MLS® home sales in Nova Scotia post fourth consecutive month-over-month gain; new and active listings move higher in May
The number of homes sold through the MLS® System of the Nova Scotia Association of REALTORS® totaled 1,158 units in May 2025. This was a modest decline of 2.9% from May 2024.
Home sales were 12.1% below the five-year average and 7.4% below the 10-year average for the month of May.
On a year-to-date basis, home sales totaled 4,229 units over the first five months of the year. This was up by 1.8% from the same period in 2024.
The MLS® Home Price Index (HPI) tracks price trends far more accurately than is possible using average or median price measures. The overall MLS® HPI composite benchmark price was $437,200 in May 2025, a moderate gain of 6.5% compared to May 2024.
The benchmark price for single-family homes was $431,700, increasing by 6.9% on a year-over-year basis in May. By comparison, the benchmark price for townhouse/row units was $546,800, a gain of 5% compared to a year earlier, while the benchmark apartment price was $471,500, up by 2.5% from year-ago levels.
The average price of homes sold in May 2025 was a record $493,136, an increase of 5.6% from May 2024.
The more comprehensive year-to-date average price was $474,681, a moderate gain of 5.4% from the first five months of 2024.
The dollar value of all home sales in May 2025 was $571.1 million, increasing by 2.6% from the same month in 2024.
The number of new listings rose 9.6% from May 2024. There were 2,183 new residential listings in May 2025.
New listings were 11.7% above the five-year average and 6.2% above the 10-year average for the month of May.
Active residential listings numbered 4,593 units on the market at the end of May, up by 14% from the end of May 2024. Active listings haven’t been this high in the month of May in more than five years.
Active listings were 34.7% above the five-year average and 17% below the 10-year average for the month of May.
Months of inventory numbered 4 at the end of May 2025, up from the 3.4 months recorded at the end of May 2024 and below the long-run average of 4.6 months for this time of year. The number of months of inventory is the number of months it would take to sell current inventories at the current rate of sales activity.
| Nova Scotia Monthly Summary | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2025 | Residential Sales | Year-over-year % change | Residential Average Price | Year-over-year % change |
| Annapolis Valley | 175 | -3.8 | $408,660 | 7.9 |
| Cape Breton | 82 | 0.0 | $302,274 | 11.9 |
| Halifax-Dartmouth | 582 | -1.0 | $626,156 | 4.7 |
| Highland Region | 44 | 2.3 | $289,199 | 2.3 |
| Northern Nova Scotia | 162 | 1.9 | $322,209 | 14.0 |
| South Shore | 100 | -8.3 | $413,737 | -5.2 |
| Yarmouth | 13 | -55.2 | $310,077 | -1.4 |
| Nova Scotia | 1,158 | -2.9 | $493,136 | 5.6 |
| Nova Scotia Year-To-Date Summary | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YTD 2025 | Residential Sales | Year-over-year % change | Residential Average Price | Year-over-year % change |
| Annapolis Valley | 615 | 7.5 | $385,561 | 4.7 |
| Cape Breton | 297 | 4.6 | $268,438 | 9.6 |
| Halifax-Dartmouth | 2,100 | 0.6 | $607,610 | 4.3 |
| Highland Region | 149 | 2.8 | $294,899 | 9.9 |
| Northern Nova Scotia | 590 | -0.5 | $311,130 | 10.6 |
| South Shore | 398 | 8.7 | $411,098 | 6.3 |
| Yarmouth | 80 | -25.9 | $293,451 | 9.9 |
| Nova Scotia | 4,229 | 1.8 | $474,681 | 5.4 |
BOARD & ASSOCIATION INFORMATION
Trademarks are owned or controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA (REALTOR®) and/or the quality of services they provide (MLS®).
NSAR represents more than 2000 brokers, salespeople and affiliate (e.g. solicitors, appraisers, banks) members throughout the province. The Association serves its members through a wide variety of educational programs, publications and special services with the vision that learning and sharing real estate knowledge will help the profession advance. Through an agreement with the Nova Scotia Real Estate Commission, NSAR provides all real estate licensing courses in the province. REALTOR® is a trademark, which identifies real estate professionals who are members of The Canadian Real Estate Association and, as such, subscribe to a high standard of professional service and a strict Code of Ethics.
For more information,
please contact:
Tanya White
(902) 468-5874 or 1 (800) 344-2001
twhite@nsar.ns.ca
Suzanne Gravel
