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5 | The IFP -H alton H ills | T hursday,A pril 29,2021 theifp.ca Spring is back, and so is our 16th Annual Super Spring SpecialON NOW ! - Oil & Filter (Includes up to 6 litres regular oil) - Complete top to bottom check over - Installation of summer tires on rims included (wheels 20" and up $10.00 extra) - $5.00 Tim's Card - 4 litre Jug of Washer Fluid eXTraS $8995* Call for an Appointment *Most Vehicles Prices are +HST 45 Mountainview Rd. N., Georgetown 905.877.7958 hassellsauto@bellnet.ca • hassellautomotive.com $6995*69 Only Synthetic oil (up to 6 litres) Silver 2018 Halton Hills hassell automotive sales & service Silver Funded by: A caring voice, a compassionate ear, If you need to talk, we're #HereToHear Available 24/7 905-849-4541 • dchalton.ca You are not alone. Homeowners eager to cash in on their home's post-pandemic value may find they've got com- pany. "We are starting to see a little bit of a shift where we're seeing more inventory," said Betty D'Ol- iveira, a local sales representa- tive with Royal LePage. Nearly 200 homes were listed in March 2021, compared to only 151 properties in March 2020. Sales of homes have also in- creased, with 151 properties sell- ing in March 2021 compared to 91 the previous year. "People that are able to take advantage of this market are defi- nitely jumping in," D'Oliveira said. Homeowners who have the freedom to sell and move -- even temporarily -- into a second home or cottage are ideally situ- ated to benefit from the market. However, it could still prove to be a risky move. "If prices don't go down, they could be pricing themselves out of the market," she said. In March 2020, the average sale price of a home in Halton Hills was $834,572. It's risen more than $270,000 to over than $1.1 mil- lion this past March. "The (interest) rates are awful- ly low," D'Oliveira said. "The gov- ernment is trying to keep the economy moving." Should the rates increase, a market crash could happen, but D'Oliveira said she felt it was too risky a move for the federal gov- ernment. "They're also going to open the borders back up for immigra- tion," Liana McAlister, licensed assistant at Royal LePage for D'Oliveira, said. "We didn't have a lot (of immigration) last year and when that opens up it will bring a lot of buyers back." While it's difficult to predict the future of the market, proper- ty values may remain stable. "Even if there's a slight correc- tion -- I don't see a crash," McAl- ister said. Halton Hills homeowners could be relatively safe in the market, as downtown workers aim to keep the city at arm's length. "People that would normally buy a condo downtown are realiz- ing they could have a house for the same money," D'Oliveira said. With many owners eager to cash in on the pandemic-driven surge in property values, McAlis- ter noted, the number of sellers is outpacing prospective buyers. "We are seeing quite a few list- ings receiving no offers on offer night," McAlister said. "There's definitely a shift in the market." In March of this year, 199 prop- erties were listed and spent an average of one week on the mar- ket. Last year, 151 properties were listed, spending an average of 12 days on the market. However, properties in March 2021 sold at 110 per cent of their listed price, compared to 101 per cent the previous year. NEWS HOUSING COSTS CONTINUE TO CLIMB SCAN THIS CODE FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS. The cost of the average home in Halton Hills has increased significantly in the past year. Metroland file photo BRYAN MYERS bmyers@metroland.com