“It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.”
– Mark Twain
Not much is changing in the market in relation to sales numbers, we are seeing the total number of homes sold consistently below 2,000 since July of 2018. But on a positive note, it was the 4 straight increase month over month. Rome wasn’t built in a day nor is the Greater Vancouver housing market. The pent-up demand continues to build as a result. There were 1,850 sales in Greater Vancouver in March 2019, the lowest total for the month of April since 1995. The standoff continues between buyers and sellers as both sides are waiting for the other to blink. Increasingly sellers are starting to blink first as buyers are being very selective on what they are willing to offer on and jumping on properties that are priced well in today’s market. An opportunity that has been long sought after from buyers in Metro Vancouver.
The 1,850 homes sold in Greater Vancouver in April were up from 1,745 (6%) from March this year. This was compared with 2,631 sales (down 30%) in April last year and 3,617 sales in March 2017. This was 45 percent below the 10-year average for April. Around the region, North Vancouver and Richmond saw total home sales decline in April compared to March – while all other regions saw sales increase in April. Port Moody had the largest increase in sales in April compared to March.
On the other side of the equation, there were 5,900 new listings in April in Greater Vancouver, down from 5,943 in April last year and up from 5,057 in March 2019. The number of new listings in April were 2 percent below the 10-year average for April. There are currently 15,050 Active Listings on the market in Greater Vancouver – up from 10,474 at the end of April last year. This is the highest number of Active listings since September 2014. While Active Listings are up 44 percent to last year, this trended down 4% compared to March year over year. But clearly, the growth in listings is attributed to the lack of home sales occurring in the market. New Listings are not occurring at a higher rate compared to previous years. Buyers have a lot more choice than they have had in the past though allowing for an opportunity.
“Government policy continues to hinder home sale activity. The federal government’s mortgage stress test has reduced buyers’ purchasing power by about 20 percent, which is causing people at the entry-level side of the market to struggle to secure financing,” Ashley Smith, Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver president said. “Suppressing housing activity through government policy not only reduces home sales, but it also harms the job market, economic growth and creates pent-up demand.”
The Fraser Valley Real Estate Board processed 1,383 sales of all property types on its MLS® in April, a 13.3 percent increase compared to sales in March 2019, and a 19 percent decrease compared to the 1,708 sales in April of last year. Of the 1,383 total sales, 489 were residential detached homes, 379 were townhouses and 374 apartments. “Consumers may not have the purchasing power that they did prior to January 2018, but the desire for homeownership is still there and we’re seeing that reflected in our MLS® data,” Darin Germyn, President of the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board, said “A slower, stable market has had a positive impact on affordability in our region. Prices of typical residential homes in the Fraser Valley have decreased between 5 and 6 percent in the last year. In the last three months, benchmark prices have either plateaued or have experienced a small recovery.”
Summing up the Numbers
Greater Vancouver:
Total Units Sold in April 2019 was 1,850 – up from 1,745 (6%) in March 2019, down from 2,631 (30%) in April 2018, down from 3,617 (49%) in April 2017; Active Listings are at 15,060 compared to 10,474 at this time last year (up 44%); New Listings in April 2019 were up 17% compared to March 2019; were down 1% compared to April 2018 and up 18% compared to April 2017; Month’s Supply of Total Residential Listings is steady at 8 Month’s Supply (Buyer’s Market) and a Sales to Listings Ratio of 31% compared to 35% in March 2019.
Vancouver Westside Residential:
Total Units Sold in April 2019 was 342 – up from 333 (3%) in March 2019, down from 441 (22%) in April 2018, down from 613 (44%) in April 2017; Active Listings are at 2,808 compared to 1,985 at this time last year (up 41%); New Listings in April 2019 were up 18% compared to March 2019; were the same compared to April 2018 and up 34% compared to April 2017; Month’s Supply of Total Residential Listings is steady at 8 Month’s Supply (Buyer’s Market) and a Sales to Listings Ratio of 29% compared to 34% in March 2019.
Vancouver Eastside Residential:
Total Units Sold in April 2019 was 215 – up from 174 (24%) in March 2019, down from 298 (28%) in April 2018, down from 355 (39%) in April 2017; Active Listings are at 1,403 compared to 1,223 at this time last year (15%); New Listings in April 2019 were up 16% compared to March 2019; were down 17% compared to April 2018 and up 1% compared to April 2017; Month’s Supply of Total Residential Listings is steady at 7 Month’s Supply (Buyer’s Market) and a Sales to Listings Ratio of 36% compared to 34% in March 2019.
North Vancouver Residential:
Total Units Sold in April 2019 was 149 – down from 165 (10%) in March 2019, down from 221 (33%) in April 2018, down from 255 (42%) in April 2017; Active Listings are at 1,049 compared to 635 at this time last year (up 65%); New Listings in April 2019 were up 26% compared to March 2019; were up 7% compared to April 2018 and up 44% compared to April 2017; Month’s Supply of Total Residential Listings is up to 7 Month’s Supply (Buyer’s Market) and a Sales to Listings Ratio of 29% compared to 42% in March 2019.
West Vancouver Houses:
Total Units Sold in April 2019 was 48 – up from 34 (41%) in March 2019, down from 56 (14%) in April 2018, down from 100 (52%) in April 2017; Active Listings are at 723 compared to 653 at this time last year (up 11%); New Listings in April 2019 were up 48% compared to March 2019; were down 12% compared to April 2018 and up 13% compared to April 2017; Month’s Supply of Total Residential Listings is down to 15 Month’s Supply (Buyer’s Market) and a Sales to Listings Ratio of 19% compared to 20% in March 2019.
Richmond Residential:
Total Units Sold in April 2019 was 172 – down from 178 (3%) in March 2019, down from 312 (44%) in April 2018, down from 510 (66%) in April 2017; Active Listings are at 2,220 compared to 1,475 at this time last year (up 51%); New Listings in April 2019 were up 4% compared to March 2019; were up 1% compared to April 2018 and up 8% compared to April 2017; Month’s Supply of Total Residential Listings is up to 13 Month’s Supply (Buyer’s Market) and a Sales to Listings Ratio of 25% compared to 26% in March 2019.
Burnaby East:
Total Units Sold in April 2019 was 15 down from 17 (12%) in March 2019, down from 35 (51%) in April 2018, down from 46 (63%) in April 2017; Active Listings are at 153 compared to 120 at this time last year (up 28%); New Listings in April 2019 were up 12% compared to March 2019; were down 14% compared to April 2018 and down 5% compared to April 2017; Month’s Supply of Total Residential Listings is up to 10 Month’s Supply (Buyer’s Market) and a Sales to Listings Ratio of 26% compared to 33% in March 2019.
Burnaby North:
Total Units Sold in April 2019 was 81 – up from 77 (5%) in March 2019, down from 135 (40%) in April 2018, down from 200 (59%) in April 2017; Active Listings are at 634 compared to 387 at this time last year (up 64%); New Listings in April 2019 were up 26% compared to March 2019; were up 1% compared to April 2018 and up 8% compared to April 2017; Month’s Supply of Total Residential Listings is up to 8 Month’s Supply (Buyer’s Market) and a Sales to Listings Ratio of 29% compared to 34% in March 2019.
Burnaby South:
Total Units Sold in April 2019 was 97– the same as March 2019, down from 108 (10%) in April 2018, down from 164 (41%) in April 2017; Active Listings are at 819 compared to 467 at this time last year (up 75%); New Listings in April 2019 were down 3% compared to March 2019; were up 1% compared to April 2018 and up 8% compared to April 2017; Month’s Supply of Total Residential Listings is steady at 8 Month’s Supply (Buyer’s Market) and a Sales to Listings Ratio of 34% compared to 33% in March 2019.
New Westminster:
Total Units Sold in April 2019 was 108 – up from 81 (33%) in March 2019, down from 133 (19%) in April 2018, down from 179 (40%) in April 2017; Active Listings are at 533 compared to 286 at this time last year (up 86%); New Listings in April 2019 were up 41% compared to March 2019; were up 21% compared to April 2018 and up 34% compared to April 2017; Month’s Supply of Total Residential Listings is down to 5 Month’s Supply (Balanced Market) and a Sales to Listings Ratio of 38% compared to 40% in March 2019.
Coquitlam:
Total Units Sold in April 2019 was 153 – up from 142 (8%) in March 2019, down from 202 (24%) in April 2018, down from 295 (48%) in April 2017; Active Listings are at 1,068 compared to 809 at this time last year (up 32%); New Listings in April 2019 were up 2% compared to March 2019; were up 2% compared to April 2018 and up 17% compared to April 2017; Month’s Supply of Total Residential Listings is steady at 7 Month’s Supply (Buyer’s Market) and a Sales to Listings Ratio of 33% compared to 35% in March 2019.
Port Moody:
Total Units Sold in April 2019 was 60 – up from 38 (58%) in March 2019, up from 54 (11%) in April 2018, down from 85 (29%) in April 2017; Active Listings are at 252 compared to 155 at this time last year (up 63%); New Listings in April 2019 were up 53% compared to March 2019; were up 28% compared to April 2018 and up 12% compared to April 2017; Month’s Supply of Total Residential Listings is down to 4 Month’s Supply (Balanced Market) and a Sales to Listings Ratio of 41% compared to 40% in March 2019.
Port Coquitlam:
Total Units Sold in April 2019 was 67 – up from 59 (14%) in March 2019, down from 103 (35%) in April 2018, down from 121 (45%) in April 2017; Active Listings are at 395 compared to 197 at this time last year (up 101%); New Listings in April 2019 were up 17% compared to March 2019; were up 7% compared to April 2018 and up 32% compared to April 2017; Month’s Supply of Total Residential Listings is steady at 6 Month’s Supply (Buyer’s Market) and a Sales to Listings Ratio of 34% compared to 35% in March 2019.
Pitt Meadows:
Total Units Sold in April 2019 was 28 – up from 24 (31%) in March 2019, up from 25 (12%) in April 2018, down from 56 (50%) in April 2017; Active Listings are at 136 compared to 72 at this time last year (up 89%); New Listings in April 2019 were up 28% compared to March 2019; were up 24% compared to April 2018 and down 11% compared to April 2017; Month’s Supply of Total Residential Listings is steady at 5 Month’s Supply (Balanced Market) and a Sales to Listings Ratio of 38% compared to 43% in March 2019.
Maple Ridge:
Total Units Sold in April 2019 was 124 – up from 15 (20%) in March 2019, down from 205 (39%) in April 2018, down from 205 (60%) in April 2017; Active Listings are at 792 compared to 512 at this time last year (up 56%); New Listings in April 2019 were up 31% compared to March 2019; were down 5% compared to April 2018 and up 23% compared to April 2017; Month’s Supply of Total Residential Listings is steady at 6 Month’s Supply (Buyer’s Market) and a Sales to Listings Ratio of 36% compared to 44% in March 2019.
Ladner:
Total Units Sold in April 2019 was 29 – up from 25 (16%) in March 2019, down from 32 (9%) in April 2018, down from 46 (37%) in April 2017; Active Listings are at 190 compared to 129 at this time last year (up 47%); New Listings in April 2019 were down 16% compared to March 2019; were up 14% compared to April 2018 and up 14% compared to April 2017; Month’s Supply of Total Residential Listings is steady at 7 Month’s Supply (Buyer’s Market) and a Sales to Listings Ratio of 45% compared to 32% in March 2019.
Tsawwassen:
Total Units Sold in April 2019 was 18 – up from 15 (20%) in March 2019, down from 38 (53%) in April 2018, down from 41 (56%) in April 2017; Active Listings are at 296 compared to 243 at this time last year (up 22%); New Listings in April 2019 were up 28% compared to March 2019; were down 7% compared to April 2018 and up 54% compared to April 2017; Month’s Supply of Total Residential Listings is steady at 16 Month’s Supply (Buyer’s Market) and a Sales to Listings Ratio of 17% compared to 18% in March 2019.
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.