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® to make decisions."

There were 2,059 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® 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® 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® 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.

Spring is traditionally the busiest real estate season, but early on Victoria’s market sees a change

May 2, 2022  A total of 824 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this April, 26.2 per cent fewer than the 1,116 properties sold in April 2021 and a 1.1 per cent decrease from March 2022. Sales of condominiums were down 20.8 per cent from April 2021 with 262 units sold. Sales of single family homes decreased 28.5 per cent from April 2021 with 403 sold.

"The past month concluded with notably lower sales when compared to April of last year," said 2022 Victoria Real Estate Board President Karen Dinnie-Smyth. "This tells an interesting story because activity traditionally peaks over the course of the spring, and this year we have seen a gradual softening of the market. As we have reported many times in the past years, the market hinges on supply and demand. Rising interest rates and inflationary pressures on top of higher prices throughout the region have combined to introduce new market dynamics because of waning demand that consumers and their REALTORS® are now navigating. Our inventory levels remain well below historic averages, so prices remain buoyant because the supply is still much lower than this recent decrease in demand."

There were 1,365 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of April 2022, an increase of 28.4 per cent compared to the previous month of March but a 6.1 per cent decrease from the 1,454 active listings for sale at the end of April 2021.

"The market has made a pivot compared to the spring of 2021," adds President Dinnie-Smyth. "However, we continue to see competition for lower priced homes and multiple offers are still very much a reality in our market and likely will be for some time. We are currently experiencing a lessening of demand, but that does not mean we can lose sight of the fact that our housing market needs more supply. We must continue to encourage the government and stakeholders to focus on building more homes and not on creating new rules such as a cooling-off period that have nothing to do with getting more people into homes and risk upward pressure on pricing. The market will continue to have corrections, both up and down, and government interventions must target more new doors for the long-term health of our housing market."

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in April 2021 was $997,500. The benchmark value for the same home in April 2022 increased by 26.9 per cent to $1,266,200, up from March's value of $1,233,700. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core area in April 2021 was $513,100 while the benchmark value for the same condominium in April 2022 increased by 26.7 per cent to $650,200, up from the March value of $635,100.

Victoria real estate market continues to experience low inventory and high demand

April 1, 2022  A total of 833 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this March, 29 per cent fewer than the 1,173 properties sold in March 2021 but a 16 per cent increase from February 2022. Sales of condominiums were down 26 per cent from March 2021 with 279 units sold. Sales of single family homes decreased 28.2 per cent from March 2021 with 412 sold.

"Once again, we have had a record breaker of a month," said 2022 Victoria Real Estate Board President Karen Dinnie-Smyth. "This March had the lowest number of active listings we have seen in a month of March - beating last year's record low. For context, in the past five years the average number of active listings at the end of March is 1,864 properties. This March had just over one thousand properties at month end. We did see more homes come to market this month compared to February - which is a positive sign - but our supply is still so constricted that multiple offers and competition continues, especially in the lower price ranges. We may see a lift in that pressure if more listings come to market over the spring, but since our inventory is so much lower than average, we have a long way to go to find balance."

There were 1,063 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of March 2022, an increase of 25.2 per cent compared to the previous month of February but an 18.9 per cent decrease from the 1,310 active listings for sale at the end of March 2021.

"March generally kicks off the busy spring real estate season," adds President Dinnie-Smyth. "However, this month's sales and listings may have been partly depressed by reasons beyond the market. After two spring breaks of COVID restrictions, it's plausible that many prospective buyers and sellers put their plans on pause to travel. Looking forward, it is difficult to predict what this spring will look like as those buyers and sellers return to the market. Many factors - including rising interest rates, the government's promise to apply new barriers to sales such as cooling-off periods, inflationary pressures and record high house prices - continue to make this a challenging market. If you are considering a move, a sale or both, it's a good time to engage the assistance of a trusted local REALTOR® to help you navigate the complex landscape."

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in March 2021 was $968,500. The benchmark value for the same home in March 2022 increased by 27.4 per cent to $1,233,700, up from February's value of $1,196,300. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core area in March 2021 was $497,000 while the benchmark value for the same condominium in March 2022 increased by 27.8 per cent to $653,100, up from the February value of $603,600.

Record low inventory prevents Victoria real estate market from cooling-off

March 1, 2022  A total of 718 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this February, 16.8 per cent fewer than the 863 properties sold in February 2021 but a 51.5 per cent increase from January 2021. Sales of condominiums were down 7.9 per cent from February 2021 with 267 units sold. Sales of single family homes decreased 20.8 per cent from February 2021 with 309 sold.

"It was heartening this month to see some more listings come to market in February," said 2022 Victoria Real Estate Board President Karen Dinnie-Smyth. "However, inventory levels remain at record lows and without a strong government focus on increasing supply, buyers will continue to face escalating prices and difficult market conditions."

There were 849 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of February 2022, an increase of 14.1 per cent compared to the previous month of January but a 35.6 per cent decrease from the 1,318 active listings for sale at the end of February 2021.

"We have asked the government for strong solutions to create supply to bring our market back into balance," adds President Dinnie-Smyth. "We need incentives for gentle densification and the removal of municipal barriers to development. What government has chosen to focus on instead is their announcement of a cooling-off period for residential sales this spring. They announced this measure with no industry consultation into how this may impact our housing market. The Victoria Real Estate Board and the British Columbia Real Estate Association have strongly recommended against a cooling-off period. Industry research shows that a cooling-off period will add volatility in both slow and pressurized market conditions. It provides no protection for home sellers and creates more risk and uncertainty for them when selling a home. Experienced and well-funded buyers will have an advantage over first-time buyers because a cooling-off period reduces negotiations to price alone. We have recommended alternative ideas for consumer protection - including the suggestion that a pre-sale offer period be introduced, which transcends market conditions and would better protect buyers and sellers while also mitigating the impact of pre-emptive offers. We hope our suggestions are taken seriously, they are a result of thorough research and consultation of hundreds of our local practitioners. Instead of discussing the British Columbia Real Estate Association's recommendations yesterday, Finance Minister Selina Robinson chose to inform the public that REALTORS® have a vested interest in home prices. For Minister Robinson to suggest that Realtors are keeping prices high is a convenient excuse and a weak attempt to divert attention away from the real issue - supply. Realtors would prefer a balanced market with reasonable prices and plenty of housing supply to meet demand. Our Realtors' only vested interest is in their clients and the more balanced our market is, the better we are able to serve the needs of buyers and sellers."

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in February 2021 was $948,500. The benchmark value for the same home in February 2022 increased by 26.1 per cent to $1,196,300, up from January's value of $1,161,500. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core area in February 2021 was $494,200, while the benchmark value for the same condominium in February 2022 increased by 22.1 per cent to $603,600, up from the January value of $587,300.

Limited inventory continues to be key in Victoria real estate market

February 1, 2022  A total of 474 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this January, 26.6 per cent fewer than the 646 properties sold in January 2021 but an 8.2 per cent increase from December 2021. Sales of condominiums were down 13 per cent from January 2021 with 188 units sold. Sales of single family homes decreased 39.7 per cent from January 2021 with 179 sold.

"A cursory glance at our sales numbers could lead to the quick conclusion that our market is slowing down," says 2022 Victoria Real Estate Board President Karen Dinnie-Smyth. "But what we must consider is not only the number of homes that have sold, but also the number of homes which were for available for sale within the month. To put our inventory into context, last year broke the record for lowest inventory for the month of January. This January broke that record nearly in half and that lack of supply in the market really impacts what our end sales numbers are. Had we seen more homes for sale, it's likely our result would have been many more sales."

There were 744 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of January 2022, an increase of 14.1 per cent compared to the previous month of December and a 43.7 per cent decrease from the 1,321 active listings for sale at the end of January 2021.

"As it stands, our market will be slow to change until our inventory levels perk up," adds President Dinnie-Smyth. "This means we need to see supply added of all types of housing and we need to establish a sustainable source of supply into the upcoming years to meet growth. The reality of housing is that it takes years to add new numbers and until we are better able to meet demand, our market will be under pressure. With the constrained and fast paced market, it's an excellent time to use the services of an experienced REALTOR®, one who can help you identify a strategy and process for selling or buying - or selling and buying - a new home."

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in January 2021 was $932,200. The benchmark value for the same home in January 2022 increased by 24.6 per cent to $1,161,500, up from December's value of $1,144,900. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core area in January 2021 was $487,500, while the benchmark value for the same condominium in January 2022 increased by 20.5 per cent to $587,300, up from the December value of $570,600.

The 2021 Victoria real estate market year in review

January 4, 2022  A total of 438 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this December, 30.6 per cent fewer than the 631 properties sold in December 2020 and a 32.9 per cent decrease from November 2021. Sales of condominiums were down 22.1 per cent from December 2020 with 152 units sold. Sales of single family homes decreased 34.1 per cent from December 2020 with 207 sold.

A grand total of 10,052 properties sold over the course of 2021, 18.3 per cent more than the 8,497 that sold in 2020. 2021 sales came in close to 2016's record breaking sales year where 10,622 properties were sold.

"The theme of this year has been very consistent," says 2021 Victoria Real Estate Board President David Langlois. "Each month a high demand for homes paired with record low inventory has put strong pressure on pricing and attainability and has made the local and global housing market a top news item and political talking point. We see stories from many countries highlighting the increasing desirability of home ownership in the wake of the pandemic. We leave this year with the lowest number of properties for sale that we have had on record - but with such strong demand that most transactions see multiple offers."

There were 652 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of December 2021, a decrease of 26.5 per cent compared to the previous month of November and a 49 per cent decrease from the 1,279 active listings for sale at the end of December 2020. This represents the lowest inventory of active listings at month-end in at least the last 25 years.

"We have spoken throughout the year about the need for new housing supply at all levels to help moderate prices and improve attainability," adds President Langlois. "Some of our municipalities have begun to look at ways to make it easier for new homes to be brought to market and we applaud and encourage any movement in this area - it has been far too difficult and expensive to build homes in our region. The situation we are now in is because of the deficit of supply that has compounded over the past decades of hesitation around growth. However, governments at the federal and provincial level have instead chosen to focus elsewhere and invest their time re-inventing the process of how homes are sold in Canada by creating new rules which include the introduction of a 'cooling-off' period. These measures will do nothing to improve our market, nor will they increase consumer protection. The process of how a home is sold is not the issue - homes will sell for what consumers will pay for them - using any sales process. The issue is how homes are brought to the marketplace and our huge lack of supply. Governments should expend their resources to address supply issues that continue to drive up competition for homes and result in ever increasing prices."

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in December 2020 was $915,300. The benchmark value for the same home in December 2021 increased by 25.1 per cent to $1,144,900, up from November's value of $1,122,600. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core area in December 2020 was $487,100, while the benchmark value for the same condominium in December 2021 increased by 17.1 per cent to $570,600, up from the November value of $560,700.

No change on the horizon for the Victoria real estate market

December 1, 2021  A total of 653 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this November, 17.9 per cent fewer than the 795 properties sold in November 2020 and 12.3 per cent fewer than the previous month of October. 236 condominiums sold, 5.2 per cent fewer than in the previous month of October. 276 single family homes sold, 18.6 per cent fewer than in the previous month of October.

"Strong demand for housing in our community continues to exceed the ultra-low number of listings of homes available for sale," said Victoria Real Estate Board President David Langlois. "This demand creates competition and pressure on pricing and we continue to see home values notch up. At this moment in time, there are fewer than 600 residential properties for sale in our market."

There were 887 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of November 2021, 51.1 per cent fewer properties than the 1,813 available at the end of November 2020 and 14.4 per cent fewer properties than the 1,036 active listings for sale at the end of October 2021.

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in November 2020 was $903,700. The benchmark value for the same home in November 2021 increased by 24.2 per cent to $1,122,600, a 1.7 per cent increase from the previous month of October. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core in November 2020 was $485,100, while the benchmark value for the same condominium in November 2021 increased by 15.6 per cent to $560,700.

"Only with strong measures around supply will we see a lift in the pressures on our housing market," added President Langlois. "Governments continue to try to intervene by using demand side measures, such as the province announcing their plan to introduce a 'cooling off' period for resale homes. This concept was delivered without industry consultation or supporting data. Introducing measures that add uncertainty to the marketplace fails to address the issues of supply and attainability in our community - and threatens to make the supply situation worse. A cooling off period will not increase consumer protection - in fact many of the unintended consequences of such a policy could decrease protection for both buyers and sellers. The housing market is complex and policy must be evidence-based and designed for all types of markets – not to react to a moment in time. The government needs to sharpen their focus on the issue that has been documented for years – that a consistent delay in the delivery of homes to meet the needs of our growing population has created housing gridlock."

Inventory pressures continue to constrain Victoria real estate market

November 1, 2021  A total of 745 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this October, 24.7 per cent fewer than the 990 properties sold in October 2020 and 2.1 per cent fewer than the previous month of September. Condominium sales were down 18.1 per cent from October 2020 with 249 units sold. 18.6 per cent fewer condominiums sold in October 2021 than in the previous month of September. Sales of single family homes were down 30.4 per cent from October 2020 with 339 sold. 2.4 per cent more single family homes sold in October 2021 than in the previous month of September.

"Once again – it's anyone's guess what our sales numbers would be like had we been in a market with a historically average number of homes for sale," said Victoria Real Estate Board President David Langlois. "Over the previous ten years, the average number of properties for sale in October was 3,210 - we are one third of that this year. We continue to see record breaking low levels of homes for sale and with continuing competition for homes, we see pricing pressure persist."

There were 1,036 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of October 2021, 51.2 per cent fewer properties than the 2,122 available at the end of October 2020 and 7.8 per cent fewer properties than the 1,124 active listings for sale at the end of September 2021.

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in October 2020 was $880,500. The benchmark value for the same home in October 2021 increased by 25.3 per cent to $1,103,600, a 0.3 per cent increase from the previous month of September. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core in October 2020 was $482,200, while the benchmark value for the same condominium in October 2021 increased by 14.4 per cent to $551,800.

"The only solution to our current market is to create more supply," added President Langlois. "And creating supply isn't something that happens overnight, so we need to make a commitment to build in the coming years. That takes cooperation. It takes public acceptance of increased density in some areas, the ability for builders to staff and supply their developments and for investors to be able to make their plans a reality within a reasonable timeline and at a reasonable cost. We need to continue to focus on densification of our urban areas – the idea of encouraging duplexes and small plexes in neighbourhoods and building up in core areas. Thoughtful densification will allow us to protect our greenspace, leverage existing infrastructure and take advantage of existing amenities."

A greater commitment to development required to balance local housing market

October 1, 2021  A total of 761 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this September, 23.1 per cent fewer than the 989 properties sold in September 2020 and 8.4 per cent fewer than the previous month of August. Condominium sales were up 9.3 per cent from September 2020 with 306 units sold. 11.3 per cent fewer condominiums sold in September 2021 than in the previous month of August. Sales of single family homes were down 38.6 per cent from September 2020 with 331 sold. 7.3 per cent fewer single family homes sold in September 2021 than in the previous month of August.

"We are in a situation this month that is very similar to last month," said Victoria Real Estate Board President David Langlois. "We have seen a lot of demand for homes of all types, but very little inventory come onto the market. And just like last month, it would be inaccurate to say that the market has slowed down and certainly an oversimplification to say the market is experiencing traditional seasonal slowing. What we are experiencing is a continued response to long-term low inventory levels."

There were 1,124 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of September 2021, 53 per cent fewer properties than the 2,389 available at the end of September 2020 but four properties more than the 1,120 active listings for sale at the end of August 2021.

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in September 2020 was $879,700. The benchmark value for the same home in September 2021 increased by 25.1 per cent to $1,100,200, a 1 per cent increase from the previous month of August. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core in September 2020 was $482,000, while the benchmark value for the same condominium in September 2021 increased by 13.3 per cent to $545,900.

"It’s a complex market and it has been for some time here in Greater Victoria," added President Langlois. "We have a lot of people who want to share in this wonderful community, but we do not have the homes to answer the demand at all points in the housing spectrum. Adding more inventory - be it rental or market housing - requires a commitment to building from our community members. If you support more homes, you need to vocally support projects coming through your local municipal council. Many amazing developments never happen or are buried in expense, which adds to the end cost, before they make it through years of permitting because of opposition at public reviews - often by a small but vocal minority. In order to stop our cycle of pressure on pricing due to limited supply, our community must choose to commit to new housing or commit to prices escalating further."

Victoria housing market continues to adapt to long-term lack of supply

September 1, 2021 A total of 831 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this August, 15.1 per cent fewer than the 979 properties sold in August 2020 and 0.5 per cent fewer than the previous month of July. Condominium sales were up 31.7 per cent from August 2020 with 345 units sold. 21.5 per cent more condominiums sold in August 2021 than in the previous month of July. Sales of single family homes were down 29.9 per cent from August 2020 with 357 sold. 9.8 per cent fewer single family homes sold in August 2021 than in the previous month of July.

"Year over year numbers might indicate a slowing of our market, but there are two important factors to consider," said Victoria Real Estate Board President David Langlois. "The first is that our market is starved for inventory. It should come as no surprise that with half the available inventory of last August we sold fewer homes this August. Without the significant lack of inventory we're experiencing, sales would most certainly have been comparable to, if not greater than, last August. The second factor is that the previous ten-year running average for sales in the month of August is 675 properties, so with 831 properties changing hands this August, it is clear that our market remains very robust and that lack of supply is the biggest issue impacting attainability for our community.”

There were 1,120 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of August 2021, 56.7 per cent fewer properties than the 2,584 available at the end of August 2020 and 11.8 per cent fewer than the 1,270 active listings for sale at the end of July 2021.

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in August 2020 was $889,800. The benchmark value for the same home in August 2021 increased by 22.4 per cent to $1,089,400, a 0.7 per cent increase from the previous month of July. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core in August 2020 was $483,400, while the benchmark value for the same condominium in August 2021 was $540,600, an 11.8 per cent increase.

"The federal election will focus on each party's proposed policies and programs for housing," added Langlois. "The primary issue for housing attainability has been and remains one of supply. While increasing a consumer's ability to pay through tax free savings accounts, extended mortgage terms, or altering stress test provisions may assist some buyers to obtain housing, it will do nothing to slow the price appreciation that the systemic lack of housing supply continues to fuel. Specific commitments such as incentivising municipalities with infrastructure grants for density improvements, increasing on-campus housing, supporting co-op and leasehold developments and utilizing surplus federal lands to directly add to housing stock can all provide a path to more supply. Debates about bidding processes and foreign buyers do not offer material solutions to improve supply nor the attainability of housing. The municipal, provincial and federal governments' failure to support real growth and diversity in housing stocks has created the market conditions we find ourselves in today. Housing policy matters and we hope that all voters consider what each party proposes and the potential impact to our market."

Victoria housing inventory continues to decline over summer months

August 3, 2021  A total of 835 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this July, 14.7 per cent fewer than the 979 properties sold in July 2020 and 11.4 per cent fewer than the previous month of June. Condominium sales were up 18.8 per cent from July 2020 with 284 units sold. 16 per cent fewer condominiums sold in July 2021 than in the previous month of June. Sales of single family homes were down 29.2 per cent from July 2020 with 396 sold. 10 per cent fewer single family homes sold in July 2021 than in the previous month of June.

"The real estate story right now continues to be inventory," said Victoria Real Estate Board President David Langlois. "The market is driven by inventory; and fewer home listings lead to fewer home sales. In that context, these numbers do not reflect a downturn in our market but reveal sales falling due to this continued trend of low inventory."

There were 1,270 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of July 2021, 52.1 per cent fewer properties than the 2,653 available at the end of July 2020 and 7.6 per cent fewer than the 1,375 active listings for sale at the end of June 2021.

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in July 2020 was $909,900. The benchmark value for the same home in July 2021 increased by 18.9 per cent to $1,082,000, a 1.7 per cent increase from the previous month of June. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core in July 2020 was $494,900, while the benchmark value for the same condominium in July 2021 was $535,100, an 8.1 per cent increase.

"As a sort of housing gridlock continues to develop, the pressure to create more of all different types of homes in our community of should not be lessened," added Langlois. "It is important for the long term health of our housing market that a strong focus continue on developing new homes to meet our growing demand. The current market is increasingly challenging for buyers and sellers. It's important to access the expertise and knowledge of your local REALTOR® to ensure your interests are protected."

Low inventory and strong demand continue in Victoria real estate market

July 2, 2021  A total of 942 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this June, 16.6 per cent more than the 808 properties sold in June 2020, but 10.2 per cent fewer than the previous month of May. Condominium sales were up 61.7 per cent from June 2020 with 338 units sold. 4 per cent more condominiums sold in June 2021 than in the previous month of May. Sales of single family homes were down 4.3 per cent from June 2020 with 440 sold. 18.1 per cent fewer single family homes sold in June 2021 than in the previous month of May.

"We are at a point now where we can look at yearly comparisons with a new lens," said Victoria Real Estate Board President David Langlois. "In recent months we have been unable to glean anything by comparing year over year numbers because of the sudden and unexpected impact of the pandemic on the 2020 market. But June last year was when the market started its reacceleration. Buyers came back into the market in droves even though listings were restrained compared to long term averages."

There were 1,375 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of June 2021, 49 per cent fewer properties than the 2,698 available at the end of June 2020 and 5.2 per cent fewer than the 1,450 active listings for sale at the end of May 2021.

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in June 2020 was $896,700. The benchmark value for the same home in June 2021 increased by 18.6 per cent to $1,063,500, a 2.6 per cent increase from the previous month of May. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core in June 2020 was $490,400, while the benchmark value for the same condominium in June 2021 was $531,100, an 8.3 per cent increase.

"We see now even more sales activity than the return to the market we saw last year," added Langlois. "And our inventory is much more restricted, with more than thirteen hundred fewer listings for sale than the year previous. We can see the strong impact this shrinking supply has had on year over year prices. There are many factors we need to watch while this summer's market unfolds, including the change in borrowing rules that may impact first time buyers, declining levels of inventory and demand from outside of the province as tourism and travel reopens. Speak with your REALTOR® if you'd like fresh insight into our current market."