The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that a total of 9,162 residential unit sales were recorded by the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in August, an increase of 2.4 per cent from the same period last year. Total sales dollar volume was $6.2 billion, up 22 per cent from August 2016. The average MLS® residential price in the province was $678,186, a 19.1 per cent increase from August 2016.

“BC home sales in August remained unchanged from July, on a seasonally adjusted basis,” said Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist. “Strong economic conditions...

The BC Government's announcement to ban the practice of limited dual agency means that consumers can no longer choose the REALTORS® they want.

“Every day, REALTORS® help their clients understand real estate transactions, so they can make informed decisions,” said BC Real Estate Association (BCREA) President Jim Stewart. “Over my nearly 25-year career as a REALTOR®, many long-standing clients have developed trust with me, and now my clients have no choice but to start from the beginning and build new relationships. Trust is a crucial part of what is often the largest...

The BCREA Commercial Leading Indicator (CLI) posted its largest increase since 2009, rising by 3.7 index points in the second quarter of 2017 to 133.1. That increase represents a 2.8 per cent rise over the first quarter and a 6.6 per cent increase from one year ago.

The sustained rise in the CLI reflects strong growth in economic sectors beneficial to commercial real estate activity. An uptick in economic activity last quarter further reinforces the already strong trend in the CLI. That signals a continued economic environment that is very supportive of growth in investment, leasing and other commercial...

The Bank of Canada is raising its target for the overnight rate to 1 per cent. The Bank Rate is correspondingly 1 1/4 per cent and the deposit rate is 3/4 per cent.

Recent economic data have been stronger than expected, supporting the Bank’s view that growth in Canada is becoming more broadly-based and self-sustaining. Consumer spending remains robust, underpinned by continued solid employment and income growth. There has also been more widespread strength in business investment and in exports.

Meanwhile, the housing sector appears to be cooling in some markets in response to recent changes...

Competition for condominiums and townhomes pushed Metro Vancouver* home sales above typical levels in August.

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that residential property sales in the region totalled 3,043 in August 2017, a 22.3 per cent increase from the 2,489 sales recorded in August 2016, and a 2.8 per cent increase compared to July 2017 when 2,960 homes sold.

Last month’s sales were 19.6 per cent above the 10-year August sales average.

“First-time home buyers have led a surge this summer in demand in our condominium and townhome markets,” Jill Oudil,...

The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) released its 2017 Third Quarter Housing Forecast update today.

Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) residential sales in the province are forecast to decline 10 per cent to 100,900 units this year, after reaching a record 112,209 units in 2016. Strong economic fundamentals are underpinning consumer demand and are expected to keep home sales at elevated levels through 2018. The ten-year average for MLS® residential sales in the province is 84,700 units.

“British Columbia’s postion as the best performing economy...

First off, there is the timing. In government, Fridays are usually reserved for bad-news announcements that will, hopefully, fade away over the weekend. Really bad news is relegated to late Friday afternoon, when, again hopefully, coverage will be minimal.

So Premier John Horgan and the BC NDP announcing on Friday that the tolls on the Port Mann and Golden Ears bridges will be eliminated as of Sept. 1 is a curious thing.

It is, after all, great news for those who have to travel over either bridge on a daily basis. The government estimates it will save daily car commuters $1,500 a year and commercial...

Commercial real estate activity in the LowerMainland declined from the record highs of one year ago and returned to more historically typical levels in the second quarter (Q2) of 2017.

There were 595 commercial real estate sales in the Lower Mainland in Q2 2017, a 32 per cent decrease from the record 875 sales in Q2 2016, according to data from Commercial Edge, a commercial real estate system operated by the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV).

The total dollar value of commercial real estate sales in the Lower Mainland was $2.886 billion in Q2 2017, a 37.5 per cent decrease from $4.615...

According to statistics released today by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), national home sales declined further in July 2017.

Highlights:

• National home sales fell 2.1% from June to July.
• Actual (not seasonally adjusted) activity in July stood 11.9% below last July’s level.
• The number of newly listed homes edged back by 1.8% from June to July.
• The MLS® Home Price Index (HPI) was up 12.9% year-over-year (y-o-y) in July 2017.
• The national average sale price edged down by 0.3% y-o-y in July.

The number of homes sold via Canadian MLS® Systems fell 2.1% in July 2017,...

The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that a total of 9,275 residential unit sales were recorded by the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in July, down 6.3 per cent from the same period last year. Total sales dollar volume was $6.48 billion, down 1.3 per cent from July 2016. The average MLS® residential price in the province was $698,761, a 5.3 per cent increase from the same period last year. 

“Strong economic growth, an expanding population base and a lack of supply continue to drive BC home sales and prices this summer,” said Cameron Muir, BCREA...

It’s probably time for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to tell his young followers that the “Canadian dream” no longer comes with a lawn.

Last week, Statistics Canada reported a big drop in the issuance of building permits for single-family homes in cities with populations greater than 10,000. Municipalities in June granted permissions for such structures at a seasonally adjusted rate that would yield 65,100 units in a year, the slowest pace since April 2009 and one of the weakest on records that date to 1960.

© Used with permission of / © Rogers Media Inc....

The trend in housing starts was 217,550 units in July 2017, compared to 215,175 units in June 2017, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). This trend measure is a six-month moving average of the monthly seasonally adjusted annual rates (SAAR) of housing starts.

“In July, Canada’s pace in housing construction ramped up for a seventh consecutive month,” said Bob Dugan, CMHC’s chief economist. “British Columbia and Alberta were the main contributors to the higher trend in housing starts. While BC’s construction coincides with near-record...

Home buyer activity returned to more typical summer levels in Metro Vancouver* last month.

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that residential property sales in the region totalled 2,960 in July 2017, an 8.2 per cent decrease from the 3,226 sales recorded in July 2016, and a decrease of 24 per cent compared to June 2017 when 3,893 homes sold.

Last month’s sales were 0.7 per cent above the 10-year July sales average.
“Housing demand is inconsistent across the region right now. Pockets of the market are still receiving multiple offers and others are not. It depends...

Canada's long housing boom has drawn thousands into the sector, from realtors and home stagers to construction workers, and a looming slowdown threatens to trigger an exodus that could wipe out many of those jobs and force the economy to shift down.

While housing has long been the main engine of Canadian growth, economists say a drop in home sales has already started to weigh on the economy and if price declines follow, consumer spending and jobs will suffer.

"To a lot of people, it is a get-rich-quick scheme," Toronto realtor David Fleming said about the real estate market. "But history shows when...

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The hot Vancouver housing market is showing signs it is becoming overheated, while Toronto continues to display strong evidence that home prices are overvalued, Canada’s federal housing agency said on Wednesday.

On the whole, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) said there was strong overall evidence of problematic conditions in the country’s housing market, the same threat assessment it gave in its last quarterly report in April.

The housing agency said there were moderate signs of overheating in Vancouver, up from a rating of weak in its last report, as town homes and...

Home sales in June posted their largest monthly drop in seven years, driven by a plunge in the Greater Toronto market, the Canadian Real Estate Association said Monday, the latest evidence that a cool-down in the housing sector is taking hold.

Transactions last month were down 6.7 per cent compared with May on a national basis, the third consecutive monthly decline, with the Greater Toronto Area registering a 15.1 per cent drop.

Home sales are down 14.1 per cent from the record level set in March.

"Changes to Ontario housing policy made in late April have clearly prompted many homebuyers in the...

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According to statistics released today by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), national home sales cooled further in June 2017.

Highlights:

• National home sales dropped 6.7% from May to June.
• Actual (not seasonally adjusted) activity in June stood 11.4% below last June’s level.
• The number of newly listed homes edged back by 1.5% from May to June.
• The MLS® Home Price Index (HPI) was up 15.8% year-over-year (y-o-y) in June   2017.
• The national average sale price edged up just 0.4% y-o-y in June.

The number of homes sold via Canadian MLS® Systems fell 6.7% in June 2017,...