Metro Vancouver Home Sales Slip in October 2026 and What It Means for You

October was a "wait and see" month for Metro Vancouver real estate. A surprise Bank of Canada rate hike, a snap provincial election and municipal elections all competed for attention, and many buyers and sellers chose to pause. Here's what the latest numbers from Greater Vancouver REALTORS® (GVR) tell us, and what they could mean for you.

Sales and new listings both down about 10%

There were 2,024 residential sales across Metro Vancouver in October 2026. That's 10.2% fewer than October 2025 (2,255) and 22.5% below the 10-year average for the month (2,612).

New listings fell too: 4,805 homes came on the market, down 11.6% from 5,438 a year ago, though still about 1% above the 10-year October average (4,758).

Plenty of choice for buyers

There are currently 15,688 homes for sale on the MLS® in Metro Vancouver. That's 4.3% fewer than last October, but still 24% above the 10-year average for this time of year (12,649). In short, buyers have a lot to choose from.

The overall sales-to-active-listings ratio sits at 13.4% (detached 11.6%, townhomes 16.5%, condos 13.5%). Historically, prices tend to soften when this ratio stays below 12% for a while and rise when it stays above 20%. Today's market is in balanced territory, with detached homes leaning slightly in buyers' favour.

Benchmark prices by property type

• All residential: $1,068,600 (down 5.2% year over year and 0.7% from September)

• Detached: $1,775,200 (down 7% year over year and 0.5% from September; 643 sales, down 7.2%)

• Townhomes: $1,006,500 (down 5.5% year over year and 1% from September; 468 sales, down 1.9%)

• Condos: $673,400 (down 5.9% year over year and 1.3% from September; 892 sales, down 16.7%)

What this means for you

If you're buying: Prices have eased through 2026 and selection is strong, but the October rate hike has eaten into some of those affordability gains. GVR's chief economist, Andrew Lis, notes that some buyers may move soon to use rate holds before they expire. If you have a pre-approval with a rate hold, now is a good time to review your numbers.

If you're selling: With more homes competing for fewer buyers, pricing right from day one matters more than ever. Well-presented, well-priced homes are still selling, especially townhomes, which saw the smallest drop in sales.

As GVR puts it, 2026 has been a year of one step forward, one step back. The big question is which direction we finish the year in.

Download the full GVR October 2026 stats package here.

Thinking about buying or selling in Metro Vancouver? Get in touch and I'll walk you through what's happening in your neighbourhood.

Source: Greater Vancouver REALTORS®, October 2026 MLS® Housing Market Report.