Real estate rebound continues for Fraser Valley

SURREY, BC – The demand for Fraser Valley real estate is the strongest it’s been since the spring of 2018.

The Fraser Valley Real Estate Board processed 1,592 sales of all property types on its Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in October, a 18.5 per cent increase compared to sales in September 2019, and a 37.8 per cent increase compared to the 1,155 sales in October of last year.

Darin Germyn, President of the Board, says, “Our market started to pick up in the summer and we’ve been steadily improving since. It’s rare to see October home sales in the Fraser Valley outpace April and that’s what we’ve seen this year; our typical spring and fall markets have flipped.

“Consumers are feeling more confident. Buyers have grown accustomed to the government’s regulation changes. Interest rates have thankfully remained stable and we’re likely seeing some pent-up demand from buyers who were holding off earlier this year. October’s beautiful, sunny weather didn’t hurt either.”

There were 7,398 active listings available in the Fraser Valley at the end of October, a decrease of 4.5 per cent compared to October of last year and a decrease of 6.9 per cent compared to September 2019. The Board received 2,383 new listings in October, a 13.9 per cent decrease compared to September 2019’s intake of 2,769 new listings and a 14.2 per cent decrease compared to October of last year.

Germyn adds, “We’re still seeing some hesitation from sellers to list as they continue to watch for further price erosion, however, it’s important to talk to your local market expert because prices in some areas have turned the corner and are starting to creep up again.”

MLS® HPI Benchmark Price Activity

• Single Family Detached: At $952,600, the Benchmark price for a single-family detached home in the Fraser Valley increased 0.3 per cent compared to September 2019 and decreased 3.5 per cent compared to October 2018.
• Townhomes: At $516,000 the Benchmark price for a townhome in the Fraser Valley in the Fraser Valley decreased 0.8 per cent compared to September 2019 and decreased 4.2 per cent compared to October 2018.
• Apartments: At $405,100, the Benchmark price for apartments/condos in the Fraser Valley decreased 0.1 per cent compared to September 2019 and decreased 6.4 per cent compared to October 2018.