2012 Ends on a Steady Note for Greater Victoria Real Estate Market
January 2, 2013
VICTORIA BC - Victoria’s real estate market ended 2012 with relatively flat pricing when compared to 2011, along with similar sales numbers for the third consecutive year.
Total MLS® sales in December 2012 were 283, a 17% decrease over December 2011 when 339 units sold. A different picture is told, however, when comparing full years, where there is only a 5% decline from 2011 to 2012.
Similarly, pricing has held steady year-over-year. The annual average price of a single-family home in Greater Victoria was $603,298 in 2012 compared to $613,839 in 2011. Shelley Mann, President of the Victoria Real Estate Board, notes that while the annual average in 2010 was $629,925, it was $580,748 in 2009.
"In December there were less active listings on the MLS® system than in recent months," Mann says. "With less competition, homeowners have a better opportunity to sell. But the property must show well, and they cannot expect to sell for the all-time high prices of 2010 and 2011." Current active listings are 3,896.
"We continue to see buyers waiting to make their move. Two factors seem to have triggered this, the first being the tightening of lending regulations which has affected the purchasing power of many consumers," Mann says.
"The second factor is that some buyers are continuing to wait for the market to fall," Mann says. "What we heard at the local 2012 CMHC Housing Outlook Conference is that the market has bottomed out and slow growth is in store for 2013."
There were 65 condominium sales in December 2012, compared to 98 in November 2012 and 89 in December 2011, and the year-over-year average price has decreased by 3%. Townhome pricing remains flat.
Total Waterfront Single Family Dwellings sold: 10, also 10 in December 2011
Total Non-waterfront Single Family Dwellings sold: 146, down 27 sales from December 2011
Single Family Dwellings sold over $1 million: 10 (3 over $2 million)
Stats Quick Reference
Total Single Family All Areas includes Shawnigan Lake/Malahat, Gulf Islands and Up Island
Summary Report and Graphs
Monthly Sales Summary
Average Selling Price Graphs
Active Listings, New Listings and Sales Graphs
When Interpreting Our Statistics
To ensure sales are not over-reported, we report net sales: that is, the number of sales less the number of collapsed sales, if any. Average Price is the total dollar volume of sales for the month divided by the number of sales in the month. Six Month Average is the total dollar volume of sales for the last six months divided the total number of sales in the last six months. Median Price is the mid-point price between the least expensive sale and the most expensive sale in the month.
The use of average price information can be useful in establishing trends when applied over a period of time, i.e. six months or longer. The Victoria Real Estate Board cautions that an average price does not indicate the actual value of any particular property. Those requiring specific information on property values should contact a REALTOR®.
