Finding a house and affording a house are two separate issues buyers are facing in Squamish right now, especially with prices up about 10% since last year.  The Whistler housing market isn’t any better. 

squamish housing

Housing seems to be at the forefront of every council meeting, local discussion and source of frustration for Squamites. As local realtor David Wiebe tells us, the average price of a home (condo, townhouse, or detached) has risen by, close to, 10% in the last 10 months.

Why the major jump? Wiebe said, put simply, “it’s the way the market works; supply and demand. There’s more demand, and inventory levels are lower. More demand and less supply, means the prices will rise.”

He attributes the low inventory and rising prices  to investors from Vancouver, who have discovered the natural beauty and (relatively) easy commute into the city. Young families are being attracted to Squamish, which is why townhouses in the area are on the market for the shortest amount of time.

Detached homes for sale in Squamish are also hard to come by. The benchmark price of a detached home is selling for nearly $600,000.00 and Weibe says this will buy you a “reasonably nice” home, that was built in the 1970s or 1980s.

The Whistler housing market is in a similar state, with even higher prices and foreign investors snapping up what is available. Wiebe says, in June, Whistler had the lowest  number of listings for this time of year, in the past 6 years.

Wiebe’s advice: “Try to get in now, before it keeps going up.” 

http://myseatoskyhome.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/90/2015/07/Squamish-June-2015.pdf

http://myseatoskyhome.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/90/2015/07/Whistler-June-2015-Stats.pdf