Fraser Valley August 2026 Market Stats — Sellers Feel the Squeeze as Buyers Take Their Time

The Fraser Valley Real Estate Board released its August 2026 numbers, and the headline is simple: sellers are feeling the squeeze as buyers take their time. Home prices continue to ease, and the buyer's market that has defined this year just kept deepening.

Let's break this down. The Fraser Valley recorded 941 sales in August, down 14 per cent from July, but up one per cent from August of last year. That year-over-year gain is only the second one we've seen since the start of 2025, a modest bright spot in an otherwise subdued market.

New listings also pulled back. 2,373 new listings came to market in August, a 16 per cent decline from July and 15 per cent below last August's pace. Some sellers appear to be holding off rather than listing into a soft market.

Here is what the numbers look like on benchmark pricing. The composite benchmark price for a typical Fraser Valley home is now $869,900, down 0.9 per cent from July and seven per cent below where it was a year ago.

Single-family detached homes are benchmarking at $1,319,600, down 1.2 per cent from July and down 8.4 per cent year-over-year.

Townhomes are at $750,600, down 0.9 per cent from July and down 7.1 per cent year-over-year.

Apartments are at $466,100, down 0.7 per cent from July and down 8.9 per cent year-over-year.

Active listings sit at 9,787, down three per cent from July, but still 33 per cent above the 10-year seasonal average for this time of year. The sales-to-active listings ratio came in at 10 per cent, keeping us firmly in buyer's market territory. A balanced market is typically between 12 and 20 per cent.

Average days to sell were 45 days for both single-family detached homes and condos, and 37 days for townhomes.

Here's the reality. Ishaq Ismail, Chair of the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board, described it as a tug-of-war: some buyers are negotiating below asking price, while sellers who need to sell are more likely to accept lower offers. That dynamic is what is driving the gradual price declines we're seeing, and it is creating more opportunity for buyers who are ready to act. Anthony Boone, Interim CEO of the Board, pointed out that prices are now as much as 15 per cent lower than they were three years ago, and these conditions are expected to keep favouring buyers for the foreseeable future.

If you are a move-up buyer with existing equity, this remains one of the better windows we have seen in years to make that move.

If you are a first-time buyer, it is worth checking in with a mortgage broker about where you actually stand. Pricing across every property type is meaningfully lower than it was a year ago, and in some cases lower than it was three years ago.

If you are a seller, price is what is deciding how fast your home moves right now. Homes priced to reflect today's market are still selling in a reasonable window. Homes priced for last year's market, or for three years ago, are sitting.

If you are looking for a local real estate expert in South Surrey, White Rock, or the Fraser Valley to help you get ahead in the market, feel free to reach out. I am here to help.