SURREY, BC – Sales and listing activity in the Fraser Valley decreased once again month-over-month, returning to typical levels for the month of November.
The Fraser Valley Real Estate Board processed 1,247 sales of all property types on its Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in November, a decrease of 29.4 per cent compared to November 2015’s 1,766 sales, and a 14.8 per cent decrease compared to the 1,463 sales in October 2016. Of the sales processed last month, 291 were townhouses and 348 were apartments, representing more than half of this November 2016’s market activity.
“Through the past four months, we’ve seen a slow but steady return to a more normal market for sales and listing activity. Because of that, the pressure that was previously placed on buyers has been thankfully alleviated, and transactions can be made without the need for hasty decisions dictated by intense competition," says Charles Wiebe, Board President.
Active inventory continued to tighten at 5,602 available listings, dropping 7.2 per cent compared to October 2016. Additionally, compared year-over-year, this November decreased by 2.8 per cent.
The Board received 1,792 new listings in November, an 18.4 per cent decrease from October 2016, and a 3.3 per cent decrease compared to November 2015’s 1,854 new listings.
“As we move away from the record-setting demand seen earlier this year, sellers are sharpening their list prices to respond to the changing market - and REALTORS® can certainly help with this,” explains Wiebe. “I'm pleased to see that homes are still selling at strong levels, especially for attached homes which are elevated compared to what we’re used to in November, thanks to both the levelling off of prices and consistent demand for our region."
The number of days to sell a single family detached home in the Fraser Valley for November 2016 was 37 days, matching the 37 days to sale average in November 2015.
HPI® Benchmark Price Activity
• Single Family Detached: At $860,800, the Benchmark price for a single family detached home in the Valley decreased 1.3 per cent compared to October 2016, and increased 30.5 per cent compared to November 2015.
• Townhomes: At $424,300 the Benchmark price for a townhome in the Fraser Valley increased 0.7 per cent compared to October 2016, and increased 33.1 per cent compared to November 2015.
• Apartments: At $258,600, the Benchmark price for apartments/condos in the Fraser Valley increased 1.7 per cent compared to October 2016, and increased 24.9 per cent compared to November 2015.
Full package:
http://www.fvreb.bc.ca/statistics/Package201611.pdf
BCREA 2016 Fourth Quarter Housing Forecast Vancouver, BC
November 29, 2016
The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) released its 2016 Fourth Quarter Housing Forecast today. Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) residential sales in the province are forecast to climb 11 per cent to a record 113,800 units this year, eclipsing the previous record of 106,310 units in 2005.
Less robust economic conditions combined with government policy constraints are expected to slow housing demand by more than 15 per cent to 96,300 units in 2017. However, housing demand is expected to remain well above the ten-year average of 85,000 unit sales. “Housing demand across the province is expected to moderate next year as declining affordability related to rising prices and government policy interventions limit the number of eligible buyers,” said Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist. “However, while home sales are not expected to repeat this year’s record performance, consumer demand is expected to remain well above the ten-year average.”
The average MLS® residential price in the province is forecast to increase 9.8 per cent to $698,900 this year. The supply of homes for sale is expected to trend higher next year as moderating demand is met with added new home completions. A trend toward more balance in the market will unfold next year and exert less upward pressure on home prices. In addition, a larger contraction in the number high-end home sales will contribute to moving the aggregate average price statistic lower. As a result, the average MLS® residential price in the province is forecast to decline 6.4 per cent to $654,200 in 2017.