Fraser Valley Market Report — August 2026: A Full-Blown Buyer's Market

10.4 months of inventory — a full-blown buyer's market

The Fraser Valley ended August with 9,787 active listings against 941 sales — a 10.4-month supply, more than double what a balanced market looks like. The sales-to-active-listings ratio sat near 10%, well under the 12–20% band that marks balance. That single ratio is why prices keep easing.

Why it matters: buyers, this is your leverage — roughly one home sells for every ten on the market, so offers below asking are landing. Sellers, it's the opposite: your competition is deep, and pricing has to be sharp from day one.

Source: Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB). Months of inventory = active listings ÷ sales.

Townhomes are the one bright spot — 6.5 months of inventory

Stacked against detached (9.9 months) and apartments (9.2), townhomes stand out at 6.5 months of inventory and a sales-to-active ratio near 15.5% — the only segment anywhere close to balanced. The same pattern holds across Greater Vancouver, where attached homes were the only type to sell more than a year ago.

What it means: if you're a buyer wanting a townhome, move with intention — the selection is thinner and competition is real. If you're selling a townhome, you have more bargaining room than detached sellers.

Prices are roughly 27% below the 2022 peak — and still easing

The composite benchmark for a typical Fraser Valley home is $869,900, down 7.2% from a year ago. Against the March 2022 peak, prices have given back about 27% — and the monthly trend is still gently down. In Greater Vancouver the same slide is visible, about 13.6% below its peak.

Why it matters: the correction isn't a crash, it's a grind. For buyers that's the point — prices are lower than they've been in three years. For sellers, the message is to price to today's reality, not to what a neighbour got in 2022.

Detached homes are down 8.4% from a year ago — the deepest discount

The detached benchmark is $1,319,600, down 8.4% year-over-year — more than townhomes (−7.1%) or apartments (−8.9%). Detached is also where buyers have the most leverage: 9.9 months of inventory and a sales-to-active ratio near 10%.

For buyers, this is the segment to negotiate in. For sellers of detached homes, it's the toughest table in the market: price it right, stage it well, and expect a longer road.

Sales held vs last year — but momentum is cooling into fall

August saw 941 sales, up 1.1% from a year ago — only the second annual gain since the start of 2025. But that's a 13.6% drop from July, and new listings fell 15% as sellers pulled back. Homes that are priced right are selling — detached and condos average about 45 days on market, townhomes 37. Homes that aren't priced right sit.

What I'd do if I were you

For buyers: The leverage is real and it's biggest in detached. Get pre-approved, do the inspection and strata work properly, and offer against what closed in August — not what a seller hoped for in May. If you want a townhome, move faster: that's the one segment where competition is real.

For sellers: Price to your area and your segment, not to the headline. Detached sellers are working a 10%-ratio market — price it right, present it well, and accept that the padding you plan to negotiate away just buys you days on market. Townhome sellers have more room; use it.

Thinking of moving? You're buying in a buyer's market and selling in one too. The math usually still works if you move down the price ladder or into a segment with better ratios — but run the numbers on financing first, because both sides of your trade are soft.

Want the full picture for your block?

Every month I turn this data into a plain-English read for the Fraser Valley. Drop your details and I'll send the full breakdown — and if you're ready, we can get specific about your street, your home type, and your plan.

James Anderson · Royal LePage Sterling Realty
604-421-1010 · james@kylelambrealestate.com

Data: Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB) August 2026 Statistics Package & Greater Vancouver REALTORS® (GVR) August 2026 Residential Market Report. This is general market commentary, not financial or legal advice.