Greater Vancouver Market Insights Report: August 2026.

The result is a market that continues to provide buyers with choice and negotiating power, but one that is gradually becoming more balanced and, in several communities, noticeably more competitive.

Across Greater Vancouver, 1,869 residential properties sold in August, down 8% from July's 2,061 sales and 22% from June's 2,390. Sales were also 5% below August 2025, 2% below August 2024 and 19% below August 2023. While these year-over-year comparisons show that overall activity remains below the levels of several previous years, August's decline needs to be viewed in the context of the normal summer slowdown. And here’s a “but” and a rather big one: sales in August 2012 were 1,670 in Greater Vancouver. For all the calamity that is happening right now, it’s still not that bad.

Two bright spots need attention as well. The Canadian economy performed better than expected in the second quarter with the Bank of Canada forecasting improvement in 2027 and 2028. This followed by the Bank of Canada maintaining its rate at 2.25% at the September meeting, keeping variable mortgage rates at their current levels. Buyers have more certainty about their mortgage costs, even with fixed rates showing some increases. As a result, most buyers are taking the variable rate mortgage. Expect that to continue in the fall which will help bring buyers and thus real estate transactions into the market.

Greater Vancouver sales in August were 21% below the ten-year average, after July was 19% below the ten-year average, June was 12% below the ten-year average, May was 27% below the ten-year average, April was 23% below the ten-year average and March at 32% below the ten-year average. It’s hard to put stock into sales levels in August with all the headlines out there. Those moves can only be held off so long and the pent-up demand continues to grow.

More importantly, the supply side of the market continues to tighten. One of the defining characteristics of the August market was the relationship between sales and new listings.

Active listings ended August at 15,798, down 4% from July and 3% from the same time last year. New listings fell even more sharply, with 4,171 properties coming to market, 9% fewer than July, 31% fewer than June and 3% fewer than August 2025.

This reduction in new inventory is an important development. It means that while buyers continue to have plenty of choice, the supply of properties competing for their attention is no longer expanding.

The sales-to-listings ratio increased to 45% in August, up from 40% in July and 39% in June. That improvement indicates that buyers who are active in today's market are becoming more decisive.

Greater Vancouver remains in a buyer's market at eight months of supply, but the direction of the underlying numbers suggests that the market is gradually moving toward greater balance.

Sales declined, but new listings declined even faster. This is important because market balance is determined not simply by how many properties sell, but by how much new supply enters the market relative to buyer demand.

The number of new listings in August was 1.5% below the ten-year average, after July was right at the ten-year average, June at 6% above the ten-year average, May at 1% above the ten-year average, April at 15% above the ten-year average and March at 5% above the ten-year average. A significant change in listing trajectory has occurred.

The market is finding its rhythm.

The 45% sales-to-listings ratio is the highest monthly figure in 2026. It is also equal to August 2025 and August 2024.

This suggests that the market is not experiencing a sudden surge in demand, but it is becoming more efficient at absorbing available inventory.

For buyers, this remains a favourable environment. There is still substantial choice across much of the region and sellers generally need to be realistic about pricing and presentation.

For sellers, however, the market is becoming more encouraging. The steady reduction in active and new listings means that well-priced properties have less competition than they did earlier in the year. That could become increasingly important as we move into the fall. Something many buyers may want to take note of instead of using the wait and see approach.

Vancouver market in near-balance territory.

Vancouver Westside continued to show signs of improving balance. There were 349 sales in August, down 4% from July and 8% from August 2025, but sales were actually 4% higher than August 2024.

Active listings fell to 2,790, down 5% from July and a significant 10% from the same time last year. New listings declined 14% from July and 28% from June.

The East Side recorded 204 sales in August, down 16% from July and 7% from August 2025, but 6% higher than August 2024.

Active listings declined to 1,589, down 5% from July and 1% from a year earlier. New listings fell 20% from July and 4% year-over-year.

Overall, in Vancouver, months of supply sit at eight, mostly due to the seasonality of August sales. Expect inventory to continue to tighten as we move through the fall, especially in the detached segment.

North Shore absorption improves.

North Vancouver's sales-to-listings ratio jumped to 47% from 39% in July, a meaningful tightening that reflects strong absorption of the 296 new listings that came to market. West Vancouver's ratio also improved, rising to 36% from 33%, continuing its steady climb over the summer and pointing to firming demand in the region's luxury segment even as overall transaction counts there remain modest.

Richmond shows improvement.

Richmond posted 221 sales in August with a sales-to-listings ratio of 48%, up meaningfully from 40% which was one of the strongest readings of any large submarket in the region. With new listings down 17% from July, the market did a notably efficient job matching the available supply with buyer demand.

That improvement in absorption is one of the more encouraging developments in Richmond and could help create a more balanced environment as we move into the fall.

Burnaby East vastly improved.

Burnaby East was a standout, growing sales 18% over July to reach 26 units, with its sales-to-listings ratio surging to 46% from 32%, a genuinely strong month. Burnaby North and Burnaby South both saw modest pullbacks in transaction volume, which is typical of the season, but their ratios of 39% and 44% respectively remain solidly within healthy territory, with Burnaby South continuing to rank among the most active submarkets in the region for absorption of new inventory.

New Westminster held steady.

New Westminster held largely steady with 77 sales and an improving sales-to-listings ratio of 39%, up from 36% in July. This kind of low-volatility, consistent demand continues to make the submarket an attractive, predictable market for both buyers and sellers. But one with more opportunity.

Tri-Cities stood out.

This was arguably the standout region of the month. Port Coquitlam's sales-to-listings ratio nearly doubled to 66% from 34% in July, while months of supply tightened to 6 from 7, a striking shift toward tighter conditions. Port Moody's ratio climbed to 47% from 40%, supported by sales that were up compared to both June and August for the last 2 years. Coquitlam saw a natural pullback in transaction volume after an exceptionally strong summer run, but even there, a 34% sales-to-listings ratio keeps the submarket within reasonable balance.

Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows.

Maple Ridge's sales-to-listings ratio rose to 46% from 34% in July, a strong improvement even as sales volume moderated. Pitt Meadows was the story of the month region-wide: sales rose 29% over July to 31 units, months of supply fell to just 4 and the sales-to-listings ratio hit a remarkable 100%, full seller's market conditions in a submarket that had been balanced just a month earlier. It's a clear sign of just how quickly local conditions can tighten when listings pull back and buyer interest increases.

South Delta.

South Delta delivered some of the strongest readings anywhere in Greater Vancouver this month. Ladner's sales rose 38% over July to 29 units and its sales-to-listings ratio climbed to a robust 63% from 46%. Tsawwassen's ratio reached 66%, up from 48% in July, even as sales eased slightly, again showing that a lighter new-listing count can translate directly into a much tighter, more seller-favourable market.

Fraser Valley showed a significant change.

For only the second time since the beginning of 2026, the Fraser Valley market showed a year-over-year gain in monthly sales. Not a small feat considering the struggles this market has seen. With the seasonal slowdown in sales though, months of supply ticked up to 10 from 9 months in July. The pool of buyers is being more active than they were last year but still has the luxury of choice and opportunity, but that is diminishing. New listings in August were down 15% year-over-year while active listings are down 6% compared to August 2025.

The detached market once again outperformed the townhome and condo market in August with both townhome and condo sales below the levels seen in August 2025. But with 22% fewer townhome listings in August, this segment is tightening with only 6 months of supply and planting it firmly in balanced market territory compared to detached and condos which sit in a buyer’s market.

A positive set up for the fall.

Greater Vancouver heads into the fall market with genuinely constructive underlying conditions. While headline sales volume eased in line with typical August seasonality, the sharp, broad-based improvement in sales-to-listings ratios, culminating in seller's market conditions in Pitt Meadows and near-seller's-market readings in Port Coquitlam, Ladner and Tsawwassen which suggests that buyer demand is proving resilient even with fewer new options coming to market.

As new listings typically rebound heading into September and October, sellers who bring well-priced homes to a market this efficient should find a receptive audience, while buyers still benefit from a region-wide buyer's market designation and listing supply that remains healthy in absolute terms. All told, August's data points to a market gathering quiet strength beneath a seasonally quiet surface, a solid foundation for what's shaping up to be an active autumn across Greater Vancouver.