There may be more good news on the horizon for patient Vancouver homeowners, as recent reports from two of Canada’s leading real estate associations suggest that 2026 is shaping up to be a very good year to buy or sell a home.
BC Real Estate Association predicts a return to momentum
First, on August 21st, the British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) released its Third Quarter Housing Forecast Update for 2025. While the report indicated that residential sales will likely fall about 2.2% this year, it also predicted that home sales will rise by close to 10.7% in 2026 to a total of 80,600 residential units sold.
If it happens, this increase would represent a long-overdue return to more normal conditions after what has turned out to be an unexpectedly turbulent year for the Lower Mainland’s real estate market.
As BCREA’s Chief Economist, Brendon Ogmundson, noted: trade uncertainty with the United States “upended hopes for a more normal market through the first half of 2025. [But many markets in the Lower Mainland] are now returning to long-run average sales activity, and should head into 2026 with some momentum.”
Latest national numbers suggest long-awaited recovery has finally arrived
Nationally, the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) is seeing even more reason for optimism. In its July 2025 Monthly Housing Market Report, CREA reported that residential home sales through Canada’s Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) climbed nearly 3.8% last month compared to June.
CREA also noted that home sales in Canada have risen around 11.2% since March of this year, and are up 6.6% compared to the same period in 2024. The Association’s Senior Economist, Shaun Cathcart, called these numbers a compelling sign the recovery in home sales that B.C. buyers and sellers have been waiting for may already be here.
“With sales posting a fourth consecutive increase in July, and almost 4% at that, the long-anticipated post-inflation crisis pickup in housing seems to have finally arrived,” Cathcart said in a statement released with the report.
“Looking ahead a little bit, it will be interesting to see how buyers react to the burst of new supply that typically shows up in the first half of September.”
Ready to jump back into the market?
While the exact impact of all these predictions and shifts in momentum won’t be known for a few more months, one thing that seems certain is that next year could be a very interesting time for buyers, sellers, and homeowners across the province.
If you’re thinking of buying or selling a home and want to know if you should hold off, or if the time to jump back into the market has come, reach out! Contact us today to set up a free consultation, or just give us a call and we’ll do our best to answer any questions you may have.