Vancouver detached homes a buyers’ market
Steve Randall
The Vancouver Sun
Buyers looking for detached homes in Metro Vancouver have more choice as sales weakened again in June.
Detached home sales fell 42% to 766 and the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver says that the sector is leading the move towards a buyers’ market.
“Buyers are less active today. This is allowing the supply of homes for sale to accumulate to levels we haven’t seen in the last few years,” Phil Moore, REBGV president said. “Rising interest rates, high prices and more restrictive mortgage requirements are among the factors dampening home buyer activity today.”
Although new listings were down 7.7% across all residential property types year-over-year and down 17.2% from May 2018, total active inventory was 8,515, 40.3% higher than a year earlier.
While detached sales recorded the largest decline year-over-year, apartment sales were also down sharply (by 34.9% to 1,240) along with attached homes (down 37.3% to 419).
Price growth is slowing
The increased supply and weakened demand means that, although prices continue to rise, the acceleration of prices is slowing.
The benchmark price for a detached home is $1,598,200, up 0.7% from a year earlier but down 0.6% compared to May 2018.
For apartments the benchmark is $704,200, up 17.2% y-o-y and up 0.4% m-o-m; for attached homes the benchmark price of $859,800 is up 15.3% y-o-y but virtually unchanged month-over-month.
“With reduced demand, detached homes are entering a buyers’ market and price growth in our townhome and apartment markets is showing signs of decelerating,” noted Moore.
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