Demand improved, but inventory is still doing the heavy lifting.

June brought a healthier sales reading than May, but this is still a market where supply matters. Buyers have more choice than in tighter periods, while sellers need to be sharp on pricing, presentation, and timing.

The market at a glance

Greater Vancouver REALTORS® reported 2,390 residential sales in June 2026, up 9.6% from June 2025. Even with that improvement, sales were still 12.4% below the 10-year seasonal average.

New listings totalled 5,938, down 6% from last year, while active listings reached 17,017. That active inventory was 30.2% above the 10-year seasonal average, which helps explain why improved demand has not yet translated into upward price pressure.

Recent sales by property type

The notable change from May to June is that all three major housing types posted annual sales gains. Detached sales rose 13.7% year over year, attached/townhouse sales rose 11.4%, and apartment sales rose 6.1%.

May to June: what changed?

Total sales increased from 2,150 in May to 2,390 in June. The sales-to-active listings ratio also moved from 13.1% to 14.6%, suggesting demand improved modestly. At the same time, the composite benchmark price moved from $1,100,700 to $1,099,100, a small 0.1% monthly decline.

That combination tells a useful story: demand is better, but buyers are still not being forced into rushed decisions across the region because inventory remains elevated.

Mortgage-rate backdrop

BCREA’s June 24, 2026 Mortgage Rate Forecast notes that uninsured fixed mortgage rates may temporarily move under 4.5% in the short term before rising next year if the Bank of Canada returns the overnight rate toward 2.75%. BCREA also expects variable rates to trend back toward 4.1% in 2026 if lender discounts improve.

For buyers, this makes pre-approval and payment planning important. For sellers, it means some buyers may be watching rate movements closely before deciding how quickly to act.

Better sales are encouraging, but elevated inventory means strategy still matters more than assumptions.

Jean’s perspective

This is not a one-size-fits-all market. A well-priced detached home, a townhouse in a high-demand neighbourhood, and an apartment in a building with several competing listings can behave very differently. The numbers are a starting point; the real decision comes from comparing the right property type, area, and timing.