In July 2023, the Vancouver real estate market underwent significant changes, presenting a complex landscape for buyers and sellers. The month saw 2,455 properties sold, marking an impressive 29% increase from the previous year. However, this apparent surge in sales volume masked an underlying trend of consecutive declines in summer months, suggesting a slowdown in overall market activity. In fact, the number of sales was found to be 15.6% below the 10-year seasonal average of 2,909, signaling a potential shift in the market dynamics.


A major challenge faced by buyers now is the scarcity of inventory. With only 9,639 properties available for sale, the market experienced a significant 16% drop in inventory from the previous year. This shortage has persisted for eight consecutive months, with the number of available properties remaining below the 10,000 mark! The limited inventory played a crucial role in driving up property prices throughout 2023, making it difficult for buyers to find suitable options and cratering affordability.


Adding to the complexity for buyers, mortgage rates reached a 22-year high during this time. The combination of high rates and low inventory created a difficult environment for potential investors and first-time buyers, leading to a majority of sales being driven by existing homeowners looking to move.


New listings in July 2023 brought some relief, with a 17% increase compared to the previous year, with 4,649 new properties entering the market. However, this optimism was dampened by the fact that sales volumes has now declined for two consecutive months, and the number of new listings was 5.2% below the 10-year seasonal average. These trends suggested that August's real estate data would likely show continuing lower listings, sales volume, and potentially even prices.


Despite the challenging market conditions, property prices continued their upward trajectory. The Home Price Index (HPI) rose for the seventh consecutive month, with prices increasing by $7,000 in the last month alone. This represented a 0.6% increase from the previous month and a 0.5% increase from July 2022. Remarkably, the HPI was only 4% below the all-time high, indicating the market's resilience despite the high mortgage rates. Additionally,  the median price of homes rose by $20,000 to $978,500, and the average price increased by $3,000 to $1,274,000.

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Dan Wurtele, PREC, REIA

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Ryan Dash PREC

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