BC Housing Market Expected to Strengthen 
Later This Year BCREA 2023 Second Quarter Housing Forecast

The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) released its 2023 Second Quarter Housing Forecast today.

Multiple Listing Service®(MLS®) residential sales in BC are forecast to decline 6.6 per cent to 75,530 units this year. In 2024, MLS® residential sales are forecast to post a strong rebound, rising 19.3 per cent to 90,100 units.

“An uptick in home sales to start the spring, despite still high mortgage rates, indicates how much pent-up demand there is in the market waiting to be unlocked,” said BCREA Chief Economist Brendon Ogmundson. “With the Bank of Canada on hold and fixed mortgage rates still stubbornly high, home sales are unlikely to fully normalize this year.”

While home sales remain close to 25 per cent below normal, the inventory of homes for sale has not accumulated significantly as potential sellers have held off on listing their homes in a down market. While significant uncertainty surrounds the economic outlook, the current market shows no signs of financial vulnerability or highly motivated sellers. As sales recover into a low inventory market, prices will likely begin to rise month-over-month and finish the year higher than at the start. However, on an annual basis, average prices are still expected to be down about 6.1 per cent from a record high in 2022.

For the complete news release, including detailed statistics, click here.