http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/province-to-tax-foreign-buyers-of-metro-vancouver-homes-1.3694167

http://vancouversun.com/opinion/opinion-real-estate-regulation-report-had-hits-and-misses

Demand remains elevated across the Vancouver housing market

Metro Vancouver* homes continue to sell at an unprecedented rate in communities across the region.

Residential property sales on the region's Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) totalled 4,769 in May 2016, an increase of 17.6 per cent from the 4,056 sales recorded in May 2015 and a decrease of 0.3 per cent compared to April 2016 when 4,781 homes sold.

Last month’s sales were 35.3 per cent above the 10-year sales average for the month and rank as the highest sales total on record for May.

"Home sellers are becoming more active in recent months, although that activity is being outpaced by home buyer demand today," Dan Morrison, REBGV president said.

New listings for detached, attached and apartment properties in Metro Vancouver totalled 6,289 in May 2016. This represents an increase of 11.5 per cent compared to the 5,641 units listed in May 2015 and a 2.6 per cent increase compared to April 2016 when 6,127 properties were listed.

The total number of properties currently listed for sale on the MLS® system in Metro Vancouver is 7,726, a 37.3 per cent decline compared to May 2015 (12,336) and a 2.3 per cent increase compared to April 2016 (7,550).

"Economic and job growth in Metro Vancouver is out performing most regions in the country. This is helping to underpin today’s activity," Morrison said.

The sales-to-active listings ratio for May 2016 is 61.7 per cent. This is indicative of a seller’s market.

Generally, analysts say that downward pressure on home prices occurs when the ratio dips below the 12 per cent mark, while home prices often experience upward pressure when it reaches the 20 to 22 per cent range in a particular community for a sustained period of time.

The MLS® Home Price Index composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Metro Vancouver is currently $889,100. This represents a 29.7 per cent increase compared to May 2015.

Sales of detached properties in May 2016 reached 1,865, an increase of 8.2 per cent from the 1,723 detached sales recorded in May 2015. The benchmark price for detached properties increased 36.9 per cent from May 2015 to $1,513,800.

Sales of apartment properties reached 2,150 in May 2016, an increase of 34.4 per cent compared to the 1,600 sales in May 2015.The benchmark price of an apartment property increased 22.3 per cent from May 2015 to $485,000.

Attached property sales in May 2016 totalled 754, an increase of 2.9 per cent compared to the 733 sales in May 2015. The benchmark price of an attached unit increased 24.9 per cent from May 2015 to $632,400.

Source: REBGV *Editor’s Note

Areas covered by the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver include: Whistler, Sunshine Coast, Squamish, West Vancouver, North Vancouver, Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Richmond, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, and South Delta.

The real estate industry is a key economic driver in British Columbia. In 2015, 42,326 homes changed ownership in the Board’s area, generating $2.7 billion in economic spin-off activity and an estimated 19,000 jobs. The total dollar value of residential sales transacted through the MLS® system in Greater Vancouver totalled $39 billion in 2015.

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver is an association representing more than 12,500 REALTORS® and their companies. The Board provides a variety of member services, including the Multiple Listing Service®.    

Vancouver, BC – May 10, 2016. Consumer awareness took a step forward with the announcement of new requirements for real estate contracts.

The government will require contracts prepared by real estate licensees to include clauses stating that the contract cannot be assigned without the written consent of the seller, and that any profit from an assignment goes to the initial seller. Clients can instruct licensees to omit or change the clauses.

"Real estate consumers now have a tool to help them decide whether they want their contracts to be assignable," says BC Real Estate Association (BCREA) President Deanna Horn. "Like many other provisions in the contract, buyers and sellers have the option of keeping the new paragraph, changing it or striking it out completely—but at least the conversation is more likely to happen now."

BCREA supports the new requirements. To help consumers and REALTORS® with the transition, the Association is adding the following paragraph to the residential and commercial Contracts of Purchase and Sale:

The Seller and the Buyer agree that this Contract: (a) must not be assigned without the written consent of the Seller; and (b) the Seller is entitled to any profit resulting from an assignment of the Contract by the Buyer or any subsequent assignee.

"Assignment" is the practice of someone assigning their rights in a contract to someone else before the transaction completes. In simple terms, someone can buy the right to step into the original buyer's shoes to complete the contract. Assigning one's right to a contract is a legitimate practice, allowed by common law and also by section 36 of the Law and Equity Act.

Also today, Minister of Finance Mike de Jong announced that, starting in June 2016, the provincial government will begin collecting citizenship data of real estate owners through the Property Transfer Tax form.

"BCREA is pleased that the government will collect this information, in which there is obviously a lot of public interest," says Association CEO Robert Laing. "Strong policy is based on solid information, and we look forward to learning more about this aspect of the real estate market."

Source: BCREA. 

Home sales remain at record levels across Metro Vancouver

VANCOUVER, B.C. – March 2, 2016 – Last month was the highest selling February on record for the Metro Vancouver* housing market. Residential property sales in the region totalled 4,172 in February 2016, an increase of 36.3 per cent from the 3,061 sales recorded in February 2015 and an increase of 65.6 per cent compared to January 2016 when 2,519 homes sold.

Last month’s sales were 56.3 per cent above the 10-year sales average for the month and rank as the highest February sales total on record. “We're in a competitive, fast-moving market cycle that favours home sellers,” Darcy McLeod, REBGV president said. “Sustained home buyer competition is keeping upward pressure on home prices across the region.” New listings for detached, attached and apartment properties in Metro Vancouver totalled 5,812 in February 2016. This represents an increase of 7.1 per cent compared to the 5,425 units listed in February 2015 and a 30.8 per cent increase compared to January 2016 when 4,442 properties were listed. “We're beginning to see home listings increase as we head toward the spring market, however, additional supply is still needed to meet today's demand,” McLeod said.

The total number of properties currently listed for sale on the MLS® system in Metro Vancouver is 7,299, a 38.7 per cent decline compared to February 2015 (11,898) and a 10 per cent increase compared to January 2016 (6,635).

The sales-to-active listings ratio for February 2016 is 57.2 per cent. This is indicative of a seller’s market. Generally, analysts say that downward pressure on home prices occurs when the ratio dips below the 12 per cent mark, while home prices often experience upward pressure when it reaches the 20 to 22 per cent range in a particular community for a sustained period of time.

The MLS® Home Price Index composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Metro Vancouver is currently $795,500. This represents a 22.2 per cent increase compared to February 2015.

Sales of detached properties in February 2016 reached 1,778, an increase of 37.2 per cent from the 1,296 detached sales recorded in February 2015. The benchmark price for detached properties increased 27 per cent from February 2015 to $1,305,600.

Sales of apartment properties reached 1,790 in February 2016, an increase of 43.9 per cent compared to the 1,244 sales in February 2015.The benchmark price of an apartment property increased 17.7 per cent from February 2015 to $454,600.

Attached property sales in February 2016 totalled 604, an increase of 15.9 per cent compared to the 521 sales in February 2015. The benchmark price of an attached unit increased 17 per cent from February 2015 to $569,600.

SOURCE: REAL ESTATE BOARD OF GREATER VANCOUVER

Vancouver, BC – January 15, 2016. The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that a record number of home sales were recorded in the province for the month of December. A total of 6,590 residential unit sales were recorded by the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) last month, up 29.8 per cent from the same month the previous year. Total sales dollar volume hit a record $4.62 billion for the month of December, up 55.4 per cent compared to the previous year.

The average MLS® residential price in the province climbed above the $700,000 threshold for the first time in BC last month, rising 19.7 from December 2014 to $700,943.

“The 2015 housing market finished in dramatic fashion, with record demand for month of December,” said Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist. “BC home sales breached the 100,000 unit threshold in 2015, and it was only the third time on record that this high watermark was achieved.”

The combination of record home average home prices and near record annual unit sales prices propelled the dollar volume of MLS® residential to a record $65.3 billion in 2015, up nearly 37 per cent from the previous year. The average annual residential price reached a record $636,627 last year, up 12 per cent from 2014. A total of 102,517 residential unit sales were recorded, an increase of 22 per cent compared to 2014. A record 106,310 residential unit sales were recorded in 2005, while the only other year eclipsing 2015 were 2007 when 102,805 unit sales were recorded.

Source: BCREA (British Columbia Real Estate Association)