Home Sales Surge Higher in June

The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that a total of 8,989 residential sales were recorded by the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in June, up 24.9 per cent from June 2013. Total sales dollar volume was $5 billion, an increase of 30.5 per cent compared to a year ago. The average MLS® residential price in the province rose to $556,977, up 4.5 per cent from the same month last year.

“Home sales finished the second quarter on an upward trend,” said Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist. “The increase in provincial housing demand was broad-based, with the largest year-over-year increases occurring in the Okanagan, the Kootenays and Chilliwack.”

Home sales climbed 46 per cent in the South Okanagan and nearly 30 per cent in the Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board area. In addition, home sales rose 36 per cent in the Kootenays and 33 per cent in Chilliwack compared to the same month last year.

“Market conditions also continued to improve, with the Okanagan and the Lower Mainland even flirting with sellers’ market conditions,” added Muir.

DDuring the half of the year, BC’s residential sales dollar volume was up nearly 26.8 per cent to $23.8 billion, compared to the same period last year. Residential unit sales were up 18.5 per cent to 41,883 units, while the average MLS® residential price was up 7 per cent at $568,499.