The realtor members of the BC Northern Real Estate Board (BCNREB) reported 4748 property sales worth $1.5 billion in 2019 through the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), down from last year’s 5125 sales worth $1.5 billion.
A struggling BC forestry sector and an uncertain environment for global trade held back housing demand in the second half of 2019, ultimately leading to MLS unit sales in the region covered by the BC Northern Real Estate Board to fall by 6.1 per cent compared to last year. However, due to a low supply of homes for sale, most northern markets saw upward pressure on home prices. Across the BC Northern board area, the MLS average price rose by 5.1 per cent, averaging $310,548. While 2019 was a down year for sales, momentum is building in the northern economy from LNG and BC Hydro investments that should translate to a pick-up in housing activity in 2020.
Cariboo Region:
100 Mile House: 447 properties worth $118.1 million sold this year through MLS, compared with 538 properties worth $134.4 million in 2018. The 143 single-family homes that sold in 2019 had a median value (half sold for less) of $310,000. In addition, 101 parcels of vacant land, 114 homes on acreage, 36 manufactured homes on land, 18 manufactured homes in parks, and 19 recreational properties changed hands in 2019.
Williams Lake: 472 sales worth $126.2 million were reported in 2019, down from 495 sales worth $118.4 million the previous year. Half of the 158 single-family homes sold in 2019 sold for less than $280,000. 53 parcels of vacant land, 105 homes on acreage, 24 townhouses, 34 manufactured homes in parks and 48 manufactured homes on land were also sold in 2019.
Quesnel: 351 properties changed hands in 2019, up slightly from 349 that were sold in 2018. The value of these properties was $83 million ($78 million in 2018). The median value of the 152 single-family homes sold in 2019 was $265,000. In addition, 41 parcels of vacant land, 79 homes on acreage, 19 manufactured homes in parks and a further 29 on land were reported sold in 2019.
Northwest Region:
Prince Rupert: 201 properties worth $59 million changed hands in 2019 compared with 195 properties worth $53.5 million in 2018. Half of the 153 single-family homes sold in 2019 sold for less than $284,250. In addition, 8 parcels of vacant land, 6 townhouses and 8 half-duplexes sold in 2019.
Terrace: 282 properties sold in 2019 were worth $95.4 million compared with 2018’s 380 properties worth $117.8 million. Of the 155 single-family homes that changed hands, half sold for less than $387,500. In addition, 24 parcels of vacant land, 25 homes on acreage, 26 manufactured homes in parks and a further 9 on land sold in 2019.
Kitimat: 144 properties worth $63.7 million changed hands in 2019 compared to the 243 properties worth $74.3 million that sold in 2018. The median value of the 100 single-family homes sold in 2019 was $365,000. In addition, 17 half-duplexes and 6 townhouses were sold.
Houston: 52 properties worth $10.5 million changed hands in 2019, compared to the 42 properties worth $7.8 million that sold in 2018. The median value of the 36 single-family homes sold was $167,750.
Smithers: Realtors reported 222 sales worth $67 million in 2019, compared to 270 sales worth $82.6 million in 2018. The median value of the 93 single-family homes that sold in 2019, was $289,000. 36 parcels of vacant land, 49 homes on acreage, 15 manufactured homes in parks and a further 8 on land also changed hands in 2019.
Burns Lake: 84 properties with a value of $13.9 million sold in 2019 compared with 81 worth $12.5 million in 2018. Half of the 35 single-family homes that sold, sold for less than $155,000. 15 parcels of vacant land, 19 homes on acreage and 9 manufactured homes on land also changed hands in 2019. As of
Vanderhoof: 120 properties sold in 2019 were worth $31.3 million, compared with 2018’s 121 properties worth $25.2 million. Of the 48 single-family homes that sold in 2019, half sold for less than $229,000. In addition, 19 parcels of vacant land, 28 homes on acreage, 4 manufactured homes in parks and a further 10 manufactured homes on land changed hands in 2019.
In Fort St. James 61 properties worth $9.9 million sold in 2019, compared to 48 properties worth $9.7 million in 2018.
Northern Region
Fort St. John: 501 properties with a value of $179.3 million sold in 2019, down from 524 properties worth $203.9 million that sold in 2018. Of the 245 single-family homes sold in 2019, half sold for less than $355,000. In addition, 25 parcels of vacant land, 47 half-duplexes, 48 homes on acreage, 20 manufactured homes in parks and a further 70 on land sold in 2019.
Fort Nelson: 48 properties sold through MLS in 2019 were worth $5.5 million, down from 2018’s 80 properties worth $8.5 million. Half of the 17 single-family homes sold in 2019, sold for less than $102,800. There were 4 homes on acreage and 2 townhouses also sold in 2019.
Fraser Fort George Region
Mackenzie: 45 properties worth $7 million were reported sold in 2019, compared with 2018’s 58 properties worth $9.1 million. The median value of the 34 single-family homes that sold in 2019 was $142,000.
Prince George: 1417 properties worth $491.7 million sold in 2019, compared with 1400 properties worth $444.9 million in 2018.
In the area west of the by-pass, half of the 260 single-family homes sold in 2019, sold for less than $335,000. As well, 35 apartment units and 45 townhouses changed hands in 2019.
East of the by-pass 31 apartment units, 24 half-duplexes, and 21 townhouses sold in 2019. The 176 single-family homes sold had a median value of $280,000.
In the northern part of the city, 31 homes on acreage, 16 manufactured homes in parks and a further 36 manufactured homes on land sold in 2019. Of the 209 single-family homes sold, half sold for less than $377,500.
In the southwest sector 16 half-duplexes, 20 townhouses, 25 homes on acreage, 11 manufactured homes in parks and a further 8 manufactured homes on land sold in 2019. Half of the 270 single-family homes sold in 2019 sold for less than $429,900.
