Market update · August 2026 data

What the Fraser Valley market actually looks like right now.

Real numbers from the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board, updated monthly, with what they mean for you as a buyer. No spin in either direction.

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August 2026 at a glance

Measure	August 2026
Sales	941
New listings	2,373
Active listings	9,787
Sales-to-active-listings ratio	10%
Benchmark, detached	$1,319,600
Benchmark, townhome	$750,600
Benchmark, apartment	$466,100
Benchmark, composite	$869,900
Average days to sell	37 days for townhomes, 45 days for detached and apartments

Source: Fraser Valley Real Estate Board statistics release for August 2026. Figures cover the full FVREB area: Surrey, North Delta, White Rock, Langley, Abbotsford and Mission.

What this means if you are buying

There is choice. Nearly ten thousand active listings, with inventory around 33% above the ten-year seasonal average, means you are not picking from three options. You can see twelve homes before deciding, and the right one is unlikely to vanish overnight.

There is time. Homes are taking roughly five to six weeks to sell on average. That pace is what makes a realistic subject period possible: time for a proper inspection, time to actually read strata documents, time for your lender to finish underwriting.

There is room to negotiate. The Fraser Valley board's own chair noted in the August release that some buyers are negotiating below asking price, and that sellers who need to sell are more likely to accept lower offers. Not every seller, and not every property. But the leverage is not all on one side the way it was a few years ago.

Prices have moved. The board's interim CEO noted that prices are as much as 15% lower than three years ago. Whether that continues is not something I am going to predict for you.

What has not changed. You still have to qualify. Rates, your credit and your other debts decide what you can borrow, and that conversation happens with a licensed mortgage broker or your lender, not with me.

How to read a market stat without being fooled by it

Benchmark is not average. The benchmark price models a typical home of that type. An average is dragged around by whatever happened to sell that month. They answer different questions, and headlines mix them up constantly.

Board-wide is not your neighbourhood. A Fraser Valley figure includes Mission and White Rock in the same number. Useful for direction, useless for pricing a specific unit.

One month is not a trend. Real estate is seasonal. Comparing August to July tells you less than comparing August to last August.

Ratios beat prices for timing. The sales-to-active-listings ratio tells you about the balance of power between buyers and sellers faster than price does, because price lags.

Market questions

Is this a buyer's market or a seller's market in the Fraser Valley?

In August 2026 the Fraser Valley sales-to-active-listings ratio was 10%, with 9,787 active listings against 941 sales. As a rule of thumb the industry treats a ratio under roughly 12% over several months as buyer's market territory. Active inventory was about 33% above the ten-year seasonal average. Those are the numbers. What they mean for your specific purchase depends on the property type and the neighbourhood.

Does that mean I should wait for prices to fall further?

I am not going to forecast prices for you, and I would be cautious about anyone who does. What I can say is what changes for a buyer in a market like this: more choice, more time to decide, more room to include proper subject clauses, and more willingness from motivated sellers to negotiate. Those are real advantages that do not show up in a price chart.

How often is this page updated?

Monthly, after the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board publishes its statistics for the previous month. The date at the top tells you which release the numbers come from.

Are these numbers for Surrey specifically?

No. These are Fraser Valley Real Estate Board figures, which cover Surrey, North Delta, White Rock, Langley, Abbotsford and Mission. Individual cities and neighbourhoods move differently. If you want the picture for one area or one building type, ask me and I will pull it.

Want these numbers for your specific search?

Tell me the area and the property type and I will send you the real comparable sales, not a board-wide average.

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A quick, honest note on what this page is

I am a licensed real estate representative in British Columbia. I am not a mortgage broker, a lawyer, a notary, an accountant or a home inspector, so nothing here is mortgage, legal, tax or financial advice.

What you are reading is the general, plain-language version of things I explain to buyers every week, written so you walk into your own decisions already knowing the vocabulary. Rules, rates and program limits change. Before you act on anything here, confirm the details with the right licensed professional for that question, and read the actual documents for the actual property.

If I ever stand to receive any benefit from introducing you to another professional, I tell you in writing before you act on the introduction. That is your right under BC rules, and it is also just how I would want to be treated.