Last month, there was steady home buyer demand with a decrease in home seller supply across Metro Vancouver. According to the Real Estate Board (REBGV), there were 2,150 residential home sales last month which is a 44.9% increase from the same month last year and a 36.9% increase from last month. However, February 2020 sales were 15.6% below the 10-year February sales average.

“Home buyer demand again saw strong year-over-year increases in February while the total inventory of homes for sale struggled to keep pace,” Ashley Smith, REBGV president said. “This was most pronounced in the condominium market.”

There has been a 2.8% increase in MLS listings compared to February 2019 for detached, attached and apartment homes on the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in Metro Vancouver in February 2020 which brings it to 4,002 units. This also represents a 3.4% increase compared to last month.

There has been a 20.7% decrease compared to February 2019 and a 6.7% increase compared to January 2020 for numbers of homes currently listed for sale.

"Our Realtors are reporting increased traffic at open houses and multiple offer scenarios in certain pockets of the market. If you’re considering listing your home for sale, now is a good time to act with increased demand, reduced competition from other sellers, and some upward pressure on prices," says Smith.

The sales-to-active listings ration for last month is 23.4% across all property types. A breakdown of this ratio is as follows:

- Detached Homes - 17.3%
- Townhomes - 26.9%
- Apartments - 28.4%

For all residential properties in Metro Vancouver, the MLS® Home Price Index composite benchmark price is currently at $1,020,600 which is a 0.3% increase in comparison to February 2019 and a 2.7% increase over the past six months.

A breakdown of February 2020 sales is as follows:

- Detached Homes - There were 685 sales which is a 52.9% increase from February 2019. The benchmark price for a detached home is $1,433,900 which is a 0.7% decrease from February 2019 and a 1.9% increase over the past six months.

- Apartment Homes - There were 1,061 sales which is a 39.8% increase from February 2019. The benchmark price for an apartment property is $677,200 which is a 0.9% increase from February 2019 and a 3.6% increase over the past six months.

- Attached Homes - There were 404 sales which is a 45.8% increase from February 2019.The benchmark price of an attached home is $785,000 which is a 0.6% increase from February 2019 and a 1.7% increase over the past six months.

Source: Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV)

There was a total of 7,093 residential unit sales recorded by the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in August, which is a 4.9% increase from the same month last year. There was also an increase of 2.6% from the same month last year for the average MLS® residential price bringing it to $685,575. Total sales dollar volume saw an increase of 7.6% from the same month last year to $4.86 Billion.

"BC home sales continue to recover from a policy-driven downturn," said BCREA Deputy Chief Economist Brendon Ogmundson. "Home sales have been rising through the spring and summer, but still remain well below pre-B20 stress test levels."

MLS® residential active listings in the province were up 10% from August 2018 to 40,098 units and were essentially flat compared to July on a seasonally adjusted basis. Overall market conditions remained in a balanced range with a sales-to-active listings ratio of about 18%.

Year-to-date, BC residential sales dollar volume totalled $34.9 Billion which is a 16% decrease from the same period in 2018. Residential unit sales totalled 50,806 units which is a 12.2% decrease. The average MLS® residential price was down 4.4% year-to-date at $686,303.    

For a detailed look at the residential average prices, active listings and sales-to-active-listings data for August 2019, click here.

Source: British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA).

The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports a 27% decline in residential unit sales from the same month last year (as per MLS®) which is a total of 4,533 residential unit sales recorded. The average MLS® residential price in the province was $678,625, a 9.3% decline from February 2018. Total sales dollar volume was $3.08 Billion, a 33.8% decline from the same month last year.

“Prospective homebuyers continue to be sidelined by the mortgage stress test,” said Brendon Ogmundson, BCREA Deputy Chief Economist. “As a consequence, and despite a strong BC labour market, sales remained slow in February.”

Total MLS® residential active listings increased 36.5% to 30,891 units compared to the same month last year. The ratio of sales to active residential listings declined from 27.4% to 14.7% over the same period.

“Falling mortgage rates should provide some relief for homebuyers, providing a small boost to affordability heading into the spring,” added Ogmundson.

As per the Real Estate Board of Vancouver, the February statistics for Metro Vancouver can be seen below.

The Metro Vancouver* housing market saw increased supply and below average demand in February. The REBGV reports that home sales in the region saw a 32.8% from the same month last year (1,484 units in February 2019). Last month's sales were 42.5% below the 10-year February sales average.

"For much of the past four years, we’ve been in a sellers’ market. Conditions have shifted over the last 12 months to favour buyers, particularly in the detached home market. This means that home buyers face less competition today, have more selection to choose from and more time to make their decisions." -- Phil Moore, REBGV president

* Areas covered by the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver include: Whistler, Sunshine Coast, Squamish, West Vancouver, North Vancouver, Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Richmond, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, and South Delta.

2018 is a wrap and today, we bring you the December 2018 Metro Vancouver Housing Market Report. Overall, Metro Vancouver home sales last year were the lowest annual total in the region since 2000. The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that sales of detached, attached and apartment properties reached 24,619 on MLS® in 2018 which is 31.6% decrease from 2017 and a 38.4% decrease from 2016. The sales total in 2018 was 25% below the region's 10-year sales average.

Below is an infographic put out by the REBGV highlighting some key elements.

“This past year has been a transition period for the Metro Vancouver housing market away from the sellers’ market conditions we experienced in previous years,” Phil Moore, REBGV president said. “High home prices, rising interest rates and new mortgage requirements and taxes all contributed to the market conditions we saw in 2018.”

“The supply of homes for sale will be an important indicator to follow in 2019. We’ve had record building activity in recent years and many projects will complete soon. This will provide additional housing options for home buyers across the region,” Moore said.

The MLS® HPI composite benchmark price for all residential homes in Metro Vancouver ends the year at $1,032,400. This is a 2.7% decrease compared to December 2017.

Looking at residential home sales in the Greater Vancouver region, there was a 46.8% decrease in comparison to December 2017 from 2,016 sales to 1,072. This is 43.3% below the 10-year December sales average.

For a detailed look at the December 2018 statistics package, click here.

For all your real estate needs, contact our office at info@wesellvancouver.ca or alternatively, at 604-716-6155.

GREATER VANCOUVER SALES - Last month, the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports a total of 3,022 residential property sales within the Metro Vancouver area (7.1% increase compared to September 2017). The MLS® Home Price Index composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Metro Vancouver is currently $1,042,300. This is a 12.4% increase over October 2016 and a 0.5% increase compared to September 2017.

"Conditions continue to vary significantly based on property type. The detached home market is well supplied with homes for sale, which is relieving pressure on prices," Jill Oudil, REBGV president said. "It remains a much different story in the townhouse and apartment markets. Buyers of these properties continue to have limited supply to choose from and are seeing upward pressure on prices."

Below you will find a comparative chart that depicts the Greater Vancouver residential sales from 2015 to present.

BC SALES - The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports a total of 8,677 residential property sales within BC (4.04% increase compared to September 2017). Total sales dollar volume was $6.25 billion, up 41.6 per cent from October 2016. The average MLS® residential price in the province was $720,129, up 18.7 per cent from October 2016.

"BC home sales trended higher in October, up 23 per cent from January on a seasonally adjusted basis," said Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist. "A lack of supply in the resale market continues to put upward pressure on home prices in most BC regions."

For all your real estate needs, contact Amalia Liapis at 604-618-7000 or alternatively, at amalia@wesellvancouver.ca.

Following suit with previous months, housing demand is still continuing to outpace supply. In May 2017, MLS® recorded a total of 12,402 residential unit sales and an average MLS® residential price in BC of $752,536 which is a 7.9% decrease and 4.2% increase, respectively, from the same period last year. Total sales dollar volume amounted to $9.33 Billion which is a 4% decrease from May 2016. 

“Market conditions have tightened considerably this spring as an upturn in consumer demand has not been accompanied by a rise in homes listed for sale,” said Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist. “The supply of homes for sale in the province has fallen 50 per cent over the past five years.

There is a shortage of housing supply in the entire southern portion which consequently results in upward pressure on home prices. Total active listings has decreased by 11.1% in comparison to May 2016 and totals 28,404 units. The ratio of home sales to active listings was over 20% in 9 of the province's 11 real estate boards and over 50% in Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Chilliwack and Victoria.

Below you will find a comparative chart showing May 2017 and May 2016 figures for average residential price, active listings, sales-to-active listings, dollar volume and residential units sold in BC. (Click to enlarge photo).

For all your real estate needs, contact Amalia Liapis at 604-618-7000 or alternatively at amalia@wesellvancouver.ca.

The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) saw a 23.9% decrease in residential unit sales in comparison from April 2016 to April 2017 (9,865 units recorded by MLS®). Comparing to the same period last year, total sales dollar volume was $7.19 Billion which is a 25.4% decrease and the average MLS® residential price in BC has seen a 2% bringing it down to $728,955.

“BC home sales are on an upward trend this spring, led by a sharp increase in consumer demand in the Lower Mainland,” said Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist.  

Home inventories are at a 20-year low. Currently, the seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of home sales has seen a significant increase in relation to the five-year SAAR for April. (89,000 to 106,000 units). SAAR is a rate adjustment that attempts to remove seasonal variations in the data.

There was a 17% decrease in the supply of homes available for sale in comparison to April 2016 figures. Adjusted for seasonal variations, active residential listings have seen a 50% decline since 2012 and are now at their lowest level in over 20 years. Due to the imbalance between supply and demand, demand is driving home prices higher in most regions.

Year-to-date, BC residential sales dollar volume was down 31.8 per cent to $21.3 billion, when compared with the same period in 2016. Residential unit sales declined 25.0 per cent to 30,757 units, while the average MLS® residential price was down 9.2 per cent to $692,220.

Source: British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA)

In March, the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) recorded 9,826 residential unit sales which is a 21.8% decrease in comparison to the same period last year. The total sales dollar volume also saw a decrease of 30% bringing it to $6.79 Billion and the average MLS® residential price saw a decrease of 10.5% bringing it to $690,597 compared to March 2016.

"Consumer demand continues to normalize following blockbuster home sales in 2016," says Brendon Ogmundson, BCREA Economist. "However, the supply of homes available for sale has not recovered and is still declining in many markets around the province."

Although the average price in BC was down year-over-year due to a shift in the composition of sales, home prices in most markets are being pushed higher due to severe supply constraints. This is particularly true for the Victoria region, which currently has less than two months of inventory for sale, as well as for the apartment and townhouse market in the Lower Mainland.

Year-to-date, BC residential sales dollar volume was down 34.7 per cent to $14.1 billion, when compared with the same period in 2016. Residential unit sales declined 25.5 per cent to 20,893 units, while the average MLS® residential price was down 12.4 per cent to $674,856.

For all your real estate needs, contact Amalia Liapis at 604-618-7000 or alternatively at amalia@wesellvancouver.ca.

Source: British Columbia Real Estate Association

Last month saw a 31.7% decrease in residential unit sales of 6,580 units recorded by the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in comparison to the same period last year. The total sales dollar volume also saw a decrease of 39.7% bringing it down to $4.53 Billion. 

"Consumer demand has returned to a more typical level over the first two months of the year," says Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist. "While the home sales have declined nearly 32 per cent from the extraordinary performance of a year ago, last month's activity reflected the average for the month February since the year 2000."

As for the average MLS® residential price in the province, it also saw an 11.7% decrease which brought it down to $688,117. A main factor driving the average price down is that there was a decline in the proportion of provincial sales originating from the Vancouver region. There has been a 7% decline in BC home sales occurring in the REBGV area (44% to 37%) from the same period last year.

Year-to-date, there has been a decrease of 38.5% in BC residential sales dollar volume bringing it down to $7.3 Billion. Additionally, there has been a decrease of 28.5% in residential unit sales to 11,067 units and a decrease of 14.1% in the average MLS® residential price to $660,943.

For all your real estate needs, contact Amalia Liapis at 604-618-7000 or alternatively, at amalia@wesellvancouver.ca.

Source: British Columbia Real Estate Association

Residential sales in the Metro Vancouver area has seen a decrease of 32.6% in September 2016 compared to the same month last year (from 3,345 down to 2,253) and a decrease of 9.5% compared to August 2016. Sales from last month were 9.6% below the 10-year sales average for the month.  

“Supply and demand conditions differ today depending on property type,” Dan Morrison, REBGV president said. “We’re seeing more demand for condominiums and townhomes today than in the detached home market.”

There was a total of 4,799 new listings for detached, attached and apartment properties in Metro Vancouver for September 2016 which is a 1% decrease from the 4,846 units listed in September 2015. On the other hand, it was an 11.8% increase compared to August 2016 (4,293 listings). Current homes listed for sale on MLS® in the Metro Vancouver area has seen a 13.4% decrease (9,354 listings) compared to September 2015 and a 10% increase (8,506 listings) compared to August 2016. The sales-to-active listings ratio has been the lowest since February 2015 with a ratio of 24.1%. 

“Changing market conditions are easing upward pressure on home prices in our region,” Morrison said. “There’s uncertainty in the market at the moment and home buyers and sellers are having difficulty establishing price as a result. To help you understand the factors affecting prices, it’s important to talk with a REALTOR®.”

The MLS® Home Price Index composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Metro Vancouver is currently $931,900. This represents a 28.9 per cent increase compared to September 2015 and a 0.1 per cent decline compared to August 2016. As for specific statistics on detached homes, apartments and townhouses from last month, you can refer to the image above. Detached property sales saw a decrease of 47.6% compared to September 2015 while their benchmark price increased by 33.7%. Sales for apartments saw a decrease of 20.3% and benchmark price increased by 23.5% in contrast to September 2015. Lastly, attached properties sales decreased by 32.2% and their benchmark price increased by 29.1% compared to September 2015.

For all your real estate needs, contact the WeSellVancouver team at info@wesellvancouver.ca or alternatively at 604-801-6654. 

Source: Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver

Vancouver has seen slower home sales in August but there has been an overall strong housing demand across most regions within BC. There were 8,945 residential units recorded by the  Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) last month which is an increase of 1.5% compared to the same month last year. As for the total sales dollar volume, it has seen a decrease of 6.7% compared to last year with a total of $5.1 Billion in sales. The average MLS® price has also seen a deline of 8.1% compared to the same month last year which brings it to $569,393. 

"The newly introduced 15 per cent foreign buyer tax combined with the 3 per cent property transfer tax on homes over $2 million brought in earlier this year, slowed demand at the top end of the market in Vancouver last month." - Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist.

"The decline in the average home price was due to a change in the composition and location of homes sold in the province," added Muir. "Fewer sales of high priced detached homes relative to all other homes sales in Vancouver as well as fewer Vancouver home sales relative to the rest of the province has caused the average price statistic to decline."

Year-to-date, the BC residential sales dollar increased to $61.6 Billion (39.1% increase) when compared to the same period in 2015. As for the unit sales, it has also increased to 86,206 units (22.1% increase) whereas the average MLS® residential price totaled $714,400 (13.9%). 2016 was off to a good start with record-breaking sales while July and August saw more historically normal activity.

The new foreign tax implemented appears to be a factor in the downward residential sales within the Metro Vancouver area. It has reduced foreign buyer activity within the residential market and has caused some uncertainty amongst local home buyers and sellers. It may be a little early to see the true impact of this new tax but in a few months time, we would be able to analyze foreign buyer data more closely. As September comes to an end, stay tuned in the next few weeks for stats on this month. For all your real estate needs, contact the WeSellVancouver team at info@wesellvancouver.ca or alternatively at 604-801-6654.

Source: British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA)

Join us as we dive into the residential sales statistics for the month of May. There has been a record number of sales of 13,458 residential units which is a 32.3% increase from May 2015 and a 3.77% increase from April 2016. The total sales dollar volume shot up by 51.1% compared to the same period last year to $9.72 Billion. In relation to the average MLS® residential price in BC, it increased 14.2% year-over-year to $722,146.

"Record housing demand and dwindling inventories are continuing to push home prices higher in most BC regions," said Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist. "Total active residential listings across the province are nearly 30 per cent lower than twelve months ago."

"New home construction activity is at a near record pace in the province," added Muir. "Once the current crop of homes are ready for occupancy there will likely be more selection for home buyers and less upward pressure on home prices."

As a result of the ongoing trend of demand outpacing supply, there are a record number of homes under construction in the Metro Vancouver market. The BC residential sales dollar volume on a year-to-date basis has jumped to $41 Billion which is an increase of 62% in relation to the same period in 2015. The residential unit sales increased by 35.2% to 54,455 units and the average MLS® residential price increased by 19% to $752,105.

Take a look below for a regional breakdown of MLS comparative data and the changes from May 2015 to May 2016. 

Source: British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA)

For all your real estate needs, contact Amalia Liapis by e-mail at amalia@wesellvancouver.ca or alternatively by phone at 604-618-7000.

Residential sales for the month of March 2016 set an all-time record with a total of 12,560 unit sales which is a 38% increase in comparison to March 2015. In respect to last month's sales, the dollar volume totalled $9.69 Billion which is a 66.9% increase from last year. The average MLS® residential price increased 20.2% year-over-year to $771,620.

"Housing demand has never been stronger in the province," said Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist. "Most large population centres of the province are now experiencing record levels of housing demand." "Strong employment growth, rising wages and a marked increase in net inter-provincial migration is fueling consumer confidence," added Muir.

Strong consumer demand has been a trend in 2016 with not enough homes on the market to supply that demand. Consequently, inventory of homes for sale is at decade-long lows in many regions within BC. Looking at year-to-date data, BC residential sales dollar volume totals $21.59 Billion which is a drastic jump of 70.1% in comparison to the same period last year. Unit sales increased by 39.2% to 28,028 units with an average MLS® residential price of $770,408 (22.2% increase).

If you're looking to buy or sell, we've got you covered. Contact Amalia Liapis at amalia@wesellvancouver.ca or alternatively, at 604-618-7000.

Source: British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA)

According to the British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA), residential sales for December 2015 totalled 6,590 unit sales which is a 29.8% increase in comparison to December 2014 figures. As for the total sales dollar volume, it increased by a staggering 55.4%, ending the year off with an additional $4.62 billion in sales! Average MLS residential prices in BC hit a new record by going over the $700,000 threshold for the first time with prices averaging out at $700,943.

Take a look below at the BC Residential Unit Sales. As you can see, there has been rapid growth over the past few years with 2015 almost exceeding the record number of sales in 2005. At this rate, it looks like 2016 will be a promising year.

Source: British Columbia Real Estate Association

"The 2015 housing market finished in dramatic fashion, with record demand for the month of December," said Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist. "BC home sales breeched the 100,000 unit threshold in 2015, and it was only the third time on record that this high watermark was achieved." 

The higher than normal average MLS residential prices in conjunction with the record annual unit sales allowed for $65.3 billion in sales for 2015, which is a 37% jump from 2014 figures. Last year was definitely a strong year in favour of the seller and this year looks no different. 

For all your real estate needs, contact Amalia Liapis at amalia@wesellvancouver.ca or alternatively at 604-618-7000.