TheBritish Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that a total of 5,490 residential sales were recorded by the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in BC during November, up 17.3 per cent from November 2012. Total sales dollar volume was 36 per cent higher than a year ago at $3.06 billion. The average MLS® residential price in the province was $557,586, up 15.9 per cent from November 2012.

"While home sales were up year-over-year, they eased back from October as slow economic growth and anemic job creation negatively impacted consumer demand,” said Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist. “Low mortgage rates, however, continue to remain accommodative to housing demand."

"Average prices were skewed higher last month as the composition of sales in Vancouver and the Fraser Valley tilted toward single-detached homes,” added Muir. “The MLS® Home Price Index points to relatively stable prices, with the year-over-year change up 1 per cent in Vancouver and down 0.4 per cent in the Fraser Valley."

Year-to-date, BC residential sales dollar volume was up 10.1 per cent to $36.7 billion, compared to the same period last year. Residential unit sales were up 6 per cent to 68,510 units, while the average MLS® residential price was up 3.8 per cent at $535,411.