Why Wait to Make Your Move?
- Bank of Canada keeps its rate in check
- Detached homes showed more sales
- Market conditions make for a great time to move
- Balance in the market continues
Supply Expands, Stability Holds Across Metro Vancouver
April didn’t break the trend; it carried it forward. It acted like a spring market in its own way. While not the volume of sales we are used to in Metro Vancouver, it carried forward from March and previous months to make April the best month for sales since the fall.
After two months of accelerating momentum, the Metro Vancouver market moved into a more measured phase in April. Sales continued to rise, inventory expanded more meaningfully, and the overall market shifted slightly back toward buyer-leaning conditions in some areas. Detached homes showed a great improvement in sales, up 14% compared to April last year while town homes and condos were down. The increase in supply helped move more sales forward.
Total residential sales in Greater Vancouver reached 2,110 units in April, up 4% from March and 28% from February. The pace of growth has slowed compared to earlier in the year, but that’s expected as the market moves out of recovery mode and into a more stable operating range.
Greater Vancouver sales in April were 23% below the 10-year average after March was 32% below the 10-year average, February at 29% below the 10-year average and January at 31% below the 10-year average. April proved better not just in overall sales numbers but trending towards the average. These are signs of better buyer engagement, and an increase in listing choice.
The month-over-month gains were especially strong in Burnaby East (+25%), West Vancouver (+11%), Richmond (+17%), Vancouver East Side (+12%), New Westminster (+13%), and Port Coquitlam (+13%). Burnaby East in particular stands out with a robust 49% sales-to-listings ratio, the highest in the region.
Several communities posted meaningful year-over-year gains, a particularly encouraging sign given that 2025 was hoped to be a recovery year while continued uncertainty had other plans for 2025 and 2026. West Vancouver led with a striking 34% increase in units sold versus April 2025, followed by Ladner (+106%), Richmond (+15%), Vancouver East Side (+7%), Pitt Meadows (+11%), and Port Moody (+6%). These gains reflect genuine demand strength in these communities and bode well for the months ahead.
At the same time, inventory growth stepped up. Active listings climbed to 16,236, up 10% month-over-month and essentially flat year-over-year. Several submarkets have seen active listings decline compared to last year: Vancouver Westside is down 12%, Burnaby East down 14%, Burnaby North down 8%, and West Vancouver down 6%. These inventory reductions, combined with improving sales, point to tightening conditions that could support price stability in those areas.
New listings rose to 6,817, a 15% increase from March and a substantial 55% above April 2023 levels. Sellers are clearly engaging in the market in greater numbers again.
The number of new listings in April were 15% above the 10-year average after March was 5% above the 10-year average, February was 7% above the 10-year average, and January 19% above the 10-year. April typically shows growth in listing inventory after a month of spring breaks and Easter Holidays.
That increase in supply had a predictable effect on market balance. Months of supply edged up from 7 to 8 months, and the sales-to-listings ratio eased slightly to 31%. This places the region just into buyer’s market territory, but only marginally and certainly not universally for all home types and neighborhoods.
A Market Absorbing Growth
The key point: demand is keeping pace, but in April it didn’t outpace supply.
The increase in listings isn’t overwhelming the market, it’s being met with steady, consistent buyer activity. That’s why sales continue to rise even as inventory expands. What we’re seeing is not a pullback. It’s normalization. Buyers have more choice. Sellers face more competition. Transactions continue, but with greater balance and less urgency than in previous years. Although anecdotally, there has been an increase in multiple offers in some areas and product types as buyers are starting to focus more, taking advantage of the conditions that favour them.
City of Vancouver: Stable, Competitive, and Balanced
Vancouver Westside
The Westside held steady in April. Sales were essentially unchanged month-over-month, while inventory increased and months of supply ticked up to 8 months. Despite this, the market remains highly functional. The sales-to-listings ratio at 30% reflects consistent absorption, even as new listings rise. Notably, inventory remains below last year’s levels, reinforcing that supply is still being managed effectively.
This is a market adjusting, not weakening.
Vancouver East Side
The East Side continues to demonstrate resilience. Sales rose 12% from March and are now above last year’s levels. Months of supply stayed steady at 7 months, maintaining balanced conditions. While inventory increased, demand followed. This remains one of the most stable submarkets in the region, supported by strong end-user demand and relative affordability.
North Shore
North Vancouver recorded 178 sales, down from March but up 32% from February and maintaining balanced market conditions with 6 months of supply. West Vancouver delivered one of the most impressive year-over-year performances anywhere in the region — 51 sales, up 34% versus April 2025 and up 55% versus February. The sales-to-listings ratio of 21% has improved significantly from 14% in April 2025, and active listings have contracted 6% year-over-year.
Richmond
Richmond’s spring rebound is one of the standout stories of April. With 245 sales, the city posted gains of 17% versus March and 15% versus April 2025. The month’s supply of 8 (down from 9 months in March) reflects improving absorption, and the 35% sales-to-listings ratio is the highest in several months. The 71% surge in sales from February could be the start of a sustained upswing.
Burnaby
Burnaby’s three sub-areas presented a largely positive picture. Burnaby East’s 49% sales-to-listings ratio and 6-month supply (balanced market) underscore strong localized demand, with sales up 25% both month-over-month and year-over-year. Burnaby North’s 135 sales and 38% sales-to-listings ratio represent steady performance, while Burnaby South, with 92 sales, continues to see healthy new listing activity that is expanding buyer choice.
New Westminster
New Westminster remains steady. Sales increased modestly, and months of supply held at 7 months. This market continues to operate within a narrow, stable range—an indicator of strong underlying fundamentals.
Trice Cities and Beyond
Coquitlam (183 sales), Port Moody (54 sales), and Port Coquitlam (60 sales) all maintained balanced market conditions. Port Moody’s 6% year-over-year gain in sales is a positive note. Pitt Meadows remains one of the tightest markets in the region, with a 41% sales-to-listings ratio and just 5 months of supply, conditions that favour sellers. Maple Ridge’s 15% surge in new listings versus March signals a healthy influx of inventory entering its spring market.
Delta Markets
Ladner was the standout performer year-over-year in this area, with sales more than doubling (+106%) versus April 2025. The 43% sales-to-listings ratio and 6 months of supply reflect balanced, active conditions. Tsawwassen’s month’s supply improved to 9 months from 10, with sales up 13% from March, a constructive trend. Both communities benefit from relative affordability compared to Vancouver proper.
Fraser Valley Shows Strength in the Valley
The Fraser Valley market showed more strength than Greater Vancouver with sales ahead of both March this year and April last year. And while supply remained at relatively similar levels for the activity, the increase in listings still saw the Fraser Valley sit with 9 months’ supply of listings. Sales were up 11% over March and 7% over April of last year. There were 1,118 sales in April compared to 1,007 in March and 1,043 in April 2025. Detached sales were up the most in April year-over-year with 25% more homes sold, compared to townhomes up 4% and apartments down 14% to last year. That kind of improvement in detached home sales shows confidence in the market that we haven’t seen in some time.
The Big Picture: Supply Leading, Demand Following
April introduces a subtle but important shift in the market dynamic: Supply is now leading the conversation.
After months of demand-driven recovery, the increase in listings is beginning to shape conditions more directly. But unlike past cycles, this shift is not creating instability. Instead, it’s reinforcing balance.
- Sales are still rising
- Inventory is expanding
- Absorption remains steady
- Market conditions are adjusting gradually—not abruptly
This is a sign of a market that wants to move forward.
With interest rates remaining stable, affordability pressures gradually easing, and continued pent-up demand across Metro Vancouver, the foundation for continued market activity through spring and summer remains constructive and opportunistic. Buyers benefit from the expanded inventory and balanced conditions in most communities, while sellers in tighter submarkets, particularly North Vancouver, Burnaby, Tri-Cites, and Pitt Meadows, remain in a more favourable position.
Overall, April 2026 reinforced the narrative of a real estate market returning to health: active, improving, and full of opportunity across Metro Vancouver’s diverse communities.
Beyond her professionalism, Berna’s warm, friendly, and reassuring approach made working with her a pleasure. She genuinely listens to her clients’ needs and goes above and beyond to help them find the right home. I would trust Berna completely and highly recommend her to anyone looking for a dedicated and reliable realtor.
Our criteria this time were a bit more challenging, but with her patience, deep knowledge, and guidance, we finally found the home that felt just right. Throughout the entire process, she wasn’t just a real estate agent. She was a true advisor and a calm, reassuring presence.
Looking back, choosing to work with her was one of the best decisions we made. We couldn’t be happier with the home we found and the experience we had.
Highly recommended to anyone looking for not just a house, but a place to truly call home. Thank you again!
She was endlessly patient with us—always ready to answer questions, walk us through the details, and offer honest advice without ever making us feel rushed or pressured. From the very beginning, it was clear she truly cared about us finding the right home, not just making a quick sale.
Berna has that rare mix of being incredibly professional and deeply personal. She made what could have been a stressful process feel manageable and even exciting. We always felt supported and in good hands every step of the way.
I’m so grateful for everything she did for us, and I can’t recommend her highly enough. If you’re buying or selling, you’ll want Berna in your corner—both as a realtor and as the genuinely kind person she is.
————
