News: Vancouver Real Estate Market

A new study from Royal LePage has found that homeowners who can afford 20% down payments are much better off in the long run than renters.

In fact, buying a home in Canada with an uninsured mortgage puts homeowners ahead of renters in 91% of cases analysed.

"Canadians strongly value homeownership for many reasons. Not only is it a great source of pride, it is likely the largest and most significant financial investment most people will ever make," Karen Yolevski, chief operating officer of Royal LePage...

Highlights:

• 14% of homeowners in Greater Vancouver, 13% in the Greater Toronto Area and 12% in the Greater Montreal Area own more than one property
• More than 40% of secondary property owners in the greater regions of Vancouver and Toronto, and 21% in the Greater Montreal Area, used equity from their primary residence to make the purchase
• 65% of secondary property owners in Greater Vancouver, 64% in the Greater Toronto Area and 35% in the Greater Montreal Area, are collecting rental income, at least...

Survey Highlights:

• 40% of boomer homeowners have at least half of their net wealth in real estate
• 52% of boomer homeowners would prefer to renovate their current property over moving
• 17% of boomer homeowners currently own more than one property
• 64% of boomer homeowners are mortgage-free
• 25% of boomers say they have or would assist a child financially to buy a home

TORONTO, June 30, 2021 – According to a recent Royal LePage survey of boomers in Canada, defined by StatsCan as having been born...

Highlights:

• 75% of first-time homebuyers in Toronto and 69% in Vancouver reported feeling worried that they would not have a large enough down payment to purchase a home (68% and 58% in 2019, respectively)
• In Montreal, 63% of survey respondents felt worried about the size of their down payment before purchasing their first home, in line with the national average of 62%
• First-time homebuyers in all regions, with the exception of Alberta and the Prairies, reported higher rates of anxiety compared to...

Royal LePage Survey: Nearly half of Canadians aged 25 to 35 own their home; one quarter of these homeowners have purchased a property since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic

52% say remote work has increased likelihood of moving further from employer

Highlights:

• 68% of non-homeowners aged 25 to 35 intend to purchase a home within five years
• 72% of cohort feels confident in their short-term financial outlook
• 40% of cohort saw their savings grow since mid-March
• Royal LePage survey includes national,...

In September 2020 the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that residential home sales in the region totaled 3,643. This is a 56.2% increase from the 2,333 sales recorded in September 2019 and a 19.6% increase from the 3,047 homes sold in August 2020.

"We've seen robust home sale and listing activity across Metro Vancouver throughout the summer months," Colette Gerber, REBGV Chair said. "This increased activity can be attributed, in part, to lower interest rates and changing housing...

In August 2020, residential home sales in the region totaled 3,047 according to the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV). This is a 36.6% increase from the 2,231 sales recorded in August 2019 and a 2.6% decrease from the 3,128 homes sold in July 2020.

"People who put their home buying and selling plans on hold in the spring have been returning to the market throughout the summer," Colette Gerber, REBGV Chair said. "Like everything else in our lives these days, the uncertainty COVID-19 presents...

In partnership with Environics, Genworth Canada is excited to share the results of their recent Homeownership and Financial Fitness Study.

Prior to COVID-19, Canadians and Canadian homeowners were showing their strongest financial fitness to date. Social isolation, job loss, remote work, and other sacrifices resulted in a decline on Canadians' financial fitness overall, but by less than it certainly would have been without federal government programs and mortgage deferrals. Getting Canadians back...

Royal LePage revises Canadian home price forecast upwards to 2.3% by year-end 2020, as low rates and pent-up demand face limited housing supply.

What does this mean for Greater Vancouver?

In the second quarter, the aggregate price of a home in Greater Vancouver increased by 1.9% year-over-year to $1,109,069. Based on housing type, the median price of a standard two-storey home in Greater Vancouver increased by 3.7% year-over-year to $1,455,027 in the second quarter. During the same period, the median...

The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) has released its 2020 Second Quarter Forecast. According to the release, a 21% decline in Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) residential sales to approximately 61,000 units this year, after recording 77,347 residential sales in 2019. MLS® residential sales are forecast to increase by 45.3% to 88,500 units in 2021.

"The bright outlook for 2020 home sales has been upended by the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting recession," said Brendon Ogmundson,...

The MLS® Home Price Index composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Metro Vancouver today is $1,028,400 according to The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV). This is virtually unchanged from April 2020, a 1.4% increase over the last three months, and a 2.9% increase compared to May 2019.

"Home prices have been stable during the COVID-19 period," Colette Gerber, REBGV Chair said. "While we're seeing a variety of long-term projections for the market, it's critical to...

According to the British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA), there was a total of 3,284 residential units recorded by the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in April 2020. This is a decline of 50.8% from April 2019.

The average MLS® residential price in BC was $737,834, a 7.8% increase from $684,430 recorded the previous year. Total sales dollar volume in March was $2.4 billion, a 46.9% decrease over 2019.

"We expected to see a sharp drop in sales for April as we confronted the COVID-19...

In the past 40 years, the Canadian economy has had three recessions, each of them different in cause, depth, and duration. The 2020 COVID-19 recession is said to be deep, but will not last long when compared to past recessions. The one glaring similarity throughout these recessions is how the BC housing market has both endured and recovered successfully.

According to the current forecast, the Canadian economy is said to contract approximately by 4% in the first quarter of 2020, followed by a startling...

In March 2020, the British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA), reported a total of 6,717 residential unit sales recorded by the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®). This is a 17.2% increase from March 2019. The average MLS® residential price in BC was $789,548, a 15.1% increase from $685,592 recorded the previous year. The total sales dollar volume showed an increase of 35%, to $5.3 billion over 2019.

"Provincial housing markets started the month very strong before the COVID-19 pandemic...

According to the Royal LePage House Price Survey and Market Survey Forecast released today, if the strict stay-at-home restrictions are eased during the second quarter Canada's aggregate home price could grow a modest 1% by the end of 2020, to $653,800. If the restrictions on personal movement continues through summer, the home prices to go down by 3%, to $627,900 year-over-year.

"The impact of COVID-19 on the Canadian economy has been swift and violent, with layoffs driving high levels of unemployment...

The aggregate price of a home in Canada increased 2.2% year-over-year to $648,544 in the fourth quarter of 2019 as reported by the Royal LePage House Price Survey. As we have seen in the third quarter, potential buyers are continuosly coming back to the real estate market.

Buyers stayed in the sidelines during the first half of 2019, trying to guage the potential impact of the federal mortgage stress test."The federal government has signaled that changes could come to the mortgage stress test mechanism...

What does it mean for B.C.?

The Greater Vancouver market saw signs of heading towards recovery in the fourth quarter, after a year-over-year decline. There was a 4.8% decrease in the aggregate price of a home in Greater Vancouver year-over-year to hit $1,107,719 in the fourth quarter of 2019. The aggregate price of a home in the third quarter of 2019, had decreased 5.2% compared to the same time last year.

Greater Vancouver's real estate market was fairly balanced in the fourth quarter according to...

What does this mean for us?

Greater Vancouver house prices will see a stabilization in 2020. The aggregate prices for homes is forecasted to hit $1,125,200, an increase if 1.5% in 2020. For two-storey homes the prices are expected to rise to $1,460,700, a rise of 1.25% year-over-year. Median prices for condominiums is also said to rise to $666,900, a 3.0% increase by the end of next year.

According to Randy Ryalls, Managing Broker, Royal LePage Sterling Realty, "Sales have picked up significantly...

Costumes and candy are some of the perks you get on Halloween, but did you know that Halloween also has an impact on your home's value!

“Anyone who has done renovations or rebuilt their homes know it can be a rewarding experience, but few people realise October 31 is the date when your efforts pay off,” says Assessor Tina Ireland. “That’s because October 31 is the date when any changes to your buildings or the use of your property are reflected in the upcoming property assessments....

It is hard to believe that it’s been 24 years since I moved to Vancouver. Like everyone, purchasing a home was something that I always wanted to accomplish.  As part of the process in finding my first home , I researched and learnt everything I could about buying real estate. I was lucky though. My father was a real estate agent. He helped guide me through the process to ensure I made the right decisions and protected my interests. Obviously not everyone has a father in the business they...