The slowdown in home sales
registered on the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in Metro Vancouver that
began early this year continued in April, with sales down nearly 24 per cent
year-over-year.
The Greater Vancouver REALTORS® (GVR) reports that residential sales in the
region totalled 2,163 in April 2025, a 23.6 per cent decrease from the 2,831
sales recorded in April 2024. This was 28.2 per cent below the 10-year
seasonal average (3,014).
“From a historical perspective, the slower sales we’re now seeing stand out
as unusual, particularly against a backdrop of significantly improved
borrowing conditions, which typically helps to boost sales,” said Andrew Lis,
GVR’s director of economics and data analytics. “What’s also unusual is
starting the year with Canada’s largest trading partner threatening to tilt
our economy into recession via trade policy, while at the same time having
Canadians head to the polls to elect a new federal government. These issues
have been hard to ignore, and the April home sales figures suggest some
buyers have continued to patiently wait out the storm.”
There were 6,850 detached, attached and apartment properties newly listed for
sale on the MLS® in Metro Vancouver in April 2025. This represents a 3.4 per
cent decrease compared to the 7,092 properties listed in April 2024 and was
19.5 per cent above the 10-year seasonal average (5,731) for the month.
The total number of properties currently listed for sale on the MLS® system
in Metro Vancouver is 16,207, a 29.7 per cent increase compared to April 2024
(12,491). This is 47.6 per cent above the 10-year seasonal average
(10,979).
Across all detached, attached and apartment property types, the
sales-to-active listings ratio for April 2025 is 13.8 per cent. By property
type, the ratio is 9.9 per cent for detached homes, 17.5 per cent for
attached, and 15.7 per cent for apartments.
Analysis of the historical data suggests downward pressure on home prices
occurs when the ratio dips below 12 per cent for a sustained period, while
home prices often experience upward pressure when it surpasses 20 per cent
over several months.
“While the headlines have been filled with worrying news lately, there are
positives in the current market worth highlighting, especially for buyers,”
Lis said. “Inventory levels have just crested 16,000 for the first time since
2019, prices have stayed fairly stable for the past few months, and borrowing
costs are the lowest they’ve been in years. These factors benefit buyers, and
with balanced conditions across the market overall, there’s plenty of
opportunity for anyone looking to make a purchase.”
The MLS® Home Price Index composite benchmark price for all residential
properties in Metro Vancouver is currently $1,184,500. This represents a 1.8
per cent decrease over April 2024 and a 0.5 per cent decrease compared to
March 2025.
Sales of detached homes in April 2025 reached 578, a 29 per cent decrease
from the 814 detached sales recorded in April 2024. The benchmark price for a
detached home is $2,021,800. This represents a 0.7 per cent decrease from
April 2024 and a 0.6 per cent decrease compared to March 2025.
Sales of apartment homes reached 1,130 in April 2025, a 20.2 per cent
decrease compared to the 1,416 sales in April 2024. The benchmark price of an
apartment home is $762,800. This represents a two per cent decrease from
April 2024 and a 0.6 per cent decrease compared to March 2025.
Attached home sales in April 2025 totalled 442, a 23.8 per cent decrease
compared to the 580 sales in April 2024. The benchmark price of a townhouse
is $1,102,300. This represents a 2.9 per cent decrease from April 2024 and a
one per cent decrease compared to March 2025.
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