Both buyers and sellers taking a wait-and-see approach in the Fraser Valley

SURREY, BC – Last month’s property sales in the Fraser Valley were 29.3 per cent below the 10-year sales average for June and were the second lowest total for the month since the year 2000. The number of new listings also decreased in June, coming in at 9.6 per cent below the 10-year average for the number of listings received during that month.

The Fraser Valley Real Estate Board processed 1,306 sales of all property types on its Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in June, a 13.9 per cent decrease compared to sales in May 2019, and a 10.1 per cent decrease compared to the 1,452 sales in June of last year.

Darin Germyn, President of the Board, said of the market: “The Fraser Valley market is still adjusting to the federal government’s new mortgage requirements and to the provincial government’s speculation and vacancy taxes. We’re seeing historically low levels for home purchases in our region, and yet at the same time we’re seeing some prospective sellers holding back on listing their homes; waiting to see what the market will do.

“This has created a great opportunity for buyers in the Fraser Valley. Inventory overall is growing; prices of typical homes have decreased on average 6 to 10 per cent over the past year and interest rates are still holding firm.”

There were 8,516 active listings available in the Fraser Valley at the end of June, an increase of 19.3 per cent compared to June of last year and an increase of 0.1 per cent compared to May 2019. The Board received 2,810 new listings in June, a 20.7 per cent decrease compared to May 2019’s intake of 3,542 new listings and a 10.5 per cent decrease compared to June of last year.

“There is tremendous variation in the market depending on the property type and location”, added Germyn. “It’s currently a buyers’ market for detached homes in South Surrey/White Rock; but is leaning towards a sellers’ market for townhomes in Langley, so if you’re considering taking advantage of the market slowdown, first, talk to your REALTOR®.”

HPI® Benchmark Price Activity

• Single Family Detached: At $960,100, the Benchmark price for a single family detached home in the Fraser Valley decreased 0.4 per cent compared to May 2019 and decreased 6.1 per cent compared to June 2018.

• Townhomes: At $525,200, the Benchmark price for a townhome in the Fraser Valley in the Fraser Valley increased 0.5 per cent compared to May 2019 and decreased 5.9 per cent compared to June 2018.

• Apartments: At $409,800, the Benchmark price for apartments/condos in the Fraser Valley decreased 1.7 per cent compared to May 2019 and decreased 9.6 per cent compared to June 2018.

For the Fraser Valley region, the average number of days to sell an apartment in June was 37.5, and 31.6 for townhomes. Single family detached homes remained on the market for an average of 35.6 days before selling.