The summer market across Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley looks calm at first glance — but beneath the surface, the numbers are pointing to a subtle yet important shift.

In July, both regions recorded inventory levels at decade highs, giving buyers more choice than they’ve had in years. At the same time, sales activity is beginning to recover, especially in the condo and townhome markets, while detached homes continue to lag.

Here’s what we’re seeing this month:

🔹 Greater Vancouver

• Sales: 2,286 in July (down just 2% YoY — signs of recovery)

• Active Listings: 17,168 (up nearly 20% YoY — plenty of selection)

• Prices: Composite benchmark $1,165,300 (down 0.7% MoM)

Key Insight: Buyers are gaining leverage, but with sales recovering slowly, this balance won’t last forever.

🔹 Fraser Valley

• Sales: 1,190 in July (down 3.3% YoY)

• Active Listings: 10,650 (up 22% YoY — inventory climbing)

• Prices: Composite benchmark $944,800 (down 0.7% MoM)

Key Insight: Detached homes remain soft, but townhomes and condos are attracting selective competition.

💡 The Strategy That Wins in 2025

This is not a “rush in” market — it’s a precision market. With borrowing costs stabilizing and motivated sellers adjusting, success will go to those who prepare, plan, and act deliberately.

For buyers, that means:

• Locking in rate holds now before fall volatility.

• Targeting overlooked listings that have been on the market 60+ days.

• Thinking long-term: location and demand always win over short-term noise.

For sellers, it means:

• Pricing with today’s reality, not yesterday’s peak.

• Investing in presentation — staging, photography, and online presence.

• Leveraging a balanced market to secure your next move with more choice.

🌲 Spotlight: Birchwood Estates

This month, we highlight why families are choosing Birchwood. With 14,500+ sq.ft. estate lots and over 5,000 sq.ft. of customizable living space, these homes offer room to grow, flexibility for multi-generational living, and a community anchored in green space and trails.

👉 Read the Full August Market Newsletter Here: [Insert Newsletter Link]

In a market that whispers instead of shouts, opportunity belongs to those who pay attention.

Buy Smart. Sell Right. Win Quietly.

If you own a home in Metro Vancouver or the Fraser Valley and you’re financially strong, the next 6–12 months may be one of the most advantageous windows in years to move up. The market has cooled, selection is ample, and policy changes quietly improved buyer leverage. Below, we cut through headlines and show you how to use today’s conditions to your advantage.

The market reality, by the numbers

• Greater Vancouver (GVR): Inventory is abundant (17,168 active listings in July), sales are below average, and the sales-to-active listings ratio sits at 13.8% (balanced/lean-buyer territory). Composite benchmark price: $1,165,300 (-2.7% YoY). Detached: $1,974,400 (-3.6% YoY). Townhouse: $1,099,200 (-2.3% YoY). Apartment: $743,700 (-3.2% YoY). members.gvrealtors.ca

• Fraser Valley (FVREB): Explicit buyer’s market with a 11% sales-to-active ratio; active listings ~10,650 (about 50% above the 10-yr seasonal average). Benchmark prices down 0.7% MoM (July): Detached $1,451,100 (-5.1% YoY), Townhouse $814,900 (-4.0%), Apartment $519,300 (-5.8%). Fraser Valley Real Estate Board

• Three-year context: B.C.’s benchmark price (all types) is still ~9.4% below the March 2022 peak, yet ~36% above January 2020—a sober way to frame the “stagnation/decline” narrative. BCCPA

• Canada-wide: The National Composite HPI is -3.7% YoY (June 2025), with monthly declines easing into near-flat. CREA StatsCREA Statistics

What this means: With ratios sitting below the 20% threshold that typically pushes prices up (and above the ~12% line that pushes decisively down), price pressure looks sideways-to-soft near term—especially where inventory is deepest. That’s fertile ground for upgrading: more choice, more time, and better terms. members.gvrealtors.ca

“Aren’t we in a recession?”

Canada’s growth has weakened and many economists say we’re in—or near—a technical recession. The Bank of Canada has already cut rates sharply since mid-2024 and is holding at 2.75% while watching the data; minutes show officials are split but open to further easing if conditions deteriorate. In short: the economy is soft, and policy is set to support it. Bank of Canada+1

• Rate path: Policy rate held at 2.75% on July 30, 2025; markets still price chances of further cuts if growth/inflation slow. Bank of CanadaReuters

• Economist consensus: Multiple polls this spring/summer flagged elevated recession risk and a mild contraction scenario—one reason the BoC shifted from hiking to cutting/holding. Reuters+1

So, is that bad for buyers? Counterintuitively, a soft economy improves move-up conditions: more negotiating power, seller flexibility, and the potential to refinance lower if rates drift down later.

Policy changes that quietly improved your leverage

• Stress test relief for switches at renewal (uninsured): If you’re simply switching lenders at renewal (no increase to loan amount or amortization), OSFI no longer expects lenders to apply the Minimum Qualifying Rate. That boosts competition for your business. OSFI+1

• Minimum qualifying rate definition (applies to new borrowing): still greater of contract +2% or 5.25%—useful context for planning pre-approvals. OSFI

• BC property transfer tax—newly built home exemption: PTT fully waived up to $1.1M (partial to $1.15M) on qualifying newly built homes. If a new build fits your plan, that’s up to ~$20,000 in savings you can reallocate to rate buydowns or improvements. Government of British ColumbiaEY

Advanced move-up plays (what to do now)

1. Exploit the “price spread” while it’s favourable
   In GVR, the detached benchmark sits around $1.97M versus $1.10M for townhomes. With detached seeing a slightly larger YoY pullback than attached, the upgrade step into a yard, extra bedroom, or preferred school catchment can be negotiated more effectively—especially on stale listings. members.gvrealtors.ca

2. Negotiate terms, not just price
   In a balanced/soft market, sellers often concede on subjects, repairs, completion dates, and inclusions. Aim for: longer subject periods for diligence, seller-paid repairs/credits, and flexible completion to synchronize with your sale. (GVR’s 13.8% SAR and FVREB’s buyer market stats back your leverage.) members.gvrealtors.caFraser Valley Real Estate Board

3. Use mortgage portability or blend-and-extend
   If your existing mortgage has a favourable rate, port it to the new property (and top up at today’s rate if needed) to avoid a full break penalty and keep monthly costs predictable. Major banks explicitly support porting. RBC Royal BankCIBC

4. Bridge financing to “buy first, sell next” (when it’s strategic)
   With ample inventory and longer days-to-sell, a bridge loan can let you secure the right home before your sale closes—typically short-term, often requiring a firm sale on your current property. RBC Royal BankTD Bank

5. Channel incentives in new construction
   Presale activity is muted; developers are offering closing cost coverage, strata-fee credits, deposit tweaks, and mortgage buydowns to move inventory. That can materially reduce your effective borrowing cost or cash due at closing. (We’ll vet the developer and contract risk with you.) Business in Vancouvermlacanada.com

6. Leverage PTT planning on new builds
   If a qualifying new home ≤$1.1M works for the move-up (e.g., a townhome or established suburban pocket), the PTT exemption can swing the math—especially when combined with builder incentives. Government of British Columbia

7. Consider a Vendor Take-Back (VTB) in higher-end segments
   In discretionary/luxury tiers where demand is soft, a VTB can close the gap if lender financing is tight (e.g., seller carries a small second mortgage at an agreed rate/term). It’s niche but powerful when structured correctly with legal advice. NerdWallet

8. Plan your rate path (buy the home, optimize the financing later)
   Lock the home you actually want under today’s inventory conditions. If the BoC eases later, you can refinance into better terms—your biggest risk is missing the right home while waiting for the “perfect” rate. Bank of Canada

Risk controls (how we protect your downside)

• Diligence > speed: With multiple-offer frenzies largely behind us, we restore subject periods (inspection, financing review, title/strata docs) and analyze longer-term strata CAPEX/reserve plans. GVR’s own guidance ties sustained price support to ratios >20%; we’re not there. members.gvrealtors.ca

• Liquidity screening: We check micro-market turnover and days-on-market before you buy—especially important if you might need to sell again within 3–5 years. members.gvrealtors.ca

• Mortgage flexibility: We model port vs. break vs. blend, plus renewal switch options that avoid a new stress test (straight switches), to keep lenders competing for your business. OSFI

Bottom line

The last three years cooled the market and shook confidence. For well-qualified move-up buyers, that’s the opportunity: more selection, better terms, targeted incentives, and policy tweaks that favour you.

Our job is to turn those advantages into a superior home and a resilient financing plan. Lets connect.