Prince George saw starts on 50 units of new multiple-family housing last month while construction of single family homes appeared to have returned to last year's pace after hitting some turbulence, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. numbers are indicating.
Canadian Home Builders Association - Northern B.C. president Gordon Bliss said the jump in multiple family reflects a rise in consumer demand for that type of housing in its different forms.
Specific projects accounting for the multiple family were not provided by CMHC but Bliss counted two projects in the city as possible reasons for the spike - the second phase of Hayer Homes' townhouse project at Fifth and Tabor and Myatovic Construction's condominium project on Guest Crescent.
As for single-family, CMHC counted 15 starts in June, just one less than for the same month last year. A rough few months meant that the year-to-date total of 48 is 25 fewer than the total reached by the same point in 2012.
In a report issued this week, the B.C. Real Estate Association said single-family homes have sold for an average $242,592 in northern B.C. so far this year, up $11,461 or five-per-cent over midway through last year.
However, at 2,019, unit sales were down by 117 or five per cent, and the total dollar volume - unit sales multiplied by average price - was down 0.3 per cent to $491.4 million.
Looking strictly at June, 417 single family homes sold for an average $255,410 across northern B.C. during the month compared to 422 sales for an average $240,866 during June 2012.
Active listings added up to 2,981, down from 3,042 in June last year. Residential sales to active listings were 14 per cent, up slightly from 13.9 per cent over the same month last year.
Numbers specific to Prince George for the first half of the year have not yet been released.
