Saanich Peninsula Homes -SandraSpence.com Real Estate

07/04/2022

Victoria’s hot housing market levels off, supply still important for long-term attainability

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.

04/01/2022

March statistics - another record breaking month!

Victoria real estate market continues to experience low inventory and high demand.
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 $1,196,300.

If you are thinking about buying or selling a home or investing/ moving to the Mayan Riviera, and getting top dollar for your Victoria home let’s talk 📲

02/19/2022

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02/16/2022

Market Update - Vancouver, BC - February 14, 2022.

The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that a total of 6,138 residential unit sales were recorded by the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in January 2022, a decrease of 14.7 per cent from January 2021. The average MLS® residential price in BC was $1,042,169, a 23.5 per cent increase from $843,918 recorded in January 2021. Total sales dollar volume was $6.4 billion, a 5.3 per cent increase from the same time last year.

"Sales activity is down compared to record levels at the start of last year," said BCREA Chief Economist Brendon Ogmundson. "However, the level of sales activity remains strong compared to the long-term average and inventory is still incredibly low. As a result, it will take quite some time to get back to healthy balance in the BC market."

Total active listings remain near record lows with just 13,000 total listings in the province. For context, a healthy level of re-sale listings for the province is closer to 40,000 listings. As a result of this listings drought, markets all over the province are seeing significant upward pressure on prices.

03/01/2021

Victoria Real Estate Market demand surges against limited supply

A total of 863 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this February, 53.3 per cent more than the 563 properties sold in February 2020 and 33.6 per cent more than the previous month of January. Sales of condominiums were up 65.7 per cent from February 2020 with 290 units sold. Sales of single family homes were up 43.9 per cent from February 2020 with 390 sold.

"Our early spring market is in full swing carrying on from a fast start in January,” said Victoria Real Estate Board President David Langlois. “Our market remains one with tightly constrained inventory and high demand. The good news is that we have seen some stabilization in listings and condo pricing between January and February, but we continue to see huge pressure on single family homes – new listings are snapped up as soon as they are listed. As a result, the pressure on single family homes continues to ramp up. There is significant competition for desirable homes – and in our marketplace most homes are desirable – and people competing for properties pushes prices up.”

There were 1,318 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of February 2021, 38 per cent fewer properties than the total available at the end of February 2020 and three properties fewer than the 1,321 active listings for sale at the end of January 2020.

“The theme for 2021 is going to be inventory - where does it come from and how much new supply can be approved - so that this situation does not persist,” adds Langlois. “We’ve seen the government attempt to influence the housing market in hopes of dampening the demand for home ownership. The foreign buyer tax has changed nothing – our market continues to zoom forward with almost no foreign buyers. The government adjusted mortgage qualification rules, those are absorbed by the market and buyers adjust. Demand-suppression measures have not worked and their failure to moderate housing prices in our community has only exacerbated the pressure on the supply that was constrained ten years ago but is now at historically low levels. If you are concerned about housing prices and availability of housing in general in our community, please support development in your municipality. Be vocal with your local council or neighbourhood association – these stakeholders hold the power in these negotiations - and help to make space in your community. Gentle density and the building of new homes are the only pathway to moderate housing prices in our area.”

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in February 2020 was $870,300. The benchmark value for the same home in February 2021 increased by 9 per cent to $948,200, a 1.7 per cent increase from the previous month of January. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core in February 2020 was $525,600, while the benchmark for the same condominium in February 2021 remained close to last year’s value at $525,400, a 0.38 per cent decrease.

03/01/2021

Perfect Sunday afternoon to enjoy the beaches around North Saanich. People are working on their boats down at the marina in anticipation of boating season! Luckily for us it’s almost year round!

01/25/2021

Provincial Housing Market Set Up for Very Strong 2021
BCREA 2021 First Quarter Housing Forecast Update
Vancouver, BC – January 25, 2021. The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) released its 2021 First Quarter Housing Forecast Update today.

Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) residential sales in the province are forecast to rise 15.6 per cent to 108,680 units this year, after recording 94,021 sales in 2020. In 2022, MLS® residential sales are forecast to pull back 9 per cent to 98,850 units.

“After an unprecedented and often surprising performance in 2020, the provincial housing market is set up for a very strong year in 2021,” said Brendon Ogmundson, BCREA Chief Economist. “A strong economic recovery and record-low mortgage rates will continue to drive strong demand this year.”

On the supply side, new listings activity recovered through the second half of 2020, but not nearly enough to see any accumulation in overall inventory. As a result, market conditions will start 2021 very tight, with the potential for strong price increases through the spring and summer until new supply comes online. We are forecasting a 7.7 per cent rise in the MLS® average price this year, followed by a further 3 per cent in 2022.

01/04/2021

The 2020 Victoria real estate market year in review

A total of 631 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this December, 57 percent more than the 402 properties sold in December 2019 and a 20.6 per cent decrease from November 2020. Sales of condominiums were up 61.2 per cent from December 2019 with 195 units sold. Sales of single family homes increased 58.6 per cent from December 2019 with 314 sold.

A grand total of 8,497 properties sold over the course of 2020, 17.1 percent more than the 7,255 that sold in 2019. 2020 sales came in close to one thousand sales over the ten-year average of 7,329 properties.

“This has been an unexpected year on many levels,” says 2020 Victoria Real Estate Board President Sandi-Jo Ayers. “The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March and April quickly swept away any illusions that our normal seasonal market patterns would persist. Equally surprising was the resurgence of our market in early summer when restrictions lightened and pent-up demand began pushing sales beyond expectations. The combination of the ongoing pandemic, historically low interest rates and a shift in consumer priorities towards properties that cater to a more home-based work / life / retirement balance resulted in record setting sales for the last several months of 2020.”

There were 1,279 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of December 2020, a decrease of 29.5 per cent compared to the previous month of November and a 34.5 per cent decrease from the 1,952 active listings for sale at the end of December 2019. This represents the lowest inventory of active listings at month-end in at least the last 25 years.

“The other side of our local story was the inventory,” adds Ayers. “We ended the year on a record low of properties available in Greater Victoria. This means that the huge demand we see for homes in our area is not being met by supply and prices are being pushed upwards as buyers vie for homes. Even historically lower-priced markets like the Highlands and the Westshore are seeing pressure as buyers adjust what suits their needs and focus on home ownership. What remains consistent is that in this complex market, your REALTOR® can help to navigate one of the biggest purchases most will make in their lifetime."

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in December 2019 was $857,200. The benchmark value for the same home in December 2020 increased by 6.8 per cent to $915,100, slightly more than November’s value of $903,100. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core area in December 2019 was $520,100, while the benchmark value for the same condominium in December 2020 decreased by 0.9 per cent to $515,600, slightly less than the November value of $516,600.

12/23/2020

Merry Christmas 🎄 last minute gift ideas! 🍾🎄

This holiday season, consider supporting local by shopping local! Many Greater Victoria boutiques, stores and businesses are offering a plethora of ways to shop, including free delivery, gift cards, online ordering, curbside pickup and more. Please note, it may take a moment for image galleries to l...

12/15/2020

Vancouver, BC – December 14, 2020. The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that a total of 9,416 residential unit sales were recorded by the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in November 2020, an increase of 42.1 per cent from November 2019. The average MLS® residential price in BC set a record of $816,074, a 9.3 per cent increase from $746,310 recorded the previous year. Total sales dollar volume in August was $7.68 billion, a 55.4 per cent increase over 2019.

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“Home sales were once again unseasonably strong in November with several markets setting records for the month,” said BCREA Chief Economist Brendon Ogmundson. “While demand continues to be strong, the supply of listings has reached near-record lows in several parts of the province, with prices rising sharply as a result."

Active listings were down close to 14 per cent year-over-year in November, which contributed to a 34.8 per cent sales-to-active listings ratio. Consequently, the provincial average price rose 9.3 per compared to this time last year with many markets seeing even stronger price growth.

Year-to-date, BC residential sales dollar volume was up 32.3 per cent to $66.43 billion, compared with the same period in 2019. Residential unit sales were up 18.7 per cent to 85,625 units, while the average MLS® residential price was up 11.4 per cent to $775,845.

Photo taken on the Sidney waterfront December 12th 2020. ♥️

11/12/2020

10/08/2020

"Another month has passed where we have seen surprisingly high sales numbers - which included quite a few higher end properties," says Victoria Real Estate Board President Sandi-Jo Ayers. "I don't think that anyone who was trying to predict market outcomes in our area over the course of the pandemic expected that the pent up demand from dampened sales in April and May would result in this level of market activity. There's no doubt that buyers are extremely motivated and this increased demand, coupled with limited inventory, fueled the September market."

A total of 989 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this September, 60.6 per cent more than the 616 properties sold in September 2019 and 1 per cent more than the previous month of August 2020. Sales of condominiums were up 26.7 per cent from September 2019 with 280 units sold. Sales of single family homes were 91.9 per cent from September 2019 with 539 sold.

Enjoying the Butchart Gardens with my dogs, it's the perfect place for a safe and beautiful dog walk. We are still experiencing glorious weather, I hope you can get out and enjoy it whilst it's here.