Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver Market Update
Greater Vancouver residential property sale and listing activity below 10-year averages in November
Over the past six months, the Greater Vancouver housing market has seen a reduction in the number of homes listed for sale, a gradual moderation in home prices and a decrease in property sales compared to historical averages.
The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that residential property sales of detached, attached and apartment properties reached 1,686 on the region’s Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in November, a 28.6 per cent decline compared to the 2,360 sales in November 2011 and a 12.7 per cent decline compared to the 1,931 home sales in October 2012. November sales were 30.3 per cent below the 10-year November sales average of 2,420.
“Home sellers appear more inclined to remove their properties from the market today rather than lower prices to sell their properties. On the other hand, buyers appear to be expecting prices to moderate,” Eugen Klein, REBGV president said.
New listings for detached, attached and apartment properties in Greater Vancouver totalled 2,758 in November. This represents a 14.4 per cent decline compared to November 2011 when 3,222 properties were listed for sale on the MLS® and a 36.2 per cent decline compared to the 4,323 new listings in October 2012. New listings were 12.9 per cent below the 10-year November average of 3,168. At 15,689, the total number of residential property listings on the MLS® increased 13 per cent from this time last year and declined 9.7 per cent compared to October 2012. Total listings in the region have declined by nearly 3,000 properties since reaching a peak of 18,493 in June. The region’s sales-to-active-listings ratio was unchanged from October at 11 per cent.
“Home prices in Greater Vancouver have generally declined between three and five and a half per cent, depending on property type, since reaching a peak six months ago,” Klein said. “Changes in home prices vary per municipality and neighbourhood. It’s good to check local market statistics with your REALTOR®.”
Since reaching a peak in May of $625,100, the MLS® Home Price Index composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Greater Vancouver has declined 4.5 per cent to $596,900. This represents a 1.7 per cent decline when we compared to this time last year.
Sales of detached properties in Greater Vancouver reached 629 in November, a decrease of 31.3 per cent from the 916 detached sales recorded in November 2011, and a 40.1 per cent decrease from the 1,050 units sold in November 2010. Since reaching a peak in May, the benchmark price for a detached property in Greater Vancouver has declined 5.5 per cent to $914,500.
Sales of apartment properties reached 750 in November 2012, a 25 per cent decrease compared to the 1,000 sales in November 2011, and a decrease of 28.7 per cent compared to the 1,052 sales in November 2010. Since reaching a peak in May, the benchmark price for an apartment property in Greater Vancouver has declined 3.9 per cent to $364,900.
Attached property sales in November 2012 totalled 307, a 30.9 per cent decrease compared to the 444 sales in November 2011, and a 24.6 per cent decrease from the 407 attached properties sold in November 2010. Since reaching a peak in April, the benchmark price for an attached property in Greater Vancouver has declined 3.6 per cent to $454,300.
Feature Facts:
- Of the 15,689 homes currently for sale on the MLS® in Greater Vancouver, 49.6 per cent are listed for $600,000 or less. Of those, 1,321 are detached properties, 5,039 are condominiums and 1,419 are townhomes.
- Of the 1,686 homes that sold in Greater Vancouver in November, 273 (16%) sold for $1 million or more.
Macdonald Realty Market Update
With the Fall Market in full swing, it is important to know that not all agents and not all real estate companies are created equal. When hiring a professional to sell your home, take the time to ask them what their sales model is to ensure that it meshes with your goals.
Below, I outline what the Macdonald Realty Model entails:
The Macdonald Realty Model
For most people, their home represents the single largest investment that they will ever make. In addition, the government encourages home-ownership by making principle residences one of the few investment vehicles on which CRA does not tax capital gains. Because of this, it is important for owners to make an informed decision about how they sell their home.
Macdonald Realty has prided itself as being a full-service real estate company since 1944, but what does that mean? Macdonald Realty's full service model means taking a client by-the-hand and guiding them through the process of Evaluation, Marketing, Negotiation, Completion, and Post-Completion to ensure that they receive the best price and conditions for their home, with as little inconvenience as possible, while limiting financial and legal risk.
1. Evaluation
A Macdonald Realtor will provide you with a comparative market analysis (CMA) that outlines the strengths and weaknesses of your home, along with the current market conditions, including both recent sales and current listings, so that you may make an educated choice when it comes to pricing. Pricing is an art, and along with this information, your Macdonald Realty agent, as a full-service professional, will be able to explain who the target market is and how to maximize value. Do you price low to attract a competitive offer situation or at market value to ensure you only work with motivated buyers? Perhaps you price high to leave yourself room to negotiate?
2. Marketing
Effective marketing is crucial to ensure you get the best price for your home. Marketing doesn't stop at placing a sign on the lawn and posting your house on MLS. A Macdonald Realtor, in consultation with the client, can provide a market analysis and property review to give you suggestions on how you can effectively improve the appearance of your home. In addition, he/she will respond to buyer/realtor inquiries, conduct open houses, qualify buyers for private showings, utilize the Macdonald Realty creative marketing department to create high-quality marketing materials, provide an online presence on Macrealty.com and other channels, utilize print advertising and social media tools, and leverage company programs and affiliations like Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, the world's largest residential real estate network with over 140,000 affiliate agents worldwide.
Your Macdonald Realty agent will also perform legal tasks like checking title, securing strata documents, and assisting with the property disclosure statement so that your legal and financial interests are fully protected.
3. Negotiation
A Macdonald Realtor has been trained to provide advice and guidance throughout this process to ensure that you protect your own interests while maximizing the value for your home. It is important to have a great negotiator on your side and Macdonald Realty has over 350 years of collective managerial experience for our agents to draw upon should a unique situation arise.
Once the deal is accepted, a Macdonald Realty agent will work hard to resolve any issues which may come up before the deal goes firm. If, for any reason, a problem should arise, our agents have the backing of a full-service real estate company to support them. Many times, financing and tenancy issues can be resolved in-house. In instances where they cannot, your agent will be able to assist you in the renegotiation process to maximize your chances of the deal staying on track.
4. Completion Services
Once the deal is near completion, a Macdonald Realtor will work to ensure that all required legal documentation is transmitted to their respective legal and governmental bodies. Your agent will assist with solving last minute problems, and possession will be arranged. This is a stressful time and it's important that all closing issues are dealt with efficiently to ensure a smooth transfer.
5. Post-Completion
Your Macdonald Realtor's job is not over even though the deal has completed. He/she is still responsible for smoothing over any post-completion issues and being the primary communications conduit between the buyer and seller. In addition, he/she can be called upon to provide any advice with respect to settlement services, trades, and/or troubleshooting that may be required. Being a full-service professional, your Macdonald Realtor will have the answer for you, or know where to get it.
Macdonald Realty believes its model is the best way of protecting the interests of buyers and sellers. With our system, agents only get paid if a buyer and seller agree on the sale of a property. In other words, with Macdonald's business philosophy, our agents are rewarded on performance.
Macdonald Realty and its agents invest hundreds of thousands of dollars every year in training, education, market research, program development and agent support to ensure we have the necessary skills to provide our clients with the best service in the industry. Our agents are effective negotiators, knowledgeable professionals, effective marketers, and educated advisors.
For an Infographic on the home BUYING process, click here. And visit our Facebook page to see the most recent stats on your neighbourhood.
The data relating to real estate on this website comes in part from the MLS® Reciprocity program of either the Greater Vancouver REALTORS® (GVR), the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB) or the Chilliwack and District Real Estate Board (CADREB). Real estate listings held by participating real estate firms are marked with the MLS® logo and detailed information about the listing includes the name of the listing agent. This representation is based in whole or part on data generated by either the GVR, the FVREB or the CADREB which assumes no responsibility for its accuracy. The materials contained on this page may not be reproduced without the express written consent of either the GVR, the FVREB or the CADREB.
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