Published August 28, 2026

I wrote to you a week ago about Vancouver sitting in solid buyer's market territory. New numbers just landed, and the short version is that the trend hasn't reversed, it's actually leaned a bit further in buyers' favour. If you've been on the fence, this is worth five minutes of your time.

What the newest data shows

The latest regional figures, covering the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver and Fraser Valley Real Estate Board areas together and updated as of August 28, 2026, show:

• Active listings across the region: 191,102 properties, a genuinely large pool of inventory for buyers to choose from

• Sales over the trailing 30 days: 1,390 units

• Average sale price: $1,109,638

• Average days on market: 40 days

• Absorption rate: 0.7%, and prices trending down about 0.7% compared to the prior 90 day average

I want to flag one thing clearly, because precision matters to me. This particular snapshot combines both the Greater Vancouver and Fraser Valley boards, so it's a wider regional picture rather than a Vancouver only number. It lines up directionally with the REBGV numbers I shared last week (Greater Vancouver's own benchmark price sat at $1,088,800 as of the July release), but I don't want to blur the two data sets together as if they're identical. Both tell the same story, just from slightly different angles.

What 40 days on market actually feels like

A month ago I would have told you homes were sitting longer than usual. Now the average is a full 40 days, and that number is doing a lot of talking. In a balanced or seller's market, well priced homes in Vancouver proper often go under contract inside two weeks. Forty days means buyers have real room to think, negotiate, and walk away from something that doesn't feel right without worrying someone else will scoop it up tomorrow.

The 0.7% absorption rate is the other piece worth understanding. That's the percentage of active listings that actually sold over the period measured. A low number like this one means supply is building up faster than it's being absorbed by buyers, which is exactly the condition that gives buyers leverage on price and terms.

What this means if you're buying

Honestly, not much has changed from what I told you last week, it's just gotten a bit more pronounced. Sellers who listed hoping for a quick sale at a strong price are increasingly having to adjust. That's good news if you're patient and picking your spots. A few practical thoughts:

Don't be afraid to make an offer below asking on something that's been sitting for three or four weeks. Ask your realtor to run the actual days on market and price history before you fall in love with a listing photo. And keep your financing conditions in your offer. In a market with this much room to breathe, there is no reason to waive protections just to look competitive.

What this means if you're selling

I'm not going to sugarcoat it, this is a market where pricing strategy matters more than almost anything else you control. Homes that are priced realistically from day one are still moving. Homes that are priced for a market that existed two years ago are the ones adding to that 40 day average. If you're thinking about listing this fall, a real conversation about comparable sold prices, not list prices, is the single most useful thing we could do together before you put a sign in the yard.

The honest bottom line

Nothing about this market rewards guessing. Whether you're buying or selling, the numbers are public and they're telling a consistent story right now, more supply, softer prices, and buyers holding more of the cards than they have in a while. If you want to talk through what that actually means for your specific street, your specific price point, or your specific timeline, that's exactly the conversation I like having. No pressure, just a real look at where things stand.

Heidi Rahn is a Vancouver realtor who believes in giving clients the straight facts, not the sales pitch. Reach out anytime to talk through your specific situation.

Sources:

• August 2026 BC Real Estate Housing Market Report — Buyer's Market, Hani & Les

• Vancouver Housing Market: Aug. 7th, 2026 Update, WOWA.ca

If you've been watching Vancouver real estate from the sidelines for the past couple of years, here's some news worth your attention: the ground has shifted. After years of buyers scrambling and sellers holding all the cards, Metro Vancouver is now sitting in genuine buyer's market territory, and it's changing how both sides need to play the game.

I've been in this business long enough to know that market conditions come and go in cycles. But this particular shift is worth understanding in detail, whether you're hoping to buy your first place, sell the home you've outgrown, or just keep tabs on what your property is worth.

Vancouver Is a Buyer's Market Again

The numbers tell the story clearly. Metro Vancouver's benchmark home price sat at roughly $1,088,800 in July, down about 6.2% from a year earlier. Sales were down nearly 10% year-over-year, while inventory has climbed to levels we haven't consistently seen since 2019. The sales-to-active-listings ratio is hovering around 12.5%, which works out to roughly eight months of supply on the market.

In plain terms: there's more to choose from, fewer people racing to buy it, and homes are taking longer to sell. Downtown condos, for example, are now averaging 38 days on market, the slowest pace in years.

None of this means Vancouver real estate has lost its appeal. It means the market has become more balanced, and more predictable, than what we saw during the frenzy of past years.

What This Means If You're Buying in Vancouver

If you've been priced out or discouraged in previous years, this is worth a second look. You have room to negotiate. You have time to think before making an offer. You can ask for inspections, request repairs, and walk away from a deal that doesn't feel right, without losing the home to five other bidders.

The condo market especially has softened, with prices down around 7% year-over-year across Vancouver. Downtown, active listings are up roughly 22% compared to last year. That's a meaningful amount of new choice for buyers who've had their eye on a particular building or neighbourhood.

My advice to buyers right now: get pre-approved, know your must-haves versus nice-to-haves, and don't feel rushed. This market rewards patience and preparation, not speed.

What This Means If You're Selling in Vancouver

Sellers, I won't sugarcoat it: this isn't the market where you list on a Thursday and have offers by Monday. But that doesn't mean it's a bad time to sell. It means the sellers who do well are the ones who take presentation and pricing seriously.

Buyers have options now, so your home needs to stand out. Staging matters. Photos matter. And most of all, pricing matters. Overpricing in this market doesn't just slow things down, it can actively work against you, since buyers are watching days-on-market numbers too and will wonder what's wrong with a listing that's been sitting.

The goal hasn't changed even though the market has: make buyers fall in love with your home. That still starts the moment they see the listing photos, and it still means making sure every room shows its best self before the first open house.

Neighbourhoods Bucking the Trend

Not every pocket of Vancouver is moving the same direction. Some areas in East Vancouver and North Vancouver have actually seen condo sales increase compared to last year, even as the broader market has cooled. This is a good reminder that Vancouver isn't one market, it's dozens of smaller ones, each with its own rhythm depending on inventory, buyer demand, and what's currently available.

If you're trying to figure out whether now is the right time to make a move, the answer usually depends less on the headlines and more on what's happening on your specific street, in your specific building, in your specific price range. That's where local knowledge earns its keep.

The Bottom Line

Markets shift. What doesn't shift is the reason most of us are searching for a home in this city in the first place: we love it here, and life is short, so we ought to love where we live. Whether that means finally making the jump to buy, or finally letting go of a place you've outgrown, the current market gives you room to make that decision thoughtfully instead of frantically.

If you've been watching Vancouver real estate from the sidelines for the past couple of years, here's some news worth your attention: the ground has shifted. After years of buyers scrambling and sellers holding all the cards, Metro Vancouver is now sitting in genuine buyer's market territory, and it's changing how both sides need to play the game.

I've been in this business long enough to know that market conditions come and go in cycles. But this particular shift is worth understanding in detail, whether you're hoping to buy your first place, sell the home you've outgrown, or just keep tabs on what your property is worth.

Vancouver Is a Buyer's Market Again

The numbers tell the story clearly. Metro Vancouver's benchmark home price sat at roughly $1,088,800 in July, down about 6.2% from a year earlier. Sales were down nearly 10% year-over-year, while inventory has climbed to levels we haven't consistently seen since 2019. The sales-to-active-listings ratio is hovering around 12.5%, which works out to roughly eight months of supply on the market.

In plain terms: there's more to choose from, fewer people racing to buy it, and homes are taking longer to sell. Downtown condos, for example, are now averaging 38 days on market, the slowest pace in years.

None of this means Vancouver real estate has lost its appeal. It means the market has become more balanced, and more predictable, than what we saw during the frenzy of past years.

What This Means If You're Buying in Vancouver

If you've been priced out or discouraged in previous years, this is worth a second look. You have room to negotiate. You have time to think before making an offer. You can ask for inspections, request repairs, and walk away from a deal that doesn't feel right, without losing the home to five other bidders.

The condo market especially has softened, with prices down around 7% year-over-year across Vancouver. Downtown, active listings are up roughly 22% compared to last year. That's a meaningful amount of new choice for buyers who've had their eye on a particular building or neighbourhood.

My advice to buyers right now: get pre-approved, know your must-haves versus nice-to-haves, and don't feel rushed. This market rewards patience and preparation, not speed.

What This Means If You're Selling in Vancouver

Sellers, I won't sugarcoat it: this isn't the market where you list on a Thursday and have offers by Monday. But that doesn't mean it's a bad time to sell. It means the sellers who do well are the ones who take presentation and pricing seriously.

Buyers have options now, so your home needs to stand out. Staging matters. Photos matter. And most of all, pricing matters. Overpricing in this market doesn't just slow things down, it can actively work against you, since buyers are watching days-on-market numbers too and will wonder what's wrong with a listing that's been sitting.

The goal hasn't changed even though the market has: make buyers fall in love with your home. That still starts the moment they see the listing photos, and it still means making sure every room shows its best self before the first open house.

Neighbourhoods Bucking the Trend

Not every pocket of Vancouver is moving the same direction. Some areas in East Vancouver and North Vancouver have actually seen condo sales increase compared to last year, even as the broader market has cooled. This is a good reminder that Vancouver isn't one market, it's dozens of smaller ones, each with its own rhythm depending on inventory, buyer demand, and what's currently available.

If you're trying to figure out whether now is the right time to make a move, the answer usually depends less on the headlines and more on what's happening on your specific street, in your specific building, in your specific price range. That's where local knowledge earns its keep.

The Bottom Line

Markets shift. What doesn't shift is the reason most of us are searching for a home in this city in the first place: we love it here, and life is short, so we ought to love where we live. Whether that means finally making the jump to buy, or finally letting go of a place you've outgrown, the current market gives you room to make that decision thoughtfully instead of frantically.

If you've been waiting on the sidelines of Vancouver real estate, wondering when the market would finally give buyers a little breathing room, this is the moment worth paying attention to.

For the first time in years, Vancouver's condo market is genuinely favouring buyers. Benchmark apartment prices across Greater Vancouver have dipped to roughly the mid-$700,000s, down a few percent from last summer, and inventory has climbed to levels we haven't seen in a long time, at around seven months of supply. In plain terms: there are more homes to choose from, less competition for each one, and sellers who are ready to negotiate.

I've helped Vancouver buyers through hot markets, cold markets, and everything in between. Here's my honest take on what this shift means for you, and how to make the most of it.

What a Buyer's Market Actually Means in Vancouver

A "buyer's market" doesn't mean prices are collapsing or that every listing is a bargain. It means the balance of power has tilted. When months of inventory climb past six, buyers gain real leverage: time to think, room to negotiate, and the ability to include conditions in an offer without losing the home.

Compare that to the frenzied years when Vancouver buyers were waiving inspections and writing love letters just to compete. Today, you can slow down, do your due diligence, and buy well. That's a luxury in this city, so use it.

One thing I want to be clear about: detached homes and condos are behaving differently right now. Detached homes on the west side and in family neighbourhoods like Dunbar and Point Grey still hold their value stubbornly. The real softness, and the real opportunity, is in the condo and townhome market.

Where the Opportunities Are Right Now

More selection means you can be choosier about the things that actually matter long-term. A few places I'm watching closely for buyers:

Downtown and Yaletown have some of the deepest inventory in the region. If you've always wanted a walkable, urban lifestyle, buildings that were out of reach two years ago are suddenly within negotiating distance.

Mount Pleasant and East Vancouver continue to be my favourite value story. You get character, community, independent coffee shops, and the Broadway Subway arriving to make transit even better. Condos here tend to hold their value because people genuinely love living there.

Newer buildings with presale completions are another spot worth watching. When a wave of new units completes in a softer market, some owners and developers get motivated. That's where sharp buyers find deals.

How to Negotiate When the Leverage Is Yours

Having leverage and using it well are two different things. A few principles I walk every buyer through:

Price matters, but terms matter too. A seller who won't budge much on price may be flexible on the completion date, repairs, or including that storage locker. Everything is on the table in this market.

Always, always review the strata documents carefully. More selection means you don't have to compromise on a building with a looming special levy or a thin contingency fund. This is where working with someone who reads these documents every week pays off. I've steered clients away from buildings that looked perfect in photos and problematic on paper.

Don't try to time the exact bottom. Nobody rings a bell when the market turns. If you find a home you love, in a solid building, at a price that works for your life, that's the win. The buyers who do best in Vancouver are the ones who buy a home they'll be happy in for years, not the ones chasing a perfect entry point.

A Word for Sellers in This Market

If you're on the other side of this equation and thinking about selling a Vancouver condo right now, don't panic, but do get strategic. In a market with this much selection, your home has to stand out. Pricing accurately from day one, preparing the home properly, and marketing it beautifully aren't optional extras anymore; they're the whole game. The goal is to make buyers fall in love the moment they walk through the door, because in this market, they have plenty of other doors to walk through.

Well-priced, well-presented homes are still selling. The listings that sit are the ones priced for 2022 in a 2026 market.

The Bottom Line

Markets like this one don't come around often in Vancouver, and they don't last forever. When confidence returns, and in this city it always does, the leverage buyers enjoy today will quietly disappear.

You don't need to rush, but you do need a plan: a clear budget, a mortgage pre-approval, a shortlist of neighbourhoods that fit your life, and someone in your corner who knows which buildings are worth your money.

Life is short, love where you live. If the home you've been dreaming about is finally within reach, let's go find it.