The local housing market has not yet seen a big impact from the current COVID-19 situation.

National numbers show a decrease from February to March, but local sales are down only slightly—five per cent from the five-year average according to Bill Sterling of the Realtors Association.

Sterling says the slight drop can probably be attributed to Snowmageddon, rather than the pandemic.

He says the way they calculate their numbers, they don’t expect to see the impact until the April and May figures are in.

Sales aren’t calculated until the sale is closed and the new owners take possession of their home—a process that takes a month to six weeks.

February sales were actually the best they’d seen in about a decade, according to Sterling—but the impact of Snowmageddon and the pandemic will likely be seen in the coming weeks.