Vancouver Real Estate Market For October 2005

Healthy housing market heading into Autumn
Vancouver, BC, October 4, 2005 – Greater Vancouver is experiencing a healthy real estate market heading into fall.
The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that sales of detached, attached and apartment properties
increased by 17.5 per cent to 3,344 units sold in September 2005, compared to 2,845 sales in September 2004.
Year-to-date sales to the end of September are up 9.9 per cent in comparison to the same time last year.
“It continues to be an opportune time for homeownership—fi rst time buyers, move-up buyers, and high-end buyers
are all benefi ting from current market conditions,” says REBGV President Georges Pahud. “MLS® sales of townhomes
and apartments were the highest ever for any September on record.
“It’s important to note that more than 67 percent of properties sold last month were under the average price. We can
also credit favourable fi nancing as a key factor in the market’s strength for fi rst time and move-up buyers,” Pahud
says.
According to Multiple Listings Service data, sales of apartment properties remained relatively unchanged with
a less than 1 per cent increase in September 2005 to 1,339 sales, compared to 1,331 sales in September 2004. The
benchmark price of an apartment property in Greater Vancouver, calculated by the Board’s Housing Price Index, is
$275,165, up 18.4 per cent from one year ago.
Sales of attached properties increased 51 per cent in September 2005 to 592 units sold, compared to 392 units in
September 2004. The benchmark price of an attached unit is $344,435, up 11.5 per cent from September 2004.
Sales of detached properties increased 25.9 per cent to 1,413 sales in September 2005 compared to 1,122 sales in
September 2004. The benchmark price of a detached home increased to $557,739 up 15.7 per cent from a year ago.
Bright spots in Greater Vancouver in September 2005 compared to September 2004:
APARTMENTS:
New Westminster up 14.1% ................ (97 units sold, up from 85)
Port Coquitlam up 20.6% .................... (41 units sold, up from 34)
ATTACHED:
Burnaby up 92.1% .............................. (121 units sold, up from 63)
Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows up 125% . (63 units sold, up from 28)
Port Moody/Belcarra up 47.6% ........... (31 units sold, up from 21)
Richmond up 26.4% ........................... (110 units sold, up from 87)
Vancouver East up 122.7% .................. (49 units sold, up from 22)
Vancouver West up 27.5% ................... (65 units sold, up from 51)
DETACHED:
Burnaby up 16% ............................... (116 units sold, up from 100)
Coquitlam up 16.7% ........................ (133 units sold, up from 114)
Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows up 80% . (162 units sold, up from 90)
North Vancouver up 11.1% ............... (100 units sold, up from 90)
Port Coquitlam up 19.6% .................... (61 units sold, up from 51)
Richmond up 19.4% ......................... (160 units sold, up from 134)
Vancouver East up 44% ................... (229 units sold, up from 159)
Vancouver West up 28% .................. (160 units sold, up from 125)
West Van/Howe Sound up 19.4% ....... (74 units sold, up from 62)