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Real estate sales steady moving into fall

VANCOUVER, B.C. November 2, 2005 – The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that year-to-date sales to the end of October are up 10.1 per cent in comparison to the same time last year. Sales of detached, attached and apartment properties increased by 13.4 per cent to 3,099 units sold in October 2005, compared to 2,734 sales in October 2004.

"In the last twenty-five years, October sales numbers have reached over 3,000 only three times," says REBGV President Georges Pahud. "Even as benchmark prices increased in comparison to last year, we’re seeing more than 64 per cent of home sales under the average price.

"Although, there are fewer listings compared to last year, this continues to be a steady and healthy market, still fuelled by a revving economy, lower interest rates, and higher employment and immigration figures," Pahud says. "Consider as well, that Greater Vancouver real estate sales, listings, and prices are now part of a much larger economic base. We are no longer functioning on just a regional level. We’ve become part of the global economy and we are not only impacted by what’s happening here, but around the world."

According to Multiple Listings Service data, sales of apartment properties increased slightly by 3.4 per cent in October 2005 to 1,314 sales, compared to 1,271 sales in October 2004. The benchmark price of an apartment property in Greater Vancouver, calculated by the Board’s Housing Price Index, is $280,938, up 20.6 per cent from one year ago.

Sales of attached properties increased 26.5 per cent in October 2005 to 545 units sold, compared to 431 units in October 2004. The benchmark price of an attached unit is $348,016, up 12.7 per cent from October 2004.

Sales of detached properties increased 20.2 per cent to 1,240 sales in October 2005 compared to 1,032 sales in October 2004. The benchmark price of a detached home increased to $564,061 up 17.1 per cent from a year ago.

Attached:
Burnaby	up 50% (99 units sold, up from 66)
Coquitlam	up 44.4% (39 units sold, up from 27)
North Vancouver	up 43.8% (46 units sold, up from 32)
Richmond	up 48.8% (125 units sold, up from 84)

Apartments:
Burnaby	up 19.7% (121 units sold, up from 97)
Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows	up 76.9% (23 units sold, up from 13)
New Westminster	up 17.9% (79 units sold, up from 67)
Richmond	up 8.7% (175 units sold, up from 161)

Detached:
Burnaby	up 24.7% (121 units sold, up from 97)
Coquitlam	up 32% (136 units sold, up from 103)
Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows	up 65.2% (147 units sold, up from 89)
Port Coquitlam	up 41.5% (58 units sold, up from 41)
Richmond	up 10.7% (134 units sold, up from 121)
Vancouver East	up 11.1% (190 units sold, up from 171)
Vancouver West	up 11.8% (133 units sold, up from 119)

The Real Estate industry is a key economic driver in British Columbia. In 2004, dollar volume sales of homes in Greater Vancouver set a new record at more than $13.8 billion. Based on this figure, Greater Vancouver home sales in 2004 generated over $1 billion in related sales.

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver is an association representing more than 8,100 REALTORS®. The Real Estate Board provides a variety of membership services, including the Multiple Listing Service©. For more information on real estate, statistics, and buying or selling a home, contact a local REALTOR® or visit www.realtylink.org.

^*In August 2004, the Greater Vancouver and Fraser Valley boards upgraded our existing MLS® systems to a common system called MLSLink. MLSLink® HPI is the latest version of the Board’s Housing Price Index (HPI) and is designed to accommodate the MLS® upgrade and improve the legacy HPI product. For more information on real estate, statistics, and buying or selling a home, visit www.realtylink.org.

For more information please contact:

Eileen Day, Manager of Communications
Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver
Phone: (604) 730-3028 Fax: (604) 730-3102
E-mail: eday@rebgv.org

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