Residential sales picked up outside Metro Vancouver in October, according to a B.C. Real Estate Association report released yesterday.

“B.C. home sales rose three per cent in October compared to September on a seasonally adjusted basis,” BCREA chief economist Cameron Muir said in a statement.

“While consumer demand in Vancouver edged lower last month on a year-over-year basis, strong increases were recorded in the Fraser Valley, Kamloops, Kootenay, the North and on Vancouver Island.”

Muir said that total active residential listings in B.C. declined by 3,360 units in October from September, although active listings were up 6.9 per cent from October 2010.

“Market conditions remained slightly in favour of home buyers last month.”

Residential unit sales in the province rose 6.5 per cent to 5,865 units in October compared to the same month last year, while the average price was up 2.6 per cent to $535,695 last month compared to October 2010.

Year-to-date, B.C. residential sales dollar volume increased 16.8 per cent to $38 billion, compared to the same period last year, the BCREA said.

Residential unit sales increased 3.5 per cent to 66,922 units over the same period.

According to the report, the average Metro Vancouver price rose 8.5 per cent from October 2010 to October 2011 to $767,000.

Prices in the Okanagan dropped 14.3 per cent to $367,000 in that period, and fell 6.1 per cent in Victoria to $476,000.

Total sales dropped one per cent in Metro Vancouver in October compared to October 2010 to 2,359.

Sales rose two per cent in the Okanagan to 403 and were up 3.1 per cent in Victoria to 461.

Source: Brian Morton, Vancouver Sun

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