Everything you need to know about Vancouver real estate market in August 2023

 

In the dynamic real estate landscape of Metro Vancouver, the month of July 2023 witnessed yet another upswing in home prices across all types of properties, fuelled by a robust sales surge. This ongoing trend of price escalation is being driven by a formidable combination of vigorous sales figures and a persistently low housing inventory within the region.

According to the latest data from the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV), the total number of residential home sales in the area reached an impressive 2,455 in July 2023. This marked a substantial increase of 28.9 percent compared to the 1,904 sales recorded during the same period in 2022. It’s noteworthy that these figures remained about 15.6 percent below the ten-year seasonal average of 2,909 sales.

Andrew Lis, the director of economics and data analytics at REBGV, emphasized the significance of the year-over-year sales increase, even if it still lags behind the ten-year average. He explained that this substantial improvement is partly attributed to the market’s response to the previous year’s scenario when the Bank of Canada took many by surprise with a sizeable one percent increase in the policy rate. This move had momentarily chilled the market activity by catching both buyers and sellers off guard.

The supply side of the equation also saw notable developments. In July 2023, there were 4,649 detached, attached, and apartment properties newly listed for sale on the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in Metro Vancouver. This figure marked a significant 17 percent increase compared to the 3,975 homes listed in July 2022, although it still remained 5.2 percent below the 10-year seasonal average of 4,902 listings.

Presently, the total number of homes listed for sale on the MLS® system in Metro Vancouver stands at 10,301, reflecting a four percent decrease when contrasted with the figures from July 2022 (10,734). Moreover, this number was about 14.4 percent lower than the ten-year seasonal average of 12,039 listings.

An insightful metric for evaluating the balance between supply and demand is the sales-to-active listings ratio. For July 2023, this ratio stood at 24.9 percent when considering all property types combined. However, when analyzed by property type, the ratios were 16.5 percent for detached homes, 32 percent for townhomes, and 30.6 percent for apartments. Historical analysis suggests that home prices typically experience downward pressure when the ratio remains below 12 percent consistently. Conversely, when the ratio surpasses 20 percent over several months, it tends to exert upward pressure on home prices.

One intriguing aspect of the current market environment is the contrast between the Bank of Canada’s modest rate hike of a quarter of a percent in July and the highest mortgage rates witnessed in Canada in over a decade. Despite this, sales activity managed to outpace last year’s levels, indicating not only the robust demand in the market but also buyers’ ability to adapt and qualify for higher borrowing costs.

In terms of specific property types, the MLS® Home Price Index composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Metro Vancouver reached $1,210,700. This signifies a marginal 0.5 percent increase over July 2022 and a similarly modest 0.6 percent increase when compared to June 2023.

Delving deeper, the sales of detached homes in July 2023 numbered 681, an impressive 28.7 percent upswing from the 529 detached sales recorded in July 2022. The benchmark price for a detached home reached $2,012,900, reflecting a 0.6 percent increase from the previous year and a 1.1 percent rise compared to June 2023.

Similarly, apartment home sales witnessed a significant surge, totaling 1,281 in July 2023. This marked a substantial 20.7 percent increase when compared to the 1,061 sales of July 2022. The benchmark price for an apartment home climbed to $771,600, demonstrating a noteworthy 2.6 percent increase from the previous year and a 0.6 percent uptick from June 2023.

Attached homes, too, experienced a notable upswing in sales, with July 2023 witnessing 466 sales compared to 304 in July 2022. This surge of 53.3 percent is substantial and contributed to the benchmark price for an attached home reaching $1,104,600. This marks a 1.2 percent increase from July 2022 and a 0.5 percent rise compared to June 2023.

All in all, the real estate landscape in Metro Vancouver continues to be shaped by a dynamic interplay of strong sales activity, constrained inventory levels, and the ability of buyers to adapt to changing market conditions, including higher borrowing costs. While the ten-year average remains a reference point, the current market’s resilience underscores the enduring demand for housing in the region, driving incremental increases in property prices across various segments.

Top 5 things you need to know about Greater Vancouver real estate market in May 2023

 

A link to real estate statistics: https://members.rebgv.org/news/REBGV-Stats-Pkg-Apr-2023.pdf

Hello and welcome back to our channel! In today’s video, we will be discussing the latest real estate trends in Metro Vancouver. According to a report by the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, home buyer confidence has returned, resulting in rising home prices despite a decrease in listings. Here are the five most important things you need to know from the report.

  1. Sales are rebounding: Despite the pandemic’s effects on the economy and the previous interest rate hikes, home sales in Metro Vancouver have rebounded, increasing near levels seen last spring. In April 2023, residential home sales in the region totalled 2,741, representing a 16.5% decrease from the same period in 2022, and 15.6% below the 10-year seasonal average.
  2. Low inventory levels are creating competitive conditions: There is a shortage of resale supply available relative to the pool of active buyers in the market, which is creating competitive conditions where almost any resurgence in demand would lead to price escalation, despite the elevated borrowing cost environment.
  3. Prices are increasing: The MLS HPI data shows that home prices have already increased about 5% year-to-date, outpacing the forecasted 1-2% increase by year-end. The MLS® Home Price Index composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Metro Vancouver is currently $1,170,700, representing a 2.4% increase compared to March 2023 and a 7.4% decrease from April 2022.
  4. Decrease in listings: The report shows a 29.7% decrease in the number of detached, attached, and apartment properties newly listed for sale on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) in April 2023 compared to April 2022. The total number of homes currently listed for sale on the MLS® system in Metro Vancouver is 8,790, representing a 4.2% decrease compared to April 2022.
  5. Sales-to-active listings ratio: The sales-to-active listings ratio for April 2023 across all detached, attached, and apartment property types is 32.7%. The ratio is 24.4% for detached homes, 40.1% for townhomes, and 37.4% for apartments. When the ratio dips below 12% for a sustained period, it suggests downward pressure on home prices, while a ratio surpassing 20% over several months often leads to upward pressure on prices.

Conclusion: In summary, the Vancouver real estate market has experienced a surprising rebound in home sales, but the low inventory levels have created competitive conditions resulting in increasing home prices. The decrease in listings has contributed to a shortage of resale supply available relative to the pool of active buyers in the market. We will have to wait and see whether these price increases will be sustained into 2024. That’s all for today’s video, make sure to like and subscribe to stay up-to-date with the latest real estate news.

Bank of Canada decided NOT to raise the interest rates in April 2023

On April 12, the Bank of Canada (BoC) made an announcement that it would maintain the interest rates at 4.5%. This rate has been unchanged since January 2023, following several increases in the latter half of 2022. The stability of interest rates and the decreasing rate of inflation suggest that the Canadian economy may be beginning to stabilize. This stability allows newcomers to Canada to plan their budgets for large purchases and get a consistent rate of return on any guaranteed investment certificates (GICs).

However, Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem says that the current monetary policy needs to remain restrictive to lower the inflation rate, and it is still possible that interest rates could rise higher. It is still too early to tell. Macklem pointed out in a news conference that the benefits of the higher interest rate will not be immediately apparent, as they usually come with a delay of between 18 and 24 months after measures are implemented. This is a factor in why prices are still so high for Canadians.

The interest rate has a significant impact on the average Canadian’s ability to make substantial purchases, such as a home or a car. Although the Canadian government recently amended an act that prevented non-Canadians and permanent residents from purchasing a home in Canada, the high interest rate means that mortgage rates will remain elevated for some time. This may be a cause for concern even for those with a locked-in mortgage rate that is up for renegotiation. However, a stable interest rate means that monthly mortgage payments will remain constant and enable newcomers and Canadians to budget and plan for the future.

Macklem told reporters that the labour market has remained tight, with unemployment at 5%, but businesses are starting to find it easier to find labour due to strong population growth. Macklem credits much of the growth to employers who use the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, which helps bring in additional skilled workers and reduces the number of job vacancies. Canada’s population is aging, and the economy relies on immigration to fill gaps in the labour force, keep essential services running, and benefit from their income tax contributions.

Last November, Canada released the Immigration Levels Plan 2023-2025, which contains the highest-ever targets for new permanent resident admissions at 500,000 per year by 2025. This will help ease the pressure to find skilled employees in high-demand sectors such as healthcare, construction, and professional and scientific services. Speaking about the benefits of immigration for reducing inflation, Macklem stated that increased immigration would rebalance supply and demand. Bank of Canada predicts that inflation will fall to around 3% in the middle of this year and decrease more gradually to the 2% target by the end of 2024.

The current high interest rates can be traced back to measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, the BoC slashed interest rates to reduce the financial burden on Canadians facing hardships while many workplaces were closed. As the economy rebounded and spending increased, more demand for products and services led businesses to raise prices, contributing to the high rate of inflation. Raising interest rates curbs spending and eases demand, allowing businesses to lower their prices, and the cost of living should come down. Inflation peaked in June 2022 at 8.1% and has since lowered to 5.2% as of February.

What you need to know about the new AirBnB regulations in Vancouver BC

 

On Tuesday November 14th, city of Vancouver has approved regulations making AirBnB rentals legal to operate within city limits. Vancouver is the first major Canadian city to regulate short-term rentals. Starting April 2018 homeowner will have to become part of city’s new regulatory regime for short-term home rentals, approved by council last week.

To become a part of cities licensing system will cost a one time activations fee of $54, plus $49 per year for the licence. All postings on AirBnB will have to include the homeowner’s licence number. If homeowners choose to operate without a licence they can face a fine of $1,000.

All income from short term rentals will have to be reported to Canadian Revenue Agency. Even if the generated income is very small. AirBnB said that they will not share personal information, and address of hosts with the CRA. But the the City of Vancouver will have its own list of names and addresses of short-term rental hosts. The city said Friday that information will be shared, upon request, with the CRA and other government agencies.

Here is in my opinion the most important and the most controversial regulation: individuals will be allowed to rent only their principal residences. Suites in basements, above garages or in coach houses can no longer be offered as short-term rentals.  In other words the city of Vancouver wants homeowners to rent out their basement suites and laneway houses for long-term rental leases instead. Penalties for not complying with this regulation are still nuclear.

The city is hoping that all of the regulations for short-term rentals will create more long-term rentals for the local residents.

There are still a lot of questions to be answered about those new short-term rentals regulations and the over all success of the licensing program. I will centrally do more blog posts on the topic in the future.

Vancouver detached housing market update – October 2017

Let’s take a look at the detached housing market in Vancouver BC in October 2017. We will be looking at detached properties only.

Average Sales Price

Average Sales Price of detached houses in Vancouver BC in October 2017 (see graph below)

Vancouver East: $1,666,965 | +7.7% (change since October 2016)

Vancouver West: $4,285,891 | +20.8% (change since October 2016)


Average Percent of Original Price

Average Percent of the Original Asking Price of detached houses in Vancouver BC in October 2017 (see graph below)

Vancouver East: 97.8% | +1.1% (change since October 2016)

Vancouver West: 92.4% | -1.2% (change since October 2016)


Total Inventory

Total Inventory of detached houses in Vancouver BC in October 2017 (see graph below)

Vancouver East: 760 | +2.3% (change since October 2016)

Vancouver West: 790 | +17.0% (change since October 2016)


New Listings

All New Listings of detached houses in Vancouver BC in October 2017 (see graph below)

Vancouver East: 235 | +3.5% (change since October 2016)

Vancouver West: 201 | +26.4% (change since October 2016)


Sales

Total Sales for detached houses in Vancouver BC in October 2017 (see graph below)

Vancouver East: 103 | +63.5% (change since October 2016)

Vancouver West: 99 | +28.6% (change since October 2016)


Sales to Actives Ratio

Sales to Active Listings Ratio for detached houses in Vancouver BC in October 2017 (see graph below)

Vancouver East: 0.136 | +60.0% (change since October 2016)

Vancouver West: 0.125 | +9.6% (change since October 2016)

In conclusion, based on sales to active listings ratio both Vancouver East and Vancouver West are balanced markets. Detached housing market prices in Vancouver are stagnant.  It will be interesting to see how the market will react to the new “stress test” in early 2018.

Vancouver Detached Housing Market Real Estate Update – September 2017

Vancouver Detached Housing Market Real Estate Update – September 2017

vancouver housing market update september 2017

Here are statistics for the Vancouver detached housing market for September 2017. We will look at resale properties only. No new construction. Strata units such as condos and townhouses have a separate market update.

Average Sales Price

Average Sales Price of detached houses in Vancouver BC in September 2017 (see graph below)

Vancouver East: $1,639,802 | +3.1% (change since September 2016)

Vancouver West: $4,105,927 | +10.9% (change since September 2016)


Average Percent of Original Price

Average Percent of Original Price for the detached houses in Vancouver BC in September 2017 (see graph below)

Vancouver East: 98.0% | +0.1% (change since September 2016)

Vancouver West: 93.5% | -1.0% (change since September 2016)


Total Inventory

Total Inventory of detached houses in Vancouver BC in September 2017 (see graph below)

Vancouver East: 765 | +6.4% (change since September 2016)

Vancouver West: 810 | +12.5% (change since September 2016)


New Listings

All new listings of detached houses in Vancouver BC in September 2017 (see graph below)

Vancouver East: 264 | -7.7% (change since September 2016)

Vancouver West: 302 | +25.8% (change since September 2016)


Sales

All sales of detached houses in Vancouver BC in September 2017 (see graph below)

Vancouver East: 91 | +35.8% (change since September 2016)

Vancouver West: 73 | +17.7% (change since September 2016)


Sales to Actives Ratio

All sales to active listings ratio of detached houses in Vancouver BC in September 2017 (see graph below)

Vancouver East: 0.119 | +28.0% (change since September 2016)

Vancouver West: 0.119 | +28.0% (change since September 2016)

In conclusion, Vancouver housing market is showing signs of slowing down. Vancouver West is a strong buyer’s market with Vancouver East slowly shifting towards a buyer’s market. High inventory levels of available houses for this season. Average sale price for detached houses is holding strong with Vancouver West increasing by 10% as compared to September 2016.

 

 

Downtown Vancouver Condos Market Update for July 2017 (1 bedroom)

vancouver downtown condo market update july 2017

Downtown Vancouver condo units are in high demand. Here a detailed condo market update for 1 bedroom units in downtown Vancouver. We’ve excluded townhouses and detached houses form the statistics.

Average Sales Price

Average Sales Price of ONE bedroom condo units in downtown Vancouver in July 2017 (see graph below)

Coal Harbour: $705,322 | +5.8% (change since July 2016)

Downtown VW: $631,732 | +15.9% (change since July 2016)

West End: $603,633 | -5.3% (change since July 2016)

Yaletown: $722,642 | +18.6% (change since July 2016)


Average Percent of Original Listing Price

Average Percent of Original Price of ONE bedroom condo units in downtown Vancouver in July 2017 (see graph below)

Coal Harbour: 103.4% | +0.1% (change since July 2016)

Downtown VW: 103.5% | -2.3% (change since July 2016)

West End: 99.3% | -4.9% (change since July 2016)

Yaletown: 103.3% | -0.2% (change since July 2016)


Average Price Per Square Foot

Average Price Per Square Foot of ONE bedroom condo units in downtown Vancouver in July 2017 (see graph below)

Coal Harbour: $1,191 | +6.0% (change since July 2016)

Downtown VW: $1,057 | +15.1% (change since July 2016)

West End: $940 | +6.1% (change since July 2016)

Yaletown: $1,133 | +15.5% (change since July 2016)


Total Inventory

Total Available Inventory of ONE bedroom condo units in downtown Vancouver in July 2017 (see graph below)

Coal Harbour: 15 | -16.7% (change since July 2016)

Downtown VW: 108 | +24.1% (change since July 2016)

West End: 43 | +43.3% (change since July 2016)

Yaletown: 25 | -47.9% (change since July 2016)


New Listings

All New Listings of ONE bedroom condos in downtown Vancouver in July 2017 (see graph below)

Coal Harbour: 16 | +23.1% (change since July 2016)

Downtown VW: 84 | -6.7% (change since July 2016)

West End: 37 | +48.0% (change since July 2016)

Yaletown: 32 | -25.6% (change since July 2016)


Sales

Total Number of Sales of ONE bedroom condos in downtown Vancouver in July 2017 (see graph below)

Coal Harbour: 9 | +28.6% (change since July 2016)

Downtown VW: 59 | +3.5% (change since July 2016)

West End: 18 | +28.6% (change since July 2016)

Yaletown: 24 | -14.3% (change since July 2016)


Sales to Active Listings Ratio

Sales to Actives Ratio for ONE bedroom condos in downtown Vancouver in July 2017 (see graph below)

Coal Harbour: 0.600 | +54.2% (change since July 2016)

Downtown VW: 0.546 | -16.6% (change since July 2016)

West End: 0.419 | -10.3% (change since July 2016)

Yaletown: 0.960 | +64.7% (change since July 2016)

In conclusion, downtown Vancouver condo market is a strong seller’s market. Most condo units are selling for more than the original asking price. Average sales price and average price per square foot is significantly higher as compared to last year.

Burnaby Housing Market Real Estate Update – June 2017

burnaby housing market update

Here is a real estate update of Burnaby housing market for June 2017. We will look at detached market only. Condos and townhouses have their own market update in a separate blog post. We will only look at resale homes (no new construction).

Average Sales Price

Average Sales Price of detached house in Burnaby in June 2017 (see graph below)

Burnaby East: $1,634,000 | +12.6% (change since June 2016)

Burnaby North: $1,737,458 | -3.6% (change since June 2016)

Burnaby South: $1,846,264 | +4.6% (change since June 2016)


Average Percent of Original Asking Price

Average Percent of Original Price of houses in Burnaby in June 2017 (see graph below)

Burnaby East: 99.6% | -3.2% (change since June 2016)

Burnaby North: 97.3% | -3.4% (change since June 2016)

Burnaby South: 98.8% | -5.4% (change since June 2016)


Total Inventory

Total inventory of detached houses in Burnaby in June 2017 (see graph below)

Burnaby East: 58 | 0.0% (change since June 2016)

Burnaby North: 177 | +13.5% (change since June 2016)

Burnaby South: 224 | +15.5% (change since June 2016)


New Listings

Total number of New Listings of detached houses in Burnaby in June 2017 (see graph below)

Burnaby East: 28 | -15.2% (change since June 2016)

Burnaby North: 101 | +6.3% (change since June 2016)

Burnaby South: 107 | 0.0% (change since June 2016)


Sales

Total Sales of detached houses in Burnaby in June 2017 (see graph below)

Burnaby East:  9 | -55.0% (change since June 2016)

Burnaby North: 43 | -8.5% (change since June 2016)

Burnaby South: 46 | -8.0% (change since June 2016)


Sales to Active Listings Ratio

Sales to Active Listings Ratio of detached houses in Burnaby in June 2017 (see graph below)

Burnaby East:  0.155 | -55.1% (change since June 2016)

Burnaby North: 0.243 | -19.3% (change since June 2016)

Burnaby South: 0.205 | -20.5% (change since June 2016)

In conclusion, Burnaby detached housing market is a little slower than it was at this time last year. Average sale price prices remain strong. Average sale price of detached houses in Burnaby East is at it’s all time high. We see healthy inventory levels in all the Burnaby areas. Total number of sales is about the same as June 2016.  Based on the Sales to Active Listings Ration all three Burnaby areas are in a balanced market with a slight favourability of sellers.

Downtown Vancouver Condos Market Update – March 2017

March was a busy months for the downtown condo market. Here is a detailed breakdown. Let’s take a look at 1 and 2 bedroom resale condo market. No townhouses; no new construction. All graphs go back 3 years.

Average Sales Price

Average Sales Price of ONE bedroom condo units in downtown Vancouver in March 2017 (see graph below)

Coal Harbour: $680,250 | -3.0% (change since March 2016)

Downtown VW: $555,303 | +10.1% (change since March 2016)

West End: $532,850 | +22.3% (change since March 2016)

Yaletown: $661,967 | +13.5% (change since March 2016)

 

Average Sales Price of TWO bedroom condo units in downtown Vancouver in March 2017 (see graph below)

Coal Harbour: $1,592,200 | -14.0% (change since March 2016)

Downtown VW: $950,038 | +10.8% (change since March 2016)

West End: $931,133 | -8.0% (change since March 2016)

Yaletown: $1,217,538 | -0.3% (change since March 2016)


Average Percent of Original Price

Average Percent of Original Asking Price for ONE bedroom condo units in downtown Vancouver in March 2017 (see graph below)

Coal Harbour: 98.7% | -4.2% (change since March 2016)

Downtown VW: 100.5% | -3.7% (change since March 2016)

West End: 103.3% | +0.6% (change since March 2016)

Yaletown: 101.8% | -3.8% (change since March 2016)

Average Percent of Original Asking Price for TWO bedroom condo units in downtown Vancouver in March 2017 (see graph below)

Coal Harbour: 101.2% | +3.3% (change since March 2016)

Downtown VW: 99.0% | -4.1% (change since March 2016)

West End: 100.0% | -1.4% (change since March 2016)

Yaletown: 100.9% | -0.5% (change since March 2016)

 


Average Price Per Square Foot

Average Price Per Square Foot for ONE bedroom condo units in downtown Vancouver in March 2017 (see graph below)

Coal Harbour: $1,113 | +13.5% (change since March 2016)

Downtown VW: $940 | +14.1% (change since March 2016)

West End: $905 | +24.0% (change since March 2016)

Yaletown: $1,037 | +16.9% (change since March 2016)

Average Price Per Square Foot for TWO bedroom condo units in downtown Vancouver in March 2017 (see graph below)

Coal Harbour: $1,480 | +15.4% (change since March 2016)

Downtown VW: $1,010 | +16.6% (change since March 2016)

West End: $938 | +4.5% (change since March 2016)

Yaletown: $1,142 | +6.0% (change since March 2016)

 


Total Inventory

Total Inventory of ONE bedroom condo units for sale in downtown Vancouver in March 2017 (see graph below)

Coal Harbour: 11 | +22.2% (change since March 2016)

Downtown VW: 59 | -15.7% (change since March 2016)

West End: 23 | -17.9% (change since March 2016)

Yaletown: 29 | +52.6% (change since March 2016)

 

Total Inventory of TWO bedroom condo units for sale in downtown Vancouver in March 2017 (see graph below)

Coal Harbour: 38 | +65.2% (change since March 2016)

Downtown VW: 51 | -5.6% (change since March 2016)

West End: 32 | -22.0% (change since March 2016)

Yaletown: 46 | +27.8% (change since March 2016)


New Listings

New Listings of ONE bedroom condo units for sale in downtown Vancouver in March 2017 (see graph below)

Coal Harbour: 12 | 0.0% (change since March 2016)

Downtown VW: 62 | -46.6% (change since March 2016)

West End: 31 | +3.3% (change since March 2016)

Yaletown: 38 | -2.6% (change since March 2016)

 

New Listings of TWO bedroom condo units for sale in downtown Vancouver in March 2017 (see graph below)

Coal Harbour: 25 | +66.7% (change since March 2016)

Downtown VW: 43 | -29.5% (change since March 2016)

West End: 24 | -38.5% (change since March 2016)

Yaletown: 42 | +10.5% (change since March 2016)


Total Sales

Number of Sales of ONE bedroom condo units in downtown Vancouver in March 2017 (see graph below)

Coal Harbour: 12 | 0.0% (change since March 2016)

Downtown VW: 58 | -44.8% (change since March 2016)

West End: 29 | -31.0% (change since March 2016)

Yaletown: 30 | -25.0% (change since March 2016)

 

Number of Sales of TWO bedroom condo units in downtown Vancouver in March 2017 (see graph below)

Coal Harbour: 5 | -77.3% (change since March 2016)

Downtown VW: 39 | -25.0% (change since March 2016)

West End: 18 | -56.1% (change since March 2016)

Yaletown: 39 | +5.4% (change since March 2016)

 


Sales to Actives Ratio

Number of Sales of ONE bedroom condo units in downtown Vancouver in March 2017 (see graph below)

Coal Harbour: 1.091 | -18.2% (change since March 2016)

Downtown VW: 0.983 | -34.5% (change since March 2016)

West End: 1.261 | -15.9% (change since March 2016)

Yaletown: 1.034 | -50.9% (change since March 2016)

Number of Sales of TWO bedroom condo units in downtown Vancouver in March 2017 (see graph below)

Coal Harbour: 0.132 | -86.2% (change since March 2016)

Downtown VW: 0.765 | -20.6% (change since March 2016)

West End: 0.563 | -43.7% (change since March 2016)

Yaletown: 0.848 | -17.5% (change since March 2016)

In conclusion, downtown condo market is still very active. On average one bedroom units are selling for over the asking price with multiple offers. The prices for two bedroom units continue “treading water”. We see low inventory levels for both 1 and 2 bedroom units. Overall the market in downtown Vancouver is active this spring season.

Vancouver Housing Real Estate Market Update – February 2017

Here is a detailed real estate market update for detached houses in Vancouver BC. We will only focus on detached housing market; no townhouses or condo units are included. In this market update we will only discuss resale houses; new construction houses are excluded.

Average Sale Price of detached houses in Vancouver in February 2017 (see graph below)

Vancouver East: $1,488,371 | -2.8% (change since February 2016)

Vancouver West: $3,704,774 | -0.3% (change since February 2016)

The average sales price in both Vancouver East and Vancouver West are is lower than the same time last year. However, there is a slight improvement as compared to January 2017.

 

Average Percent of Original Price of detached houses in Vancouver in February 2017 (see graph below)

Vancouver East: 96.9% | -8.8% (change since February 2016)

Vancouver West: 95.9% | -7.8% (change since February 2016)

Houses are selling about 4-5% under the original asking price. A bit lower than usual.

 

Total Inventory of detached houses in Vancouver in February 2017 (see graph below)

Vancouver East: 634 | +80.6% (change since February 2016)

Vancouver West: 568 | -2.4% (change since February 2016)

We are experiencing a little higher than usual inventory levels for this season.

 

Number of New Listings of detached houses in Vancouver in February 2017 (see graph below)

Vancouver East: 170 | -29.8% (change since February 2016)

Vancouver West: 163 | -57.2% (change since February 2016)

The number of new listings in February 2017 was a bit low for the season. That’s good news for the sellers as inventory levels are still a little high. Limited number of new listings could tip the scale in the favour of sellers in the upcoming months.

 

Total Number of Sales of detached houses in Vancouver in February 2017 (see graph below)

Vancouver East: 82 | -46.8% (change since February 2016)

Vancouver West: 92 | -56.8% (change since February 2016)

Sales of detached houses in Vancouver in February 2017 were lower than usual for the season.

 

Sales to Active Listings Ratio for the detached houses in Vancouver in February 2017 (see graph below)

Vancouver East: 0.129 | -70.6% (change since February 2016)

Vancouver West: 0.162 | -55.7% (change since February 2016)

Based on sales to actives ratio data, Vancouver detached housing market is still a buyers market.

In conclusion, the prices of detached properties in Vancouver have increased since January 2017. However the prices as compared to the same time last year are down. We are still in the buyers market with properties selling 4-5% under the original asking price. Inventory levels are a little high, but they are levelling off because of the limited supply of new listings.