Around Town: Hot housing market on Vancouver Island puts home sellers in driver’s seat

June 9, 2016

According to the most recent statistics from the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board (VIREB), buyers are competing for available listings on Vancouver Island. In May 2016, 771 single-family homes sold on the MLS® System compared to 527 last May, an increase of 46 per cent. Month over month, sales were up by 17 per cent from the 660 sales processed in April 2016. Last month’s active listings totalled 1,684, down 32 per cent from the 2,507 reported in May 2015.

In May 2016, the benchmark price of a single-family home in the VIREB area was $364,500, up 9.36 per cent from one year ago. Benchmark pricing tracks the value of a typical home in the reported area. The benchmark price of townhouses and apartments also increased in nearly every market. The average MLS® price of a single-family home in May was $411,458, a 13 per cent increase from May 2015.

The May 2016 benchmark price of a single-family home in the Campbell River area was $287,500, a 3.27 per cent increase over 2015. In the Comox Valley, the benchmark price was $360,400, up 11.32 per cent from 2015. Duncan reported a benchmark price of $317,300, an increase of 6.71 per cent over the same month in 2015. Nanaimo’s benchmark price rose 10.82 per cent to $389,800 while the Parksville-Qualicum area saw its benchmark price rise by 14.31 per cent to $417,900. The price for a benchmark home in Port Alberni was $197,300, unchanged from one year ago. (Excerpt from VIREB press release, dated June 1, 2016.)

For more information visit www.vireb.com.

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