A total of 480 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this October, 35.6 per cent fewer than the 745 properties sold in October 2021 but a 17.1 per cent increase from September 2022. Sales of condominiums were down 39 per cent from October 2021 with 152 units sold. Sales of single family homes decreased 32.2 per cent from October 2021 with 230 sold.

“Inventory has remained stable this month and for the first time since May 2022, we see a slight increase in the month over month sales,” says Victoria Real Estate Board President Karen Dinnie-Smyth. “We noted last month that the number of sales for September did not necessarily reflect the on-the-ground activity in the marketplace. October sales have shown what the industry has been experiencing, an increase in activity, more sales and well-priced homes receiving plenty of attention – some receiving multiple offers. If you are considering selling a property, the continually evolving market conditions this month reinforce the need for up-to-date analysis of how to price your home during this type of market. With many micro-markets within the Greater Victoria area conversations with your local REALTOR® on how the housing market is performing in your specific area will be crucial to your success.”

There were 2,192 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of October 2022, a decrease of 4.7 per cent compared to the previous month of September but a 111.6 per cent increase from the 1,036 active listings for sale at the end of October 2021.

“With new mayors and councillors heading to work in several of our municipalities, we hope to see strong commitments to positive ways to manage the current and future housing needs of our communities high on council agendas,” adds President Dinnie-Smyth. “The future cost of housing is at stake. The pressure on pricing and in the market overall will not resolve until we see material improvements in the number and types of properties available in the Greater Victoria area. Rentals, townhouses, duplexes, triplexes and beyond are all needed to help ensure that we do not face another cycle of rapid price increases due to lack of inventory in the future. We hope that all municipalities will be looking at gentle density improvements that will ensure more homes for more people in their community planning.”

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in October 2021 was $1,216,900. The benchmark value for the same home in October 2022 increased by 10.2 per cent to $1,341,400 but was down 1.7 per cent from September's value of $1,364,200. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core area in October 2021 was $524,500, while the benchmark value for the same condominium in October 2022 increased by 14.9 per cent to $602,700, down by 2.4 per cent from the September value of $617,400.

A total of 410 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this September, 46.1 per cent fewer than the 761 properties sold in September 2021 and a 14.2 per cent decrease from August 2022. Sales of condominiums were down 58.8 per cent from September 2021 with 126 units sold. Sales of single family homes decreased 33.2 per cent from September 2021 with 221 sold.

“September heralds the start of the fall season, which traditionally brings a more active market than what we see in the summer months. October is generally the peak of the fall and winter market,” says Victoria Real Estate Board President Karen Dinnie-Smyth. “This year sales have dropped month over month since May and we saw a reluctant September with some of the lowest sales numbers for that month in decades. While the rate of decrease has slowed due in part to concerns about rising interest rates and inflation, this level of activity may not necessarily reflect the actual demand that exists in the marketplace. While overall activity is below historical norms, well-priced properties are still receiving plenty of attention. Multiple offers on these homes are still quite common, which may not be reflected in the overall statistics, but is noticeable if you are actively buying and selling.”

There were 2,300 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of September 2022, an increase of 7.6 per cent compared to the previous month of August and a 104.6 per cent increase from the 1,124 active listings for sale at the end of September 2021.

“The good news is that we have seen more inventory come to market, which when combined with slower sales activity, has resulted in more balanced market conditions,” adds President Dinnie-Smyth. “In the current environment, properties that are well-priced and well-maintained continue to sell briskly. If you are thinking of making a move, a conversation with your favourite REALTOR® for an up-to-date analysis of how the housing market is performing in your area will be crucial to your success. Another consideration is to take the time to vote in your municipal elections October 15 for candidates who reflect your preferences for housing in our communities. Much of our future housing supply and the way Greater Victoria will manage housing needs will be determined by decisions made at the municipal level.”

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in September 2021 was $1,201,100. The benchmark value for the same home in September 2022 increased by 13.6 per cent to $1,364,200 but was down 2 per cent from August's value of $1,391,700. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core area in September 2021 was $519,200, while the benchmark value for the same condominium in September 2022 increased by 18.9 per cent to $617,400, down by 0.7 per cent from the August value of $621,900.

September 1, 2022

A total of 478 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this August, 42.5 per cent fewer than the 831 properties sold in August 2021 and a 6.3 per cent decrease from July 2022. Sales of condominiums were down 57.1 per cent from August 2021 with 148 units sold. Sales of single family homes decreased 30.3 per cent from August 2021 with 249 sold.

“August is typically one of the slower months for real estate in the Greater Victoria area and this year was no exception,” says Victoria Real Estate Board President Karen Dinnie-Smyth. “After two years of market conditions that favoured home sellers, sales have diminished in the past few months and inventory levels have been slowly increasing.”

There were 2,137 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of August 2022, a decrease of 1.2 per cent compared to the previous month of July but a 90.8 per cent increase from the 1,120 active listings for sale at the end of August 2021.

“One of the metrics we watch when we look at the market is the sales to active listings ratio – this is the percentage of available listings that have sold over the course of the month, which helps indicate the balance of supply and demand,” adds President Dinnie-Smyth. “A high percentage means more of the available listings have sold, which shows a high buyer demand and that’s generally a favourable market for sellers. The lower the percentage, the more properties available. In general, we look at the 15 to 20 per cent range as a balanced market. Right now, the ratio is 28.14 per cent, while at this time in 2021 we were at 94.91 per cent. We continue to trend towards a more balanced market. As conditions change, connect with your trusted REALTOR® to understand how your selling and buying plans fit into the current market.”

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in August 2021 was $1,201,400. The benchmark value for the same home in August 2022 increased by 15.8 per cent to $1,391,700 but was down 2.9 per cent from July's value of $1,433,400. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core area in August 2021 was $509,000, while the benchmark value for the same condominium in August 2022 increased by 22.2 per cent to $621,900, down by 2.8 per cent from the July value of $639,900.

A total of 510 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this July, 38.9 per cent fewer than the 835 properties sold in July 2021 and a 16.7 per cent decrease from June 2022. Sales of condominiums were down 39.4 per cent from July 2021 with 172 units sold. Sales of single family homes decreased 35.9 per cent from July 2021 with 254 sold.

"We’d previously indicated a shift in the local housing market,” said 2022 VREB President Karen Dinnie-Smyth. “This continued be the case in July as sales dipped, and we saw fewer listings come to the market, with more of the existing inventory remaining for sale. This slowdown means a calmer and more friendly environment with time for decision-making, which benefits sellers and buyers and will be a relief to many.”

There were 2,162 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of July 2022, an increase of 5 per cent compared to the previous month of June and a 70.2 per cent increase from the 1,270 active listings for sale at the end of July 2021.

“As a result of the higher interest rates and inflation occurring right now, we see fluctuations in price and availability,” adds President Dinnie-Smyth. “Values will rise and fall over time, and historically local real estate values slowly increase over time, which means despite month-to-month variations, if you are buying a home, you have a sound, long-term investment. We need to remember that people don’t buy and sell on a month-to-month basis and that in the larger scheme of things, housing is more than numbers. A property is a place where people live their daily lives, raise their families, etc. It is more than a commodity, and for many it is the most important purchase they make in their lifetime. The government’s recent focus has been on demand-side mechanisms and other market modifiers such as a mandatory three-day cooling off period to start in 2023. A better long-term approach to housing affordability for our future is to address housing supply constraints which will be central to the next round of upward pressure on home prices. Consult with your REALTOR® to keep informed regarding current values and market conditions if you are in the market to buy or sell.”

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in July 2021 was $1,204,900. The benchmark value for the same home in July 2022 increased by 19 per cent to $1,433,800 but was down 2.1 per cent from June's value of $1,464,400. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core area in July 2021 was $502,600, while the benchmark value for the same condominium in July 2022 increased by 27.3 per cent to $639,600, down by 0.5 per cent from the June value of $643,100.

July 4, 2022  A total of 612 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this June, 35 per cent fewer than the 942 properties sold in June 2021 and a 19.6 per cent decrease from May 2022. Sales of condominiums were down 40.2 per cent from June 2021 with 202 units sold. Sales of single family homes decreased 31.4 per cent from June 2021 with 302 sold.

"The market feels a bit more normal right now," says Karen Dinnie-Smyth, 2022 Victoria Real Estate Board President. "We have seen more inventory come onto the market to the extent that we are back to numbers closer to those which we saw in pre-pandemic 2020. This is good news, as more inventory provides more choice and builds in more time for consumers to work with their REALTORS® to make decisions."

There were 2,059 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of June 2022, an increase of 15.9 per cent compared to the previous month of May and a 49.7 per cent increase from the 1,375 active listings for sale at the end of June 2021.

"It may seem counterintuitive to continue to talk about the need for supply at a time when inventory is rising," adds President Dinnie-Smyth. "We must keep the conversation alive, and we urge all levels of government to continue to aggressively address the housing supply situation. We need more supply of all types of housing. Not only do we remain on the lower side of longer-term historical averages of homes for sale, but there will be future challenges - changing interest rates, supply chain and labour constraints will hamper the ability to create new homes at a pace to meet future growth. New supply will be the key to future housing attainability in our community."

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in June 2021 was $1,184,700. The benchmark value for the same home in June 2022 increased by 23.6 per cent to $1,464,400, up from May's value of $1,446,400. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core area in June 2021 was $495,900 while the benchmark value for the same condominium in June 2022 increased by 29.7 per cent to $643,100, up from the May value of $633,800.

A total of 761 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this May, 27.5 per cent fewer than the 1,049 properties sold in May 2021 and a 7.6 per cent decrease from April 2022. Sales of condominiums were down 23.1 per cent from May 2021 with 250 units sold. Sales of single family homes decreased 31.7 per cent from May 2021 with 367 sold.

"The real estate market in Greater Victoria is returning to a steadier pace following the strange two years we experienced over the course of the pandemic,” said 2022 Victoria Real Estate Board President Karen Dinnie-Smyth. “While inventory is still below historical levels for a spring market, it is now within our pre-pandemic five-year average, which is good news for buyers. The increase in inventory provides buyers with more options, and we are seeing market activity and price points differ within the unique neighbourhoods that make up Greater Victoria. During a changing market like the one we see now, it is more important than ever to have an expert on your side – whether you are buying or selling it’s a great time to give your favourite REALTOR® a call."

There were 1,776 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of May 2022, an increase of 30.1 per cent compared to the previous month of April and a 22.5 per cent increase from the 1,450 active listings for sale at the end of May 2021.

"Looking to the future of the market, the Board has reviewed the British Columbia Financial Services Authority (BCFSA) report which the government requisitioned to guide the deployment of their cooling-off plan," adds President Dinnie-Smyth.“We are aligned with BCFSA on the importance of consumer protection in real estate and see areas of the BCFSA report which reflect the Victoria Real Estate Board’s and the British Columbia Real Estate Association’s recommendations - specifically the concept of a five-day pre-offer period. However, the BCFSA report leaves detailed process and procedural questions unanswered. The government will need to do more consultation with industry stakeholders prior to implementation to ensure these changes are without negative consequences to consumers and to the market.”

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value* for a single family home in the Victoria Core in May 2021 was $1,168,800. The benchmark value for the same home in May 2022 increased by 23.8 per cent to $1,446,400, up from April's value of $1,424,900. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core area in May 2021 was $495,600 while the benchmark value for the same condominium in May 2022 increased by 27.9 per cent to $633,800, up from the April value of $630,200.

*Please note that the MLS® HPI methodology and reporting was updated this month, and that some numbers may have changed when compared to previous reports. For more information, please refer to page four of the press release and summary / Statistics Package for Media.

A total of 824 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this April, 26.2 per cent fewer than the 1,116 properties sold in April 2021 and a 1.1 per cent decrease from March 2022. Sales of condominiums were down 20.8 per cent from April 2021 with 262 units sold. Sales of single family homes decreased 28.5 per cent from April 2021 with 403 sold.

"The past month concluded with notably lower sales when compared to April of last year,” said 2022 Victoria Real Estate Board President Karen Dinnie-Smyth. “This tells an interesting story because activity traditionally peaks over the course of the spring, and this year we have seen a gradual softening of the market. As we have reported many times in the past years, the market hinges on supply and demand. Rising interest rates and inflationary pressures on top of higher prices throughout the region have combined to introduce new market dynamics because of waning demand that consumers and their REALTORS® are now navigating. Our inventory levels remain well below historic averages, so prices remain buoyant because the supply is still much lower than this recent decrease in demand.”

There were 1,365 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of April 2022, an increase of 28.4 per cent compared to the previous month of March but a 6.1per cent decrease from the 1,454 active listings for sale at the end of April 2021.

"The market has made a pivot compared to the spring of 2021," adds President Dinnie-Smyth. “However, we continue to see competition for lower priced homes and multiple offers are still very much a reality in our market and likely will be for some time. We are currently experiencing a lessening of demand, but that does not mean we can lose sight of the fact that our housing market needs more supply. We must continue to encourage the government and stakeholders to focus on building more homes and not on creating new rules such as a cooling-off period that have nothing to do with getting more people into homes and risk upward pressure on pricing. The market will continue to have corrections, both up and down, and government interventions must target more new doors for the long-term health of our housing market."

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in April 2021 was $997,500. The benchmark value for the same home in April 2022 increased by 26.9 per cent to $1,266,200, up from March's value of $1,233,700. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core area in April 2021 was $513,100 while the benchmark value for the same condominium in April 2022 increased by 26.7 per cent to $650,200, up from the March value of $635,100.

A total of 474 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this January, 26.6 per cent fewer than the 646 properties sold in January 2021 but an 8.2 per cent increase from December 2021. Sales of condominiums were down 13 per cent from January 2021 with 188 units sold. Sales of single family homes decreased 39.7 per cent from January 2021 with 179 sold.

"A cursory glance at our sales numbers could lead to the quick conclusion that our market is slowing down," says 2022 Victoria Real Estate Board President Karen Dinnie-Smyth. "But what we must consider is not only the number of homes that have sold, but also the number of homes which were for available for sale within the month. To put our inventory into context, last year broke the record for lowest inventory for the month of January. This January broke that record nearly in half and that lack of supply in the market really impacts what our end sales numbers are. Had we seen more homes for sale, it's likely our result would have been many more sales."

There were 744 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of January 2022, an increase of 14.1 per cent compared to the previous month of December and a 43.7 per cent decrease from the 1,321 active listings for sale at the end of January 2021.

"As it stands, our market will be slow to change until our inventory levels perk up," adds President Dinnie-Smyth. "This means we need to see supply added of all types of housing and we need to establish a sustainable source of supply into the upcoming years to meet growth. The reality of housing is that it takes years to add new numbers and until we are better able to meet demand, our market will be under pressure. With the constrained and fast paced market, it's an excellent time to use the services of an experienced REALTOR®, one who can help you identify a strategy and process for selling or buying - or selling and buying - a new home."

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in January 2021 was $932,200. The benchmark value for the same home in January 2022 increased by 24.6 per cent to $1,161,500, up from December's value of $1,144,900. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core area in January 2021 was $487,500, while the benchmark value for the same condominium in January 2022 increased by 20.5 per cent to $587,300, up from the December value of $570,600.

January 4, 2022 

A total of 438 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this December, 30.6 per cent fewer than the 631 properties sold in December 2020 and a 32.9 per cent decrease from November 2021. Sales of condominiums were down 22.1 per cent from December 2020 with 152 units sold. Sales of single family homes decreased 34.1 per cent from December 2020 with 207 sold.

A grand total of 10,052 properties sold over the course of 2021, 18.3 per cent more than the 8,497 that sold in 2020. 2021 sales came in close to 2016's record breaking sales year where 10,622 properties were sold.

"The theme of this year has been very consistent," says 2021 Victoria Real Estate Board President David Langlois. "Each month a high demand for homes paired with record low inventory has put strong pressure on pricing and attainability and has made the local and global housing market a top news item and political talking point. We see stories from many countries highlighting the increasing desirability of home ownership in the wake of the pandemic. We leave this year with the lowest number of properties for sale that we have had on record - but with such strong demand that most transactions see multiple offers."

There were 652 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of December 2021, a decrease of 26.5 per cent compared to the previous month of November and a 49 per cent decrease from the 1,279 active listings for sale at the end of December 2020. This represents the lowest inventory of active listings at month-end in at least the last 25 years.

"We have spoken throughout the year about the need for new housing supply at all levels to help moderate prices and improve attainability," adds President Langlois. "Some of our municipalities have begun to look at ways to make it easier for new homes to be brought to market and we applaud and encourage any movement in this area - it has been far too difficult and expensive to build homes in our region. The situation we are now in is because of the deficit of supply that has compounded over the past decades of hesitation around growth. However, governments at the federal and provincial level have instead chosen to focus elsewhere and invest their time re-inventing the process of how homes are sold in Canada by creating new rules which include the introduction of a 'cooling-off' period. These measures will do nothing to improve our market, nor will they increase consumer protection. The process of how a home is sold is not the issue - homes will sell for what consumers will pay for them - using any sales process. The issue is how homes are brought to the marketplace and our huge lack of supply. Governments should expend their resources to address supply issues that continue to drive up competition for homes and result in ever increasing prices."

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in December 2020 was $915,300. The benchmark value for the same home in December 2021 increased by 25.1 per cent to $1,144,900, up from November's value of $1,122,600. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core area in December 2020 was $487,100, while the benchmark value for the same condominium in December 2021 increased by 17.1 per cent to $570,600, up from the November value of $560,700.

A total of 653 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this November, 17.9 per cent fewer than the 795 properties sold in November 2020 and 12.3 per cent fewer than the previous month of October. 236 condominiums sold, 5.2 per cent fewer than in the previous month of October. 276 single family homes sold, 18.6 per cent fewer than in the previous month of October.

"Strong demand for housing in our community continues to exceed the ultra-low number of listings of homes available for sale,” said Victoria Real Estate Board President David Langlois. “This demand creates competition and pressure on pricing and we continue to see home values notch up. At this moment in time, there are fewer than 600 residential properties for sale in our market.”

There were 887 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of November 2021, 51.1 per cent fewer properties than the 1,813 available at the end of November 2020 and 14.4 per cent fewer properties than the 1,036 active listings for sale at the end of October 2021.

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in November 2020 was $903,700. The benchmark value for the same home in November 2021 increased by 24.2 per cent to $1,122,600, a 1.7 per cent increase from the previous month of October. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core in November 2020 was $485,100, while the benchmark value for the same condominium in November 2021 increased by 15.6 per cent to $560,700.

“Only with strong measures around supply will we see a lift in the pressures on our housing market,” added President Langlois. “Governments continue to try to intervene by using demand side measures, such as the province announcing their plan to introduce a ‘cooling off’ period for resale homes. This concept was delivered without industry consultation or supporting data. Introducing measures that add uncertainty to the marketplace fails to address the issues of supply and attainability in our community - and threatens to make the supply situation worse. A cooling-off period will not increase consumer protection - in fact many of the unintended consequences of such a policy could decrease protection for both buyers and sellers. The housing market is complex and policy must be evidence-based and designed for all types of markets – not to react to a moment in time. The government needs to sharpen their focus on the issue that has been documented for years – that a consistent delay in the delivery of homes to meet the needs of our growing population has created housing gridlock.”