RSS

May market offers buyers greater selection

Posted on June 4, 2010 by Jeff Benna (RE/MAX Real Estate Services)

VANCOUVER, B.C. – June 4, 2010 – The number of properties listed for sale in Greater Vancouver continued to rise in May, while the number of sales showed a year-over-year decrease.

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that residential property sales in Greater Vancouver totalled 3,156 in May 2010, a decline of 10.4 percent compared to the 3,524 sales in May 2009; 5.1 percent more than the 3,002 sales in May 2008; and 27.1 percent less than the 4,331 sales in May 2007. May 2010 sales also represent a 10.1 percent decline compared to last month’s sales.

In terms of number of property listings, last month marked the third consecutive month during which more than 7,000 homes were listed for sale on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS®) in Greater Vancouver.

New listings for detached, attached and apartment properties totalled 7,014 in May 2010, a 48.2 percent increase compared to May 2009 when 4,733 new units were listed, and an 8.3 percent decline compared to April 2010 when 7,648 properties were added to the MLS®.

At 17,492, the total number of property listings on the MLS® increased 10 percent in May compared to last month, and is up 28.2 percent compared to this time last year.

“Prospective home buyers in today’s market have a broad selection to choose from in every property type. REALTORS® are telling us they’re working with buyers who are not feeling as rushed to make a decision as they did late last year and earlier in the year,” Jake Moldowan, REBGV president said.

Over the last 12 months, the overall MLSLink® Housing Price Index (HPI) benchmark price for all residential properties in Greater Vancouver increased 16.7 percent to $590,662 from $506,201 in May 2009.

“It’s important for those looking to buy or sell a home to remember that real estate is local and wise real estate decisions are made by those who understand current market conditions at the neighbourhood level,” Moldowan said.

Sales of detached properties in May 2010 reached 1,256, a decrease of 10.4 percent from the 1,402 detached sales recorded in May 2009 and a 4.4 percent increase from the 1,203 units sold in May 2008. The benchmark price for detached properties increased 19.1 percent from May 2009 to $810,175.

Sales of apartment properties reached 1,354 in May 2010, a decline of 7.1 percent compared to the 1,458 sales in May 2009 and an increase of 8.8 percent compared to the 1,244 sales in May 2008.The benchmark price of an apartment property increased 13.9 percent from May 2009 to $398,783.

Attached property sales in May 2010 totalled 546, a decline of 17.8 percent compared to the 664 sales in May 2009 and a 1.6 percent decline from the 555 attached properties sold in May 2008. The benchmark price of an attached unit increased 14.8 percent between May 2009 and 2010 to $500,339.

Market Report June 2010