The British Columbia Real Estate Association says tighter mortgage rules and lower demand are bringing the provincial housing market into balance.
The association says 7,884 units were sold within the Multiple Listing Service across the province in June, a 32.5 per cent decrease from the same month last year.
The average residential price was down 1.3 per cent from June of 2017 for a total sales value of $5.6 billion.
Brendon Ogmundson, the association’s deputy chief economist, says the impact of the tightened standards for both borrowers and lenders is still being felt.
He says the combination of the lower demand because of the more stringent mortgage qualification rules and higher interest rates is bringing most markets in the province back to balanced conditions.
While the active listings in B.C. are on the rise, the association says inventory remains low in historical standards in markets like Vancouver Island and the Okanagan.
The Canadian Press
