Sales increase while prices still below one year ago; signs of prices now inching upward monthly.

November ushered in lots of sunshine for Vancouverites. And that wasn’t the only bright spot. For home hunters the more than 4,000 new listings in October makes for a great selection across all detached homes, townhouses and condominiums. Added to the existing supply, the total inventory of available properties rose to well over 12,000 in Metro Vancouver. October also saw a significant increase in home sales: over 22 per cent higher than September. This current upward movement in sales activity is a very positive indicator of buyer confidence in the Greater Vancouver market. Compared to sales one year ago, the volume is more than a 45 per cent increase. Prices overall can be described as stable, allowing sales transactions to take place without undue stress for both seller and buyer. Over the past six months, prices have decreased 1.7 per cent on average. But there are signs that prices may have begun inching upwards. For anyone wanting the current monthly comparison, take a look at the detailed comparisons I make for each of the property type below.


The composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Metro Vancouver at the end of October was $992,900, up slightly by 0.2 per cent above September. It is still 6.4 per cent below the benchmark price at this time one year ago so I still strongly recommend making an offer on a home now , especially if you have been waiting for an opportune time. With the recent increase in sales volume, we may begin to see prices edge upwards in the coming months, even though they have dropped below price levels one year ago. Take a look at the comparisons across the property types below and you will notice that there are more increases than decreases in the last one-month comparison. This cannot be construed as a trend yet, but I suggest market watchers take notice of the short-term variations each month. For example, each of the benchmark prices for detached homes, townhouses, and condominiums in Metro Vancouver this month has increased slightly over the preceding month. If you want a deeper dive into these benchmarks for prices in different municipalities, I have selected six areas for each property type. This allows you to watch the monthly change for any area, and you can stay abreast of the monthly changes in this newsletter.

Detached Homes
The benchmark price for a single-family detached home in Greater Vancouver at the end of October was $1,410,500, an increase of 0.3 per cent from the preceding month. The extremities of this average were Vancouver West (not West Vancouver) at $2,912,000 and Sunshine Coast at $598,300. (Note I include the Sunshine Coast only as a factor in the average, but do not report on housing prices in this area because it is to far away for my clients). The three municipalities closest to the benchmark on the higher side of the average were: North Vancouver at $1,465,700, an increase of 0.2 per cent from the preceding month; Burnaby South at $1,473,100, an increase of 1.0 per cent from the preceding month; and Richmond at $1,501,600, an increase of 1.7 per cent from the preceding month. The three municipalities closest to the benchmark on the lower side of the average were: Port Moody at $1,394,300, a decrease of 1.0 per cent from the preceding month; Burnaby North at $1,366,200, an increase of 1.6 per cent from the preceding month; and Vancouver East at $1,360,500, an increase of 0.1 per cent from the preceding month.

Townhouses
The benchmark price for a townhouse in Greater Vancouver at the end of October was $$771,600, an increase of 0.5 per cent from the preceding month. The extremities of this average were Vancouver West (not West Vancouver) at $1,113,400 and Maple Ridge at $528,800. The three municipalities closest to the benchmark on the higher side of the average were: Richmond at $773,400, an increase of 0.8 per cent from the preceding month; Burnaby South at $776,600, an increase of 2.6 per cent from the preceding month; and Vancouver East at $852,800, an increase of 1.1 per cent from the preceding month. The three municipalities closest to the benchmark on the lower side of the average were: New Westminster at $724,800, and increase of 2.6 per cent from the preceding month; Burnaby North at $723,900, a decrease of 0.8 per cent from the preceding month; and Burnaby East at $653,000, an increase of 1.1 per cent from the preceding month.


Condominiums
The benchmark price for a condominium in Greater Vancouver at the end of October was $652,500, an increase of 0.2 per cent from the preceding month. The extremities of the average were West Vancouver at $1,048,800 and Maple Ridge at $350,400. The three municipalities closest to the benchmark on the higher side of the average were: Burnaby East at $711,300, a decrease of 0.4 per cent from the preceding month; Vancouver West at $754,100, a decrease of 0.1 per cent from the preceding month; and West Vancouver at $1,048,800, an increase of 2.7 per cent from the preceding month. The three municipalities closest to the benchmark on the lower side of the average were: Burnaby South at $645,300, a decrease of 1.4 per cent from the preceding month; Port Moody at $630,600, an increase of 0.6 per cent from the preceding month; and Richmond at $625,500, a decrease of 0.3 per cent from the preceding month.


I can help in many ways
I bring extensive experience in banking and finance so let me know how I can help. I am happy to share my expertise with you for mortgage planning or determining the optimal listing pricing for your property. If you are thinking of adding value to their home with renovations, I can also recommend reliable tradespeople who provide quality work at reasonable rates. Please don’t hesitate to ask. It gives me great pleasure to help my clients.

Thanks for reading!

Sibo Zhang, REALTOR®