The January Market Stats Pack for East and West are out and available for download. You get the following graphs and charts for both Vancouver East and Vancouver West.

• Activity Snapshot by Property Type
• Detached Properties Report and Graph
• Condo Report and Graph
• Townhomes Report and Graph
• Benchmark Price Graph
• Average Price Per Square Foot

If you are interested in a report like this for other areas, please contact me to request it and I'll send it to you.

DOWNLOAD HERE

VANCOUVER, BC – February 4, 2019 – Home listings continue to increase across all housing categories in the Metro Vancouver* housing market while home buyer activity remains below historical averages.

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that residential home sales in the region totalled 1,103 in January 2019, a 39.3 per cent decrease from the 1,818 sales recorded in January 2018, and a 2.9 per cent increase from the 1,072 homes sold in December 2018.

Last month’s sales were 36.3 per cent below the 10-year January sales average and were the lowest January-sales total since 2009.

“REALTORS® are seeing more traffic at open houses compared to recent months, however, buyers are choosing to remain in a holding pattern for the time being,” Phil Moore, REBGV president said.

There were 4,848 detached, attached and apartment homes newly listed for sale on the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in Metro Vancouver in January 2019. This represents a 27.7 per cent increase compared to the 3,796 homes listed in January 2018 and a 244.6 per cent increase compared to the 1,407 homes listed in December 2018.

The total number of homes currently listed for sale on the MLS® system in Metro Vancouver is 10,808, a 55.6 per cent increase compared to January 2018 (6,947) and a 5.2 per cent increase compared to December 2018 (10,275).

For all property types, the sales-to-active listings ratio for January 2019 is 10.2 per cent. By property type, the ratio is 6.8 per cent for detached homes, 11.9 per cent for townhomes, and 13.6 per cent for condominiums.

Generally, analysts say that downward pressure on home prices occurs when the ratio dips below the 12 per cent mark for a sustained period, while home prices often experience upward pressure when it surpasses 20 per cent over several months.

“Home prices have edged down across all home types in the region over the last seven months,” Moore said.

The MLS® Home Price Index composite benchmark price for all residential homes in Metro Vancouver is currently $1,019,600. This represents a 4.5 per cent decrease over January 2018, and a 7.2 per cent decrease over the past six months.

“Economic fundamentals underpinning our market for home buyers and sellers remain strong. Today’s market conditions are largely the result of the mortgage stress test that the federal government imposed at the beginning of last year,” Moore said. “This measure, coupled with an increase in mortgage rates, took away as much as 25 per cent of purchasing power from many home buyers trying to enter the market.”

Sales of detached homes in January 2019 reached 339, a 30.4 per cent decrease from the 487 detached sales recorded in January 2018. The benchmark price for detached homes is $1,453,400. This represents a 9.1 per cent decrease from January 2018, and an 8.3 per cent decrease over the past six months.

Sales of apartment homes reached 559 in January 2019, a 44.8 per cent decrease compared to the 1,012 sales in January 2018. The benchmark price of an apartment property is $658,600. This represents a 1.7 per cent decrease from January 2018, and a 6.6 per cent decrease over the past six months.

Attached home sales in January 2019 totalled 205, a 35.7 per cent decrease compared to the 319 sales in January 2018. The benchmark price of an attached unit is $800,600. This represents a 0.5 per cent decrease from January 2018, and a 6.2 per cent decrease over the past six months.

Download the Full Market Report Here.

British Columbians in urban areas will have to apply for an exemption to the province's new Speculation and Vacancy Tax — or else they'll automatically pay by default.

Declaration notices will be sent by mid-February to homeowners in the Lower Mainland, Greater Victoria, Kelowna and Nanaimo in the coming weeks. They'll have until March 31 to fill out the exemption form. You can complete your declaration online as soon as you receive your declaration letter. You need the Letter ID and Declaration Code from your letter before you start.

The speculation tax was introduced to prevent housing speculation in B.C.'s overheated real estate market and help turn vacant properties into rentals. The tax targets vacant or underutilized properties, and homeowners who live at their properties — or rent them out — will be exempt.

In a release, the Ministry of Finance said more than 99 per cent of British Columbians will be exempt. However, owners still must register to claim their exemption.

It means that, of the 1.6 million households that will receive the letter, only about 32,000 homes will be taxed, according to ministry estimates.

For 2018, the tax rate is 0.5 per cent of the property's assessed value for all properties subject to the tax. For 2019 and subsequent years, the tax rate is two per cent for foreign owners and satellite families, and 0.5 per cent for Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada who are not members of a satellite family. Satellite families are those families where the majority of the combined income is earned outside of Canada.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this issue please feel free to reach out to me and I will be happy to assist in any way I can.