Frequently Asked Questions

I believe there’s an error in your statistics/website. Who should I notify?

We make every effort to ensure that all of the data we publish is as accurate as possible, and while it is quite rare, errors can and do occur on occasion.

If you believe you’ve found an error in our statistics or on our site, we’d certainly like to hear about it!

Please send us a detailed note outlining the location and nature of the error at economics@gvrealtors.ca

Your statistics don’t match those from other sources. Why don’t they match?

All of the official data we publish is derived from records in our proprietary databases, such as the MLS® and/or Commercial Edge® databases.

These databases are proprietary systems, and while similar statistics may be published by other sources, if they are not derived from our databases it is unlikely these statistics will match those published by GVR.

GVR cannot comment on the validity/accuracy of data derived from sources other than our own.

We strongly encourage users of alternative data sources to ensure they properly understand all differences and limitations of those data.

Why don’t you report prices using inflation adjusted figures?

The primary reason we report sales prices in nominal terms is that these prices are the most accurate reflection of the actual prices paid by parties transacting in the market today.

It’s similar to the reason why prices one pays for other goods and services (e.g. cars, groceries, haircuts, etc.) are not reported in inflation-adjusted terms.

It’s important to note that measuring Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) accurately is not a straightforward task.

Statistics Canada is the primary agency through which CPI is measured in Canada, and their methodology requires regular re-weighting of the goods and services that make up the basket which is used to track inflation.

If GVR were to report inflation-adjusted prices, when re-adjustments to the CPI occur, any previous calculations using CPI data would be “out of date” with the most recent (re-adjusted) CPI data. This would necessitate a complete revision of all our historical price data, which would be very confusing for most users of our data.

For more detailed information regarding how prices are measured in the economy, we recommend Statistics Canada CPI Portal as an excellent resource.

Why does the average, median, or benchmark price differ so much from my property value?

Your property, along with every other property in the world, is unique.

The unique features about your property determine its value.

Benchmark, average, and median prices are meant to represent the price of a “typical” home in slightly differing ways, which may or may not represent the same thing as your property.

For this reason, the value of your own property may differ from these measures.

We did a post about this you may find useful: Does the Perfect Price Metric Exist?