The following stats are compiled weekly and updated on Saturday/Sunday. See below the chart for an explanation of the data compilation. If you wish to embed any of these charts or graphs on another site please feel welcome to use them.
About these Statistics:
The numbers and chart you see above are generated from data provided by the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver. Areas included for the count are: Vancouver West, Vancouver East, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, New Westminster, Richmond, North Vancouver, and West Vancouver. South of Richmond, East of Port Coquitlam (Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows), and North West of West Vancouver (Islands, Squamish, and Whistler) are not included.
Why did I choose to exclude some areas from the Weekly count? Simply because they are quite a distance from the core. I know there are a great many people who live out that way, and I do not wish to offend, but this site, and my business, is focused more on Vancouver and the immediate suburbs.
As you see, the numbers start from 2008 January. It is, as far as I can tell, impossible for me to get accurate numbers for previous weeks. Sorry. If you want to see past numbers in a chart look at the monthly reports released by the board. They will be provided on this site within the first week of any month. This information is updated weekly. The reason for that is numbers can vary dramatically during the week and Realtors are, expecting that the Board rules are followed, given a 72hour window to submit information. What happens on Monday may not become public until Wednesday. In addition, the hard-working fine folk at the REBGV may not be able to enter the data into the system for another day (they do get quite busy, quite often). For that alone, weekly provides a more accurate picture.
About the “Sold Units” number: These are the reported sales. In actual fact there may be more or fewer firm offers for that week specifically. These numbers come from the board which relies on the listing Realtor to provide such information. In other words, a reported sale may in fact be one from two or three weeks ago (rare, but it does happen).
About the colours: Green means an increase or a positive change from the previous week. Red means a decrease or a negative change from the previous week. Blue means no change at all. For example, if the Total Units has increased then the shade will be green. If Sold Units increases then the shade will be green. If Prices increase the shade will be green. The only category where this is inverted is with Months of Supply. If Months of Supply increase the shade will be red as this is a negative. It is a result of there being more units available to the sales occurring and a subsequent likelihood of it taing longer to sell a home in the future (a negative change).
Updated January 10th to break out the four stats into their own Year-over-Year displays and have added two new charts of Average Price movement (weekly and four week trend) for Attached and Detached properties in the Greater Vancouver areas outlined above.
Vancouver, BC 
I think there’s a problem with your YOY graphs… The end of the year for 2008 should be at the same level as the start of 2009 and the same for the end of 2009 and beginning of 2010. Even taking into account the amount of listings dropped at the end of each year doesn’t compensate for the difference.
The first annual points on the graphs for YOY is the first week. Start of 2009 is the first weeks results, not a 0 week. 0 week would be repeating the final result of 2008. Add in the nearly 3000 removed listings and several hundred sales and you get where 2008 finished.
2008 finished with 12646 listings. The next week it was reported there were 2878 removed listings and 129 sales. 2009 started with 9811 listings (which included 172 new listings. 12646-2878-129+172= 9811. That 9811 is the first mark for 2009.
Same goes for 2010 compared to finishing 2009.
And this is most clearly visible with the YOY graph of removed properties (big first mark then a drop down to normalcy)
“Your an idiot Chad” I really do love it when someone calls someone else an idiot and can’t even understand the difference between YOUR and YOU’RE. You bears are pathetic, I bought my place last year and prices have gone up 25% since then, what a terrible decision by me. Price is the arbiter and it’s making new highs, put your crystal ball away and go get an education.
Thanks Chad, you are right, you’re an idiot (not your an idiot), silly me.
Enjoy the For Sale signs that abound, I’m sure these will bring you comfort in the months ahead.
You new buyers are idiots. Let’s let the price be the arbiter. And, I’m sure your paying less all in than it would have cost to rent an equivilant pad (not including principal repayment, but including opportunity cost on your downpayment, if any).
In any event, good luck, and thank you for the grammar lesson.
Again “I’m sure your paying less all” — Go back to school and learn the language please, you’re making a fool of yourself. I suppose you’re making a fool of yourself on two fronts, you’re inability to construct three sentences without spelling and grammatical errors that third graders no longer make but also in your lack of understanding of the marketplace. I could not care less if the cost of rent is marginally less than what I pay for my mortgage, the market has rallied 25% since I bought, that tax free capital gains is going to be quite nice. If all the bears are as uneducated as you are then the bearish arguments you all have been making for 5 years as the market has skyrocketed is beginning to make a lot of sense.
25%? Hmm…
…that can evaporate quicker than you can imagine.
[...] delusional Vancouver, there are 28% more active listings in the past couple of months, according to this guy. And, just start driving [...]
eh chady boy, if you bought last year..yes sir, you are a moron..that 25% increase is nothing but delusion.. put it up on the market and sell it. Lets see what it sells for…anyone can come up with some delusioned number they have wet dreams about. The real test is in the final sale, once the mulla is in the bank.
ONE MILLION DOLLARS *pinky finger*
Listings are soaring.
I’m looking forward to seeing your graphs this weekend Will.
Also, any commentary you have on the market wouild be of interest to us all.
Many thanks for the great website – I sincerely hope your business is going well. Based on the incredibly high quality of this site, I would expect that it is.