Metro Vancouver’s housing market has entered a new cycle marked by quieter home buyer demand and a gradual rise in the supply of homes for sale.
The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that residential home sales in the region totalled 1,887 in July 2022, a 43.3 per cent decrease from the 3,326 sales recorded in July 2021, and a 22.8 per cent decrease from the 2,444 homes sold in June 2022.
Last month’s sales were 35.2 per cent below the 10-year July sales average.
“Home buyers are exercising more caution in today’s market in response to rising interest rates and inflationary concerns,” Daniel John, REBGV Chair said. “This allowed the selection of homes for sale to increase and prices to edge down in the region over the last three months.”
There were 3,960 detached, attached and apartment properties newly listed for sale on the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in Metro Vancouver in July 2022. This represents a 9.5 per cent decrease compared to the 4,377 homes listed in July 2021 and a 24.7 per cent decrease compared to June 2022 when 5,256 homes were listed.
The total number of homes currently listed for sale on the MLS® system in Metro Vancouver is 10,288, a 4.4 per cent increase compared to July 2021 (9,850) and a 1.3 per cent decrease compared to June 2022 (10,425).
“After two years of market conditions that favoured home sellers, home buyers now have more selection to choose from and more time to make their decision,” John said. “In today’s changing housing market, both home buyers and sellers should invest the time to understand what these changes mean for their personal circumstances.”
For all property types, the sales-to-active listings ratio for July 2022 is 18.3 per cent. By property type, the ratio is 11.8 per cent for detached homes, 20 per cent for townhomes, and 24.5 per cent for apartments.
Generally, analysts say downward pressure on home prices occurs when the ratio dips below 12 per cent for a sustained period, while home prices often experience upward pressure when it surpasses 20 per cent over several months.
The MLS® Home Price Index composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Metro Vancouver is currently $1,207,400. This represents a 10.3 per cent increase over July 2021 and a 2.3 per cent decrease compared to June 2022.
Sales of detached homes in July 2022 reached 523, a 50.2 per cent decrease from the 1,050 detached sales recorded in July 2021. The benchmark price for a detached home is $2,000,600. This represents an 11 per cent increase from July 2021 and a 2.8 per cent decrease compared to June 2022.
Sales of apartment homes reached 1,060 in July 2022, a 36.4 per cent decrease compared to the 1,666 sales in July 2021. The benchmark price of an apartment home is $755,000. This represents an 11.4 per cent increase from July 2021 and a 1.5 per cent decrease compared to June 2022.
Attached home sales in July 2022 totalled 304, a 50.2 per cent decrease compared to the 610 sales in July 2021. The benchmark price of an attached home is $1,096,500. This represents a 15.8 per cent increase from July 2021 and a 1.7 per cent decrease compared to June 2022.
Download the July 2022 stats package.
BC Home Sales Continue to Slow in July
Vancouver, BC – August 11, 2022. The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that a total of 5,572 residential unit sales were recorded by the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in July 2022, a decrease of 42.4 per cent from July 2021. The average MLS® residential price in BC was $923,449, a 3.6 per cent increase from $891,376 recorded in July 2021. Total sales dollar volume was $5.1 billion, a 40.3 per cent decline from the same time last year.
“High mortgage rates continued to lower sales activity in July,” said BCREA Chief Economist Brendon Ogmundson. “Many regions around the province have seen sales slip to levels well below normal for this time of year.”
As the pace of sales activity declines below normal levels, inventory is accumulating. Provincial active listings rose 28 per cent year-over-year, though from a very low level in July 2021. Inventories remain quite low, but the slow pace of sales has tipped some markets into balanced or even buyers’ market territory.
Year-to-date, BC residential sales dollar volume was down 20 per cent from the same period in 2021 to $58.7 billion. Residential unit sales were down 29.3 per cent to 56,801 units, while the average MLS® residential price was up 13.2 per cent to $1.03 million.
For the complete news release, including detailed statistics, click here.
