Apartment sales lag, other housing segments steady
VANCOUVER, BC – June 2, 2026 – Led by slow sales in the apartment segment,
home sales registered on the MLS® in Metro Vancouver* were down nearly four per cent in
May compared to last year.
The Greater Vancouver REALTORS® (GVR) reports that residential sales in the region totalled
2,150 in May 2026, a 3.5 per cent decrease from the 2,228 sales recorded in May 2025. This
was 26.6 per cent below the 10-year seasonal average (2,930).
“While attached sales held relatively steady and detached sales edged up roughly one per
cent in May, apartment sales were down about seven per cent year-over-year, which
weighed down the overall sales total,” said Andrew Lis, GVR chief economist and vice-
president data analytics. “Even then, apartment sales were not down uniformly across all
regions – some of the larger areas such as North and East Vancouver saw increases relative
to last year.”
There were 6,115 detached, attached and apartment properties newly listed for sale on the
Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in Metro Vancouver in May 2026. This represents a 7.6 per
cent decrease compared to the 6,620 properties listed in May 2025. This was 1.3 per cent
above the 10-year seasonal average (6,036).
The total number of properties currently listed for sale on the MLS® system in Metro
Vancouver is 16,917, a one per cent decrease compared to May 2025 (17,094). This is 34.6 per
cent above the 10-year seasonal average (12,567).
Across all detached, attached and apartment property types, the sales-to-active listings ratio
for May 2026 is 13.1 per cent. By property type, the ratio is 10.7 per cent for detached homes,
15.4 per cent for attached, and 14.2 per cent for apartments.
Analysis of the historical data suggests downward pressure on home prices occurs when the
ratio dips below 12 per cent for a sustained period, while home prices often experience
upward pressure when it surpasses 20 per cent over several months.
“Price trends across all housing types were flat month-over-month, as a healthy level of
inventory easily absorbed the relatively muted level of overall demand in the market,” Lis said.
“Year-to-date, sales have come in just shy of our forecast to this point in the year. With
demand tracking our forecast so closely, it’s reasonable to expect a calm and orderly
summer market, as no obvious near-term catalysts loom over the horizon to move the market
significantly in either direction.”
The MLS® Home Price Index composite benchmark price for all residential properties in
Metro Vancouver is currently $1,100,700. This represents a 6.2 per cent decrease over May
2025 and a 0.2 per cent increase compared to April 2026.
Sales of detached homes in May 2026 reached 660, a 0.9 per cent increase from the 654
detached sales recorded in May 2025. The benchmark price for a detached home is
$1,847,900. This represents a 6.9 per cent decrease from May 2025 and a 0.4 per cent
increase compared to April 2026.
Sales of apartment homes reached 1,009 in May 2026, a 7.2 per cent decrease compared to
the 1,087 sales in May 2025. The benchmark price of an apartment home is $697,800.
This represents a 7.9 per cent decrease from May 2025 and a 0.7 per cent decrease
compared to April 2026.
Attached home sales in May 2026 totalled 463, a 1.3 per cent decrease compared to the 469
sales in May 2025. The benchmark price of a townhouse is $1,048,200. This represents a 5.1
per cent decrease from May 2025 and a 0.5 per cent increase compared to April 2026.
Editor’s Note:
*Areas covered by Greater Vancouver REALTORS® include: Bowen Island, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Maple Ridge, New
Westminster, North Vancouver, Pitt Meadows, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Richmond, South Delta, Squamish,
Sunshine Coast, Vancouver, West Vancouver, and Whistler.
