If you’ve been keeping an eye on the Metro Vancouver housing market, the latest figures for September 2026 show a dynamic shifting beneath the surface.
While total home sales saw a year-over-year decline, the overall narrative is heavily driven by a single sector: apartments. End-user buyers in the detached and townhouse markets remain active, while investor-driven demand in the condo segment continues to take a backseat.
Key Market Highlights at a Glance
Total Sales: 1,717 residential sales recorded (down 8.4% from September 2025; 25% below the 10-year seasonal average).
New Listings: 5,852 properties listed (down 10.3% year-over-year; 5.7% above the 10-year average).
Total Inventory: 16,394 active listings (down 4% from September 2025).
Composite Benchmark Price: $1,075,900 (down 5.5% year-over-year and 0.6% from August 2026).
Sales-to-Active Listings Ratio: 10.9% across all property types.
1. The Apartment Segment Leads the Downturn
The headline drop in sales is largely isolated to the apartment market. In Metro Vancouver, condos typically account for half of all monthly activity.
Condo Sales: Dropped 18.6% year-over-year to 777 transactions (compared to 954 in September 2025).
Benchmark Price: $682,500 (down 6.2% from last September and 0.5% from August 2026).
According to Greater Vancouver REALTORS® (GVR) Chief Economist Andrew Lis, investor-driven buyers are waiting for more favorable market conditions before jumping back into the condo market.
2. Detached & Attached Homes Show Resilience
In contrast to the condo segment, end-user buyers looking for detached homes and townhouses are stepping up.
Detached Homes
Sales: 575 homes sold (+4.2% vs. September 2025).
Benchmark Price: $1,784,700 (down 7.3% year-over-year; -0.8% month-over-month).
Sales-to-Active Ratio: 9.7%.
Townhouses / Attached Homes
Sales: 358 homes sold (+0.6% vs. September 2025).
Benchmark Price: $1,016,700 (down 4.7% year-over-year; -1.2% month-over-month).
Sales-to-Active Ratio: 12.2%.
3. What Does This Mean for Buyers and Sellers?
For Buyers
With the overall sales-to-active listings ratio sitting at 10.9%, the market leans into balanced to buyer-friendly territory (historically, ratios below 12% signal downward price pressure over sustained periods). While prices have drifted down about 3% across all property types since the start of the year, inventory levels remain steady, giving buyers room to negotiate without feeling rushed.
For Sellers
Strategic pricing is critical right now. Because overall active listings (16,394) remain 24.3% above the 10-year seasonal average, buyers have choices. Well-priced townhouses and single-family detached homes are still finding traction, but setting realistic expectations based on current benchmark trends will ensure a smooth sale.
Summary Table: September 2026 Market Breakdown
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Cindy Neubauer, Realtor®
Serving Vancouver, Tri-Cities & Fraser Valley