|
Click on image to watch BCREA Chief Economist Cameron Muir discuss the February 2017 statistics: Click here to visit BCREA's YouTube channel. Read the news release here.
For inquiries regarding statistical and economics-related news releases, please contact: Cameron Muir: Chief Economist 604.742.2780 [email protected] Brendon Ogmundson: Economist 604.742.2796 [email protected] The Housing Market Update video podcast is produced monthly by the British Columbia Real Estate Association. Real estate boards, real estate associations and REALTORS® may reprint this content, provided that credit is given to BCREA by including the following statement: "Copyright British Columbia Real Estate Association. Reprinted with permission." BCREA makes no guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Copyright© British Columbia Real Estate Association 1420 – 701 Georgia Street West PO Box 10123, Pacific Centre Vancouver, BC V7Y 1C6 Phone 604.683.7702 Fax 604.683.8601 www.bcrea.bc.ca [email protected] To subscribe to receive other BCREA publications such as this one, to unsubscribe, or to update your email address or current subscription list, click here.  For immediate release
Vancouver, BC – March 15, 2017. The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that a total of 6,580 residential unit sales were recorded by the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in February, down 31.7 per cent from the same period last year. Total sales dollar volume was $4.53 billion, down 39.7 per cent from February 2016. The average MLS® residential price in the province was $688,117, an 11.7 per cent decrease from the same period last year. “Consumer demand has returned to a more typical level over the first two months of the year," said Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist. "While the home sales have declined nearly 32 per cent from the extraordinary performance of a year ago, last month's activity reflected the average for the month February since the year 2000." “The average MLS® residential price for the province was down nearly 12 per cent from a record $779,419 in February 2016. However, this change is largely the result of a decline in the proportion of provincial sales originating from the Vancouver region. Last month, 37 per cent of BC home sales occurred in the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver's area, compared to 44 per cent in February 2016. Year-to-date, BC residential sales dollar volume was down 38.5 per cent to $7.3 billion, when compared with the same period in 2016. Residential unit sales declined 28.5 per cent to 11,067 units, while the average MLS® residential price was down 14.1 per cent to $660,943. For more information, please contact: Cameron Muir Chief Economist Direct: 604.742.2780 Direct: 778.229.1884 Email: [email protected] BCREA is the professional association for more than 20,000 REALTORS® in BC, focusing on provincial issues that impact real estate. Working with the province’s 11 real estate boards, BCREA provides continuing professional education, advocacy, economic research and standard forms to help REALTORS® provide value for their clients. To demonstrate the profession's commitment to improving Quality of Life in BC communities, BCREA supports policies that help ensure economic vitality, provide housing opportunities, preserve the environment, protect property owners and build better communities with good schools and safe neighbourhoods. For detailed statistical information, contact your local real estate board. MLS® is a cooperative marketing system used only by Canada's real estate boards to ensure maximum exposure of properties listed for sale. To subscribe to receive other BCREA publications such as this one, to unsubscribe, or to update your email address or current subscription list, click here. Canadian Housing Starts - March 8, 2017
Canadian housing starts were essentially flat compared to January, albeit up slightly to 210,207 units at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) in February. The six-month trend in Canadian housing starts continues to rise with new home construction on a 204,700 unit pace. In BC, total housing starts were slowed substantially by snowfall in February which prompted starts to decline 45 per cent year-over-year Single detached starts were down 24 per cent while multiple unit starts were down 51 per cent year-over-year. We expect that construction will pick up significantly with the onset of spring. Looking at census metropolitan areas (CMA) in BC, total starts in the Vancouver CMA were down 52 per cent year-over-year as unusually snow conditions slowed the pace of homebuilding. In the Victoria CMA, housing starts fell 5 per cent year-over-year, though starts of single detached units actually increased by 20 per cent. New home construction in the Kelowna CMA declined 29 per cent compared to last year due to a drop in multiple unit starts. Housing starts in the Abbotsford-Mission CMA fell 89 per cent as weather conditions halted most new construction. For more information, please contact: Cameron Muir: Chief Economist Direct: 604.742.2780 Mobile: 778.229.1884 Email: [email protected] Brendon Ogmundson: Economist Direct: 604.742.2796 Mobile: 604.505.6793 Email: [email protected] The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) is the professional association for more than 20,000 REALTORS® in BC, focusing on provincial issues that impact real estate. Working with the province’s 11 real estate boards, BCREA provides continuing professional education, advocacy, economic research and standard forms to help REALTORS® provide value for their clients. Real estate boards, real estate associations and REALTORS® may reprint this content, provided that credit is given to BCREA by including the following statement: “Copyright British Columbia Real Estate Association. Reprinted with permission.” BCREA makes no guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. |