August saw Vancouver home buyers on a decline as sales were 3.5% below the 10-year average for the month. The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver’s president Dan Morrison attributes the downward trend in Metro Vancouver during recent months to the new foreign buyer tax. He stated that “the record-breaking sales we saw earlier this year were replaced by more historically normal activity throughout July and August.” Residential property sales totalled 2,489 in Metro Vancouver last month; a 26% decline compared to August 2015 and a 22.8% decline to last month’s sales, while only 1% less than August 2013 sales.
It’s also important to note that while the imbalance between supply and demand continues, fewer detached sales at the high price points, and detached home sales in general, are skewing the average sale prices towards ‘decline’ while benchmark prices remain.
It’ll be some time yet before the true impact of the new tax on the Vancouver real estate market is evident, though in the meantime Morrison admitted, “It’s reducing foreign buyer activity and causing some uncertainty amongst local home buyers and sellers.”
Get the scoop on all the August numbers below:
New Listings (detached, attached, and apartment): 4,293
0.3% increase from August 2015
18.1% decrease from July 2016
Total Active listings on MLS®: 8,506
21.9% decline from August 2015
1.9% increase from July 2016
Sales-to-Active-Listings ratio: 29.3%
Benchmark price for all residential properties: $933,100
31.4% increase from August 2015
Benchmark price for a detached property is $1,577,300
35.8% increase from August 2015
Detached property sales totaled 715
44.6% decrease from August 2015
Benchmark price for an apartment property is $514,300
26.9% increase from August 2015
Apartment property sales totaled 1,343
10.1% decrease from August 2015
Benchmark price for an attached unit is $677,600
31.1% increase from August 2015
Attached property sales totaled 431
25.4% decrease from August 2015
For a complete comparison, visit rebgv.org. Want to sell, buy, or require a consultation? Contact me today.
*REBGV Editor’s Note: Areas covered by 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, New Westminster, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, and South Delta.
The data relating to real estate on this website comes in part from the MLS® Reciprocity program of either the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV), the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB) or the Chilliwack and District Real Estate Board (CADREB). Real estate listings held by participating real estate firms are marked with the MLS® logo and detailed information about the listing includes the name of the listing agent. This representation is based in whole or part on data generated by either the REBGV, the FVREB or the CADREB which assumes no responsibility for its accuracy. The materials contained on this page may not be reproduced without the express written consent of either the REBGV, the FVREB or the CADREB.