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A total of 470 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this February, 2.2 per cent more than the 460 properties sold in February 2023 and a 37.8 per cent increase from January 2024. Sales of condominiums were down 5.6 per cent from February 2023 with 152 units sold. Sales of single family homes increased 1.8 per cent from February 2023 with 224 sold.

“We saw glimmers of a start to the spring market over the course of February,” said 2024 Victoria Real Estate Board Chair Laurie Lidstone. “In addition to the increase in sales, more than five hundred new listings came to market when compared to last year’s inventory numbers. This much needed inventory gives buyers more selection and more time to make their purchasing decisions. We’ve also seen prices continue to remain stable, which is excellent for buyers and sellers because it makes the transaction much more predictable.”

There were 2,364 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of February 2024, an increase of 10.5 per cent compared to the previous month of January and a 30.7 per cent increase from the 1,809 active listings for sale at the end of February 2023.

“We noted an increase in townhome sales this past month,” adds Chair Lidstone. “Townhomes are an important segment of missing middle housing, one that is undersupplied in the Greater Victoria area. Hopefully the fifty per cent increase in townhome sales compared to last year will encourage more development of this type of housing to meet our missing middle housing needs. If you are considering a move this coming spring, it’s a great time to connect with your REALTOR® to make a plan.”

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in February 2023 was $1,251,000. The benchmark value for the same home in February 2024 decreased by 0.3 per cent to $1,247,400, up from January’s value of $1,244,000. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core area in February 2023 was $549,300 while the benchmark value for the same condominium in February 2024 increased by 1.4 per cent to $557,000, down from the January value of $559,000.

Article taken from: https://www.vreb.org/current-statistics#gsc.tab=0

A total of 470 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this February, 2.2 per cent more than the 460 properties sold in February 2023 and a 37.8 per cent increase from January 2024. Sales of condominiums were down 5.6 per cent from February 2023 with 152 units sold. Sales of single family homes increased 1.8 per cent from February 2023 with 224 sold.

“We saw glimmers of a start to the spring market over the course of February,” said 2024 Victoria Real Estate Board Chair Laurie Lidstone. “In addition to the increase in sales, more than five hundred new listings came to market when compared to last year’s inventory numbers. This much needed inventory gives buyers more selection and more time to make their purchasing decisions. We’ve also seen prices continue to remain stable, which is excellent for buyers and sellers because it makes the transaction much more predictable.”

There were 2,364 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of February 2024, an increase of 10.5 per cent compared to the previous month of January and a 30.7 per cent increase from the 1,809 active listings for sale at the end of February 2023.

“We noted an increase in townhome sales this past month,” adds Chair Lidstone. “Townhomes are an important segment of missing middle housing, one that is undersupplied in the Greater Victoria area. Hopefully the fifty per cent increase in townhome sales compared to last year will encourage more development of this type of housing to meet our missing middle housing needs. If you are considering a move this coming spring, it’s a great time to connect with your REALTOR® to make a plan.”

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in February 2023 was $1,251,000. The benchmark value for the same home in February 2024 decreased by 0.3 per cent to $1,247,400, up from January’s value of $1,244,000. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core area in February 2023 was $549,300 while the benchmark value for the same condominium in February 2024 increased by 1.4 per cent to $557,000, down from the January value of $559,000.

Article taken from: https://www.vreb.org/current-statistics#gsc.tab=0

The newly built home exemption reduces or eliminates the property transfer tax on qualifying purchases of a principal residence.

• Full exemption: Effective April 1, 2024, the fair market value threshold for a full exemption for newly built homes is increased from $750,000 to $1,100,000.
• Partial exemption: A partial exemption is also available for properties with fair market values just above the threshold. The phase out range is $50,000 above the threshold, with the complete elimination of the exemption at $1,150,000 for qualifying purchasers
• The property must:
• Be located in B.C.
• Only be used as your principal residence
• Be 0.5 hectares (1.24 acres) or smaller
• Have a fair market value of $835,000 or less (effective April 1, 2024)
• Qualifying first-time buyers can benefit when they purchase a home worth up to $835,000, with the first $500,000 completely exempt from the property transfer tax. That could mean as much as $8,000 in savings!

A total of 341 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this January, 22.7 per cent more
than the 278 properties sold in January 2023 and a 3.6 per cent increase from December 2023. Sales of
condominiums were up 10.9 per cent from January 2023 with 112 units sold. Sales of single family homes
increased 35 per cent from January 2023 with 162 sold.

“Our housing market eased into the new year with a renewed sense of balance,” said 2024 Victoria Real
Estate Board Chair Laurie Lidstone. “Sales were up slightly based off last year’s very low numbers, and
overall, we saw the stabilization that we observed in late 2023 continue into 2024. Mortgage rates have
levelled out, inventory is slowly creeping back up, and we are no longer in that highly pressurized market
of recent years which created complicated and sometimes stressful conditions for buyers and sellers.”
There were 2,140 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the
end of January 2024, an increase of 0.4 per cent compared to the previous month of December and a 23.1
per cent increase from the 1,739 active listings for sale at the end of January 2023.
“I think this balance and stability in our market brings with it an optimistic outlook for the coming months,”
adds Chair Lidstone. “If balanced conditions continue, buyers and sellers will have more time to make
decisions and there will be less pressure on pricing. Of course, there are many factors that impact
the market here in Victoria, and as we’ve seen in the past things can change very rapidly. If you are
considering selling or buying, connect with a local Realtor to identify where your opportunities are as we
move towards spring.”

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria
Core in January 2023 was $1,224,000. The benchmark value for the same home in January 2024
increased by 1.6 per cent to $1,244,000 down from December’s value of $1,268,000. The MLS® HPI
benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core area in January 2023 was $562,200 while the
benchmark value for the same condominium in January 2024 decreased by 0.6 per cent to $559,000,
down from the December value of $562,000.

Article taken from: https://www.vreb.org/current-statistics#gsc.tab=0

CLICK HERE to be redirected to the BC Assessment Information page on how to APPEAL your 2024 Assessment.

Happy New Year!

I hope the holiday season treated you and your family well and that 2024 is off to a great start!

If you have not already taken a look online or opened your 2024 BC Property Assessment, you are likely in for a decrease as assessed values are reported to be down across the board in the Greater Victoria area. According to BC Assessment, the decreased range is between 1-4% in the region. *Note that not every assessment went down so don’t panic if you see a slight increase.

As reported, the largest decreases (in Greater Victoria) for single-family homes were seen in Sooke and the Highlands with a 4% decrease. Both saw assessed values drop to $799,000 and $1.27 million respectively. The average drop for Victoria, Oak Bay, North Saanich and Metchosin, meanwhile, was 1%. The typical assessed value of a single-family home in Victoria fell to $1.14 million. In the Strata category there was a  decrease by 1% in Saanich, View Royal and Oak Bay. There were increases of 6% in Colwood, where a typical strata unit’s assessed value jumped to $650,000 from $615,000. 

Some other examples of decreases over the last year in Greater Victoria include: 

*Oak Bay: -1% avg. decrease  [avg. single family home in Oak Bay assessment now $1.638 million by BC Assessment]

*Saanich: -2% avg. decrease [avg single family home in Saanich assessment now $1.161 million by BC Assessment] 

*Esquimalt: -2% avg. decrease [avg single family home in Esquimalt assessment now $1.1005 million by BC Assessment] 

*The HIGHEST assessed property in the region this year remains..: James Island assessed at $57.93 million (down from last year $61.24 million) as of July 1. 

*The SUPER LEADER in assessments for the capital region this year is 1850 Lands End Rd., which was assessed at $17.5 million, surpassing 3160 Humber Rd. in Oak Bay, which this year was assessed at $16.24 million, down from a $16.8-million valuation last year.

Assessment notices show the estimated market value as of July 1, 2023, and physical condition as of Oct. 31, 2023, as determined by B.C. Assessment. The organization takes into account a range of factors, from nearby sales to location, condition, and improvements. They are not always correct and do not necessarily represent the current market value.  

If you have any concerns about your property assessment notice and feel that it is not correctly representative of other similar homes in your area, you have until Wednesday, January 31st, 2024 to appeal your assessments. See BC Assessment website for further details.

If you have any questions about values in your neighbourhood for contesting or about the current real market value of your property, please feel free to give us a call and we would be happy to set up a time to further discuss what this changing real estate market means to the price of your home. 

I look forward to speaking soon in the New Year and wish you all the best in 2024!!

Please give us a call or email should you have any questions. Thank you.

A total of 329 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this December, 2.8 per cent more than the 320 properties sold in December 2022 and a 16.5 per cent decrease from November 2023. Sales of condominiums were up 14.9 per cent from December 2022 with 108 units sold. Sales of single family homes increased 1.3 per cent from December 2022 with 158 sold.

A grand total of 6,207 properties sold over the course of 2023, 8.77 per cent fewer than the 6,804 sold in 2022.

“I’ve spoken a lot this year about our market’s return to traditional seasonal patterns,” said 2023 Victoria Real Estate Board Chair Graden Sol. “And at the conclusion of 2023 we can see that this trend continues. This is a welcome relief for sellers and buyers after an extraordinary five years of real estate market disruption. Everyone benefits from a more predictable real estate market, so it is encouraging to see the rhythm of seasonal trends reestablished. If this continues into 2024, we should see more inventory added in January and February and an increase in sales as consumers prepare for the spring market. True to seasonal form, December met expectations and was a slow month, both for sales and for new listings.”

There were 2,132 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of December 2023, a decrease of 19.4 per cent compared to the previous month of November but a 26.3 per cent increase from the 1,688 active listings for sale at the end of December 2022.

“The single biggest impact on the housing market this year was interest rates,” adds Chair Sol. “The increased cost of borrowing money meant that consumers had less purchasing power, which resulted in a drop in transactions. There is however still huge demand for housing in our market and as we move forward into 2024 and beyond, we need to continue to put focus on the creation of new supply so that as market activity increases prices don’t increase as quickly. The only way to moderate housing prices is to bring supply closer to meeting demand. As always, our market is subject to many influences and the purchase and sale process is complex. If you are contemplating buying or selling in 2024, call your favourite local Realtor who can create the best strategy for you and for your property.”

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in December 2022 was $1,236,500. The benchmark value for the same home in December 2023 increased by 2.5 per cent to $1,268,000, down from November’s value of $1,286,400. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core area in December 2022 was $565,800 while the benchmark value for the same condominium in December 2023 decreased by 0.7 per cent to $562,000, down from the November value of $577,400.

Article taken from: https://www.vreb.org/current-statistics#gsc.tab=0

A total of 394 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this November, a 2.6 per cent increase from the 384 properties sold in November 2022 and a 3.2 per cent decrease from October 2023. Sales of condominiums were down 11.8 per cent from November 2022 with 120 units sold. Sales of single family homes increased by 6 per cent from November 2022 with 193 sold.

“It’s unsurprising to see this slight relaxation of sales in the market,” said Victoria Real Estate Board Chair Graden Sol. “Given the current interest rate environment, our sales numbers are lower than long term averages, but the pattern of seasonality within those lower numbers is what we would expect for this part of the year. We have seen a healthy twenty-five per cent increase in the number of listings on market compared to last year and this is positive news as we recover from that long-term trend of very low inventory.”

There were 2,644 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of November 2023, a decrease of 4.1 per cent compared to the previous month of October and a 25.2 per cent increase from the 2,111 active listings for sale at the end of November 2022.

“The longer we are in balanced market conditions, the easier transitions for buyers and sellers become,” adds Sol. “Local people who planned to sell and move within the Greater Victoria area may have hesitated to list their homes back when record low inventory meant less choice when they became buyers. Now that we see some balance in the market, these people have more inventory to pick from and may feel more confident listing their existing home. And of course, all buyers are having better experiences with more time and more choice. We always anticipate a seasonal reduction in activity over winter, but if you are contemplating a move in the new year, now is an excellent time to consult with your favourite REALTOR® to create your strategy.”

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in November 2022 was $1,248,600. The benchmark value for the same home in November 2023 increased by 3 per cent to $1,286,400, which is down from October’s value of $1,305,900. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core area in November 2022 was $568,400, while the benchmark value for the same condominium in November 2023 increased by 1.6 per cent to $577,400, which is down from the October value of $585,600.

Article taken from: https://www.vreb.org/current-statistics#gsc.tab=0

A total of 407 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this October, 15.2 per cent fewer than the 480 properties sold in October 2022 and a 17.4 per cent decrease from September 2023. Sales of condominiums were down 7.2 per cent from October 2022 with 141 units sold. Sales of single family homes decreased 16.1 per cent from October 2022 with 193 sold.

“Overall, property sales drifted down in October compared to the previous month, likely due to consumers continuing to navigate interest rates higher than those seen in nearly two decades,” said Victoria Real Estate Board Chair Graden Sol. “The uncertainty around the direction of the Bank of Canada rate announcement in mid-October may have caused some buyers to push their purchasing plans into the future because it was unclear if rates were going to be hiked again or remain stable. Generally speaking, when we have periods of static interest rates, consumer confidence returns to the market. We can recall earlier in the year when rates plateaued; we saw an uptick in sales in the weeks after. However, when rates began to rise again, we saw consumer confidence falter.”

There were 2,756 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of October 2023, an increase of 2.1 per cent compared to the previous month of September and a 25.7 per cent increase from the 2,192 active listings for sale at the end of October 2022.

“The good news in October was that we continued to see a slow and steady increase in the number of available properties for sale,” adds Sol. “This additional inventory is positive for buyers who will have more selection than they’ve experienced in recent years. The real estate market tends to slow down in late fall and winter, but there are still a good number of active buyers. If you’re thinking about making a move during the colder months, reach out to your local REALTOR® to plan your strategy.”

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in October 2022 was $1,257,100. The benchmark value for the same home in October 2023 increased by 3.9 per cent to $1,305,900, which is down from September’s value of $1,312,200. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core area in October 2022 was $575,300, while the benchmark value for the same condominium in October 2023 increased by 1.8 per cent to $585,600, which is down from the September value of $589,600.

Article taken from: https://www.vreb.org/current-statistics#gsc.tab=0

A total of 544 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this August, 13.8 per cent more than the 478 properties sold in August 2022 and an 8.6 per cent decrease from July 2023. Sales of condominiums were up 10.8 per cent from August 2022 with 164 units sold. Sales of single family homes increased 9.6 per cent from August 2022 with 273 sold.

“Real estate activity this month reflected what we’d expect to see in an average late summer housing market,” said Victoria Real Estate Board Chair Graden Sol. “The beginning of the month was reasonably slow, and sales ramped up through the last half of the month. The brisk sales pace leading up to the end of August may very well continue into September.”

There were 2,490 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of August 2023, an increase of 2.9 per cent compared to the previous month of July and a 16.5 per cent increase from the 2,137 active listings for sale at the end of August 2022.

“The focus in our market and by all levels of government needs to be on opening up more supply,” Sol notes. “Our inventory levels, though up from last year, are still too low to support a well-balanced market. A decade ago, we saw over 5,000 active listings in August. Another important piece of supply is the housing mix that is available. Most residential properties for sale in our market last month were single family homes – this type of property is generally at the top price point. Missing middle homes, such as townhomes and condos represented only 37.1% of listings for sale. Townhomes, which in my experience are what a lot of families hope to purchase, represented only 9.8% of the residential properties for sale. This imbalance in the mix of housing options means there is the potential for more price pressure on these types of properties because demand is concentrated at more attainable price points.”

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in August 2022 was $1,327,700. The benchmark value for the same home in August 2023 decreased by 0.3 per cent to $1,323,900, which is up from July’s value of $1,318,800. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core area in August 2022 was $583,700, while the benchmark value for the same condominium in August 2023 decreased by 0.3 per cent to $582,000, which is up from the July value of $578,000.

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 1,649 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.

Article taken from: https://www.vreb.org/current-statistics#gsc.tab=0

A total of 544 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this August, 13.8 per cent more than the 478 properties sold in August 2022 and an 8.6 per cent decrease from July 2023. Sales of condominiums were up 10.8 per cent from August 2022 with 164 units sold. Sales of single family homes increased 9.6 per cent from August 2022 with 273 sold.

“Real estate activity this month reflected what we’d expect to see in an average late summer housing market,” said Victoria Real Estate Board Chair Graden Sol. “The beginning of the month was reasonably slow, and sales ramped up through the last half of the month. The brisk sales pace leading up to the end of August may very well continue into September.”

There were 2,490 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of August 2023, an increase of 2.9 per cent compared to the previous month of July and a 16.5 per cent increase from the 2,137 active listings for sale at the end of August 2022.

“The focus in our market and by all levels of government needs to be on opening up more supply,” Sol notes. “Our inventory levels, though up from last year, are still too low to support a well-balanced market. A decade ago, we saw over 5,000 active listings in August. Another important piece of supply is the housing mix that is available. Most residential properties for sale in our market last month were single family homes – this type of property is generally at the top price point. Missing middle homes, such as townhomes and condos represented only 37.1% of listings for sale. Townhomes, which in my experience are what a lot of families hope to purchase, represented only 9.8% of the residential properties for sale. This imbalance in the mix of housing options means there is the potential for more price pressure on these types of properties because demand is concentrated at more attainable price points.”

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in August 2022 was $1,327,700. The benchmark value for the same home in August 2023 decreased by 0.3 per cent to $1,323,900, which is up from July’s value of $1,318,800. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core area in August 2022 was $583,700, while the benchmark value for the same condominium in August 2023 decreased by 0.3 per cent to $582,000, which is up from the July value of $578,000.

Article taken from: https://www.vreb.org/current-statistics#gsc.tab=0