Vancouver real estate prices
|
![Find us on Facebook]( "Find us on Facebook") ![Follow us on Twitter]( "Follow us on Twitter")
As we approach the end of 2011 real estate prices in most urban areas of British Columbia continue to rise. The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver is showing gains in average price of over 10% from 2010.Yet many clients, especially those in the under $500,000 price point in Greater Vancouver, are wondering why their properties are not reflecting this increase.
Vancouver is still in a recovery phase from the drop in price in the lower end of the market which occurred during the financial crisis of 2008. The increase in price seen "on average price" is greatly affected by the higher end of the market, which has seen significant gains over the past year. These gains are reflected in the increase of purchasers from Asia, particularly China.
This influx of buyers, not seen on this scale since the 1990s, has created a market which is a "top down" market. Most real estate markets are supported by the bottom of the market. This means the first time buyers buy an apartment from someone who is moving up to a townhouse who is buying from someone moving from the townhouse to a house.
In a top down market, offshore buyers purchase more expensive homes from existing owners who may be downsizing or making a sideways move. When prices hit a certain point, these offshore buyers have to look at smaller houses as they can no longer afford what they may have purchased a year ago. Thus the market is now supported from the top down. |
|
|
This article from the MLS news bulletin & helps explain the drop in apartments under $500,000
|
This entry was posted on November 15th, 2011
| Posted in
General