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Sales Struggle Against a Weak Economy and Rising Mortgage Rates.

Vancouver, BC – June 11, 2026.

The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that 6,790 residential unit sales were recorded in Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) Systems in May 2026, down 2 per cent from May 2025. The average MLS® residential price in BC in May 2026 was down 1.4 per cent at $945,878 compared to $959,216 in May 2025.

Total MLS® residential sales dollar volume was $6.42 billion, down 3.4 per cent from the same time the previous year. BC MLS® unit sales were 26.39 per cent lower than the ten-year average for the month of May.

“Rising mortgage rates and a weak labour market continue to constrain activity around the province but especially in the Lower Mainland,” said BCREA Chief Economist Brendon Ogmundson. “The recent rise in mortgage rates presents an unexpected headwind for the market this year and may further delay a recovery in activity.”

Year-to-date, BC residential sales dollar volume is down 8 per cent to $25.1 billion, compared with the same period in 2025. Residential unit sales are down 6.9 per cent year-over-year at 26,681 units, while the average MLS® residential price is also down 1.2 per cent to $941,883.

Led by slow sales in the apartment segment, home sales registered on the MLS® in Metro Vancouver* were down nearly four per cent in May compared to last year.

The Greater Vancouver REALTORS® (GVR) reports that residential sales in the region totalled 2,150 in May 2026, a 3.5 per cent decrease from the 2,228 sales recorded in May 2025. This was 26.6 per cent below the 10-year seasonal average (2,930). 

“While attached sales held relatively steady and detached sales edged up roughly one per cent in May, apartment sales were down about seven per cent year-over-year, which weighed down the overall sales total,” said Andrew Lis, GVR chief economist and vice-president data analytics. “Even then, apartment sales were not down uniformly across all regions – some of the larger areas such as North and East Vancouver saw increases relative to last year.”

There were 6,115 detached, attached and apartment properties newly listed for sale on the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in Metro Vancouver in May 2026. This represents a 7.6 per cent decrease compared to the 6,620 properties listed in May 2025. This was 1.3 per cent above the 10-year seasonal average (6,036). 

The total number of properties currently listed for sale on the MLS® system in Metro Vancouver is 16,917, a one per cent decrease compared to May 2025 (17,094). This is 34.6 per cent above the 10-year seasonal average (12,567). 

Across all detached, attached and apartment property types, the sales-to-active listings ratio for May 2026 is 13.1 per cent. By property type, the ratio is 10.7 per cent for detached homes, 15.4 per cent for attached, and 14.2 per cent for apartments. 

Analysis of the historical data suggests downward pressure on home prices occurs when the ratio dips below 12 per cent for a sustained period, while home prices often experience upward pressure when it surpasses 20 per cent over several months. 

“Price trends across all housing types were flat month-over-month, as a healthy level of inventory easily absorbed the relatively muted level of overall demand in the market,” Lis said. “Year-to-date, sales have come in just shy of our forecast to this point in the year. With demand tracking our forecast so closely, it’s reasonable to expect a calm and orderly summer market, as no obvious near-term catalysts loom over the horizon to move the market significantly in either direction.”  

The MLS® Home Price Index composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Metro Vancouver is currently $1,100,700. This represents a 6.2 per cent decrease over May 2025 and a 0.2 per cent increase compared to April 2026. 

Sales of detached homes in May 2026 reached 660, a 0.9 per cent increase from the 654 detached sales recorded in May 2025. The benchmark price for a detached home is $1,847,900. This represents a 6.9 per cent decrease from May 2025 and a 0.4 per cent increase compared to April 2026. 

Sales of apartment homes reached 1,009 in May 2026, a 7.2 per cent decrease compared to the 1,087 sales in May 2025. The benchmark price of an apartment home is $697,800. This represents a 7.9 per cent decrease from May 2025 and a 0.7 per cent decrease compared to April 2026. 

Attached home sales in May 2026 totalled 463, a 1.3 per cent decrease compared to the 469 sales in May 2025. The benchmark price of a townhouse is $1,048,200. This represents a 5.1 per cent decrease from May 2025 and a 0.5 per cent increase compared to April 2026.