The detached segment, at 10.7%, is the one property type that has dipped into territory where sustained pressure could start pulling prices down. Townhomes and condos are holding in the middle of the balanced range. This is exactly why we've seen prices move sideways rather than sharply in either direction — there's no urgency on either side, but the market isn't broken either.
Through spring 2026, we've stayed in the 12–18% zone overall — buyer-friendly but not crashing. That's why prices haven't moved dramatically in either direction despite high inventory.
Property Type Breakdown
Detached Homes
The detached segment has shown more resilience than many expected entering 2026. Metro Vancouver detached sales reached
660 in May — actually up 0.9% year-over-year. The benchmark price for a detached home sits at
$1,847,900, down 6.9% from May 2025 but up 0.4% from April — a small but meaningful sign of stabilization.
New listings in the detached category are down compared to last year, sales are edging up modestly, and the result is gradual price floor-finding. In our local markets, Burnaby and Coquitlam detached homes — outside Burke Mountain and Westwood Plateau — are seeing more buyer interest this spring, particularly turnkey homes on standard lots.
Townhomes
Townhomes continue to be the segment with the smallest year-over-year price decline, and for good reason — they're the family-buyer sweet spot when detached pricing is out of reach but condo living isn't enough space. The Metro Vancouver townhome benchmark is
$1,048,200, down 5.1% year-over-year but up 0.5% from April.
Attached sales came in at 463 in May — essentially flat year-over-year, down just 1.3%. Inventory is selling, but only when priced and presented correctly.
Condos / Apartments
The condo segment is carrying the most weight in this market correction. Metro Vancouver apartment sales dropped
7.2% year-over-year to 1,009 units, and the benchmark price sits at
$697,800 — down 7.9% from May 2025 and down 0.7% from April. That month-over-month dip is worth noting; it's the only property type where prices slipped from April to May.
One-bedroom and studio units in Burnaby and Coquitlam have built up supply, while well-located two-bedroom units in New Westminster and the Burnaby/Coquitlam transit corridors continue to find buyers. Location and layout are doing a lot of work in this segment right now.
What This Means If You're Buying
- You have selection. More inventory means more options to compare and more negotiating room. 34.6% above the seasonal average translates to real choice at every price point.
- Subjects are back. Financing, inspection, and strata document review are normal parts of offers again — you don't need to waive them to win.
- Price reductions are common. Watch for homes listed 30+ days; those sellers are usually the most motivated, and those are where the best deals in this market live.
- Interest rates are stable. The wild swings of 2022–2023 are behind us, making budgeting and pre-approval predictable.
- Benchmark prices are down meaningfully year-over-year. Detached homes are down $137,000+ from May 2025 at the Metro level. For buyers who have been on the sidelines, that's a real and tangible shift.
What This Means If You're Selling
- Pricing is everything. Aspirational pricing leads to stale listings and reduced sale prices. The data is clear: days on market is your enemy, and overpricing is how you accumulate them.
- Presentation matters more than ever. When buyers have 16,917 homes to choose from, your home has to stand out — staging, photography, video, and prep aren't optional.
- Marketing reach matters. A sign on the lawn and a basic MLS® listing isn't a marketing plan in 2026. Internet and technology-driven marketing is what moves homes in this environment.
- The detached ratio is a warning flag. At 10.7% sales-to-active, the detached segment is in the zone where prices face real downward pressure if activity doesn't pick up. Strategic sellers will get ahead of that, not react to it.
Local Market Context: Burnaby, New Westminster & Coquitlam
While Metro Vancouver numbers set the backdrop, the local story matters more for buyers and sellers in our core markets.
New Westminster continues to attract first-time buyers and downsizers drawn to SkyTrain access and relative affordability compared to Burnaby and Vancouver. The condo benchmark here reflects the broader softness in the apartment segment, but two-bedroom units near the Quay and Columbia Street corridor remain in demand.
Burnaby is a three-story market — North, East, and South each move differently. The Brentwood and Lougheed corridors have absorbed significant new condo supply, which shows in apartment numbers. Detached homes in established Burnaby neighbourhoods with SkyTrain proximity are finding more buyer interest as prices have adjusted from 2023–2024 highs.
Coquitlam tells a similar story. The townhome segment — particularly along the Evergreen Line — continues to attract families priced out of detached. Burke Mountain detached inventory has grown, creating negotiating room that simply wasn't there two years ago.
For the specific benchmark prices, days on market, and sales-to-active ratios in each of these cities, visit the market stats pages on this site.
Looking Ahead to Summer
GVR's chief economist noted that year-to-date, sales have come in just shy of forecast, and no obvious near-term catalysts loom over the horizon to move the market significantly in either direction. A calm and orderly summer market is the reasonable expectation.
Historically, June is the last big spring buyer push, July softens, and August is the slowest month of the year. If you're a seller hoping to close before the school year, the window is now — not in six weeks.
For buyers, the late-spring/early-summer window often offers the best combination of selection and negotiating leverage of the entire year. High inventory, motivated sellers, stable rates, and prices that have already adjusted. The fear of buying at the wrong time is real, but nobody catches the absolute bottom. What you can catch is a market with options, leverage, and predictability — and that's what we have right now.
Ready to Talk Strategy?
Whether you're buying or selling in Burnaby, New Westminster, Coquitlam, or anywhere across Greater Vancouver, the market rewards preparation and good advice right now — not hesitation.
Juliana Vallée · RE/MAX Heights Realty · 778-822-8000
Start your home search →Find out what your home is worth →Source: Greater Vancouver REALTORS® MLS® statistics, May 2026.
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