LYNDI CRUICKSHANK
KELOWNA – Residential real estate sales for the month of October in the region saw an increase in inventory while sales held steady, reports the Association of Interior REALTORS® (the Association).
A total of 1,001 residential unit sales were recorded across the Association region in October representing a 43.8 per cent drop in sales compared to the number of units sold during the seasonally uncommon strong market of October 2021; dipping only 7.6 per cent compared to last month.
“Unlike the last two years or so where we saw buyers’ and sellers’ expectations drastically unaligned from each other, a shift from the frenzy earlier this year coupled with the winter seasonal slowdown is bringing some equilibrium to the market amidst rising interest rates,” says the Association of Interior REALTORS® President Lyndi Cruickshank, adding “motivated buyers’ and sellers’ expectations are able to come closer together, resulting in a much more positive home buying and selling experience.”
New residential listings saw a decrease of 9.8 per cent within the region compared to the same month last year with 1,689 new listings recorded. However, the overall inventory provides more options to buyers with a 67.5 per cent increase over the availability in October 2021 with 7,450 units currently on the market.
“It’s nice to see active listings starting to build back up again,” notes Cruickshank, adding “however, we are not quite out of what is considered a seller’s market and into a balanced market.”
The Benchmark Price for homes in the Central Okanagan, North Okanagan and South Okanagan regions saw increases in year-over-year comparisons across all home categories, while the Shuswap/Revelstoke region was the exception showing a decrease in the single-family home category while seeing increases in townhome and condominium benchmark prices. The benchmark price for single-family homes in the Shuswap/Revelstoke lessened 4.1 per cent compared to October 2022, coming in at $673,300.
The average number of days to sell a home, always a good barometer to watch, increased to 64 days compared to last month’s 50 days. It’s important to note that the average of days on market is for the entire Okanagan region and that the indicator will vary depending on home type and sub-region.
Given the high stakes on such a significant financial transaction, home sellers and buyers can benefit from the knowledge and skills of a practiced REALTOR®. Contact your local REALTOR® to find out more about the real estate market and how they can help you achieve your real estate goals.
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