News Release: April 6, 2010
BUYER’S MARKET CONTINUES IN FRASER VALLEY
(Surrey, BC) – With plenty of selection and relatively modest price increases, buyers are enjoying a healthy spring market in the Fraser Valley. The Board’s Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) recorded 1,565 sales in March, an increase of 30 per cent over February’s sales and an increase of 56 per cent over the 1,006 sales processed March of last year.
Deanna Horn, president of the Board says, “March sales volumes can fluctuate as much as the weather, and this year’s reached the mid-point between the highs and lows seen over the last decade.
“However, available listings were near the peak, meaning buyers had lots to choose from and were clearly taking advantage of great buying opportunities.”
There were 3,395 new listings entered onto the MLS® in March, slightly higher than in March 2009, when 3,028 new listings were added. Altogether, there were 9,828 active listings on the MLS® at the end of March, on par with the 9,832 active listings one year ago.
The ratio of sales compared to active listings, which indicates the type of market, reached 16 per cent in March, representing a buyer’s market. This is up from last year’s 10 per cent but a far cry from the 25 per cent ratio in March 2007, when the Fraser Valley was in a seller’s market.
“Prices are closing in on the record highs we last saw in spring 2008, so it’s no surprise to see the increase in listings as sellers position themselves to move up or downsize into a smaller residence using their home equity for their purchase.”
In March, the benchmark price for Fraser Valley detached homes was $514,787, an increase of 11.9 per cent from the March 2009 price of $459,841.
The benchmark price of Fraser Valley townhouses in March was $326,307, a 10.3 per cent increase compared to $295,809 in March 2009. The benchmark price of apartments increased by 8.6 per cent year-over-year going from $227,188 in March 2009 to $246,673 in March 2010.
Information and photos of all Fraser Valley Real Estate Board listings can be found on the national, public web site www.REALTOR.ca. Further market statistics can be found on the Board’s web page at www.fvreb.bc.ca. The Fraser Valley Real Estate Board is an association of 2,990 real estate professionals who live and work in the communities of North Delta, Surrey, White Rock, Langley, Abbotsford, and Mission.