there are at least a couple of reasons why we are in a very brisk season. First of all, he says the rock bottom interest rates are making every type of property that much more affordable. Then, on top of that is the pandemic. Squire says COVID-19 has forced a lot of homeowners to re-evaluate their living situation. In some cases you have parents now working from home and children studying from home, which is causing families to find housing that is more suitable.

"We're predicting that we'll still have a strong finish in the last quarter," suggests Squire. "Steinbach is certainly going to be our leading MLS area again this year, as it has been for a number of previous years."

The average selling price for a single family home in Steinbach is now $327,167. Last year at this time it was $302,370. That is a jump of nearly eight per cent. Squire notes parts of Winnipeg have seen double digit increases.

Meanwhile, Squire says the real story in 2021 is condominiums. There have been 64 sales from 75 listings this year, compared to 44 sales from 70 listings a year ago. Squire notes the higher cost for a single family home has caused some first time home buyers to purchase a condominium.

The average selling price for a condominium this year in Steinbach has been $212,376, which is up from the $204,668 through the first nine months of 2020.