Greater Vancouver Market Insights Report: September 2026.

September brought a shift to Greater Vancouver's housing market, with a wave of sellers coming to the market. New listings jumped 41% over August to reach 5,947, the strongest month-over-month increase of the year as homeowners moved decisively to bring their properties to market ahead of fall. Although, some of these listings would be sellers coming back after adjusting from previous prices, in hope of attracting buyers that may be finally ready to take advantage of this market that favours the buyer.

That surge in supply, combined with a more typical seasonal pace of 1,717 sales, pushed months of supply up to ten from eight and moved the region into firmer buyer's market territory, giving purchasers the deepest selection they've seen since July. But don’t let this number fool you, as September is always quiet before the fall market truly begins as people resume work and school after the summer holidays. The first few weeks of September reflect the quiet of late August, with sales picking up steam as September moved through the last half.

While the headline sales-to-listings ratio eased to 29% from August's exceptional 45%, that comparison is somewhat misleading on its own: August's ratio was unusually tight, driven by a seasonal lull in new listings and September's reading of 29% is essentially in line with typical September conditions and actually slightly ahead of September 2025's 28%. What's genuinely noteworthy is the scale of more inventory arriving. Active listings rose 4% over August to 16,394, giving buyers meaningfully more to choose from as they return from summer and begin fall house-hunting in earnest.

While Greater Vancouver's 1,717 September sales reflect the expected post-summer rhythm, down a modest 8% from August and 8% down from September 2025, they aren’t the lowest we’ve seen for the month of September in recent years. In September 2022, sales came in just below at 1,701 while September 2018 saw a tepid 1,634 sales that month. It’s a month of resetting, so October will be a better bellwether for the fall market.

The real story of September was the performance of the detached market which saw sales up 4% year-over-year and up 3% from August, a reversal from what the market overall experienced. Anecdotally, multiple offers were occurring as price compression made detached homes more attractive to buyers and with an 8% decline in active listings from last year, buyers had less choice.

It was a different story for the condo market which saw sales decline 18% year-over-year and 13% month-over-month. The hidden story may be that buyers are taking advantage of the larger number of newly built condos available that typically don’t show up on the MLS®. Townhouse sales were flat year-over-year while down 13% from August.

Greater Vancouver sales in September were 25% below the ten-year average, after August was 21% below the ten-year average, 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. September continued to see shocks from global and local politics, together with rising inflation due to oil shocks, weighing on buyers’ minds.

The Bank of Canada is treading carefully due to these shocks, and it will be a consideration for upcoming policy meetings for setting their rate. October 28th is the next announcement, with much that could influence before then. As we’ve seen, changes can happen quickly, including easing global tensions which would bring some relief if that were to happen. The provincial election on October 24th will be something to watch in terms of future policy for the real estate sector. But don’t expect any knee jerk changes – promises are just that, promises.

The number of new listings in September were 6% above the ten-year average, after August was 1.5% below the ten-year average, 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. With sellers adjusting their expectations, there were several listings that came off in August, and came back on in September at lower prices. Opportunities for buyers continue to be there in the market.

Vancouver market sees a greater abundance in listings.

Vancouver Westside logged 306 sales alongside a substantial 45% jump in new listings compared to August, giving buyers in the city's priciest submarket considerably more to view this fall. Vancouver East Side saw an even larger 73% surge in new listings, reflecting strong seller engagement even as sales eased to a typical seasonal 183 units, a sign that sellers remain confident in the East Side's long-term fundamentals. Vancouver East detached sales were up 16% year-over-year, reflecting the competition that is happening in the market.

North Shore.

West Vancouver was this month's standout, with sales climbing 15% over August and 11% over July for a third consecutive month of growth, a genuinely strong trend in the region's luxury segment. September sales were even an improvement from this same month in 2025 and 2024. Months of supply there improved to 11 from 13, continuing a multi-month tightening trend even as the broader region loosened. North Vancouver saw new listings surge 86% over August, setting up a well-stocked market for buyers heading into the final quarter of the year.

Richmond sees improvement.

Richmond posted 226 sales, up slightly from August and up a strong 18% compared to September 2025, one of the better year-over-year comparisons in the region. New listings rose 32% over August, giving the submarket a healthy, well-supplied foundation as it moves into autumn. But with the sales-to-listings ratio rising to 37% from 27% and active listings dropping 9%, opportunities in this area could diminish more quickly than others.

The Burnaby market is active.

Burnaby South held essentially steady with 100 sales, up 4% compared to September 2025, a sign of durable year-over-year demand even as the market cycled through its usual seasonal adjustment. Burnaby North and Burnaby East both saw healthy increases in new listings, up 18% and 9% over August respectively, expanding the selection available to buyers across the municipality.

New Westminster held steady.

New Westminster recorded 76 sales, essentially matching August's pace, while new listings rose 14% month-over-month. The submarket continues to offer the kind of steady, low-volatility conditions that make it appealing for buyers and sellers planning with confidence.

Tri-Cities brings supply.

Port Coquitlam was a highlight this month, with new listings more than doubling, up 105% over August thus giving the submarket its deepest selection in recent memory, while sales improved compared to both September 2025 and September 2024. Port Moody and Coquitlam both saw healthy double-digit gains in new listings (44% and 15% respectively over August), setting the stage for a well-stocked fall market across the Tri-Cities.

Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows.

Pitt Meadows remains the tightest market in the region, holding steady at just 4 months of supply and firmly in seller's market territory even as conditions eased elsewhere which is a testament to consistently strong demand relative to available homes. Maple Ridge saw new listings rise 28% over August, giving buyers there considerably more choice heading into the fourth quarter.

South Delta.

Tsawwassen and Ladner both saw substantial increases in new listings, up 76% and 39% over August respectively as sellers in South Delta moved to take advantage of buyer activity returning after summer. While sales volumes eased in both submarkets, consistent with the broader regional pattern, the influx of fresh inventory sets up a well-supplied fall market for house-hunters in the area.

Fraser Valley followed similar patterns to Greater Vancouver.

The Fraser Valley market similarly showed strength in the detached market, with detached sales up month-over month in that region, although they were down slightly year-over-year. Sales of detached homes were off 2% compared to September last year, while townhomes were down 8% and condos were down 16%. Buyers are starting to take advantage of the price declines on the detached side. Months of supply overall is up to 11, after finishing August with ten months of supply. The detached market stayed at 10 months of supply, with the strength in sales despite a rising number of listings. New listings in September were down 18% year-over-year but up 19% over August while active listings are down 8% compared to September 2025 and marginally down from August.

Month-over-month comparison.

The defining trend this September was supply, not demand as new listings rose 41% region-wide, far outpacing the 8% dip in sales, which is the primary driver behind the shift in months of supply and the lower sales-to-listings ratio. This is a classic early-autumn pattern as sellers who held off over summer return to the market together, and it sets up a far better-stocked environment for buyers through the rest of the fall. Submarkets like Port Coquitlam, East Vancouver and North Vancouver saw some of the largest listing increases in the region, while West Vancouver and Richmond posted genuinely strong sales performances even against that backdrop of rising supply.

Market outlook.

Metro Vancouver enters the final quarter of 2026 with a market that is better supplied and more balanced than it has been in months, a constructive setup for both sides of the transaction. Buyers now have meaningfully more selection across nearly every submarket, while September's strong year-over-year sales in Richmond and Burnaby South, along with West Vancouver's three-month growth streak and Pitt Meadows' continued seller's market conditions, show that genuine pockets of demand remain firmly intact. As this fresh wave of September listings works its way through the market over the coming weeks, Metro Vancouver looks well-positioned for an active, well-balanced fall season.