Victoria’s hot housing market levels off, supply still important for long-term attainability
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(r) to make decisions.”
There were 2,059 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service(r) 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(r) 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(r) 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.
About the Victoria Real Estate Board – Founded in 1921, the Victoria Real Estate Board is a key player in the development of standards and innovative programs to enhance the professionalism of Realtors. The Victoria Real Estate Board represents 1,586 local Realtors. If you are thinking about buying or selling a home, connect with your local Realtor for detailed information on the Victoria and area housing market.