What’s Happening in The Columbia Valley real estate market?
If you have glanced at the headline real estate numbers for the Columbia Valley for May, you might be feeling a bit of whiplash. When you look at the data, on the surface it looks like the market is softening because average sale prices look to have dropped significantly compared to this time last year. But as the old saying goes… the devil is in the details! When you dig beneath the surface of our May data, a completely different story emerges.
Market demand is remarkably resilient. Property values aren't collapsing across the board; instead, the data is showing us a shift in what is selling.
Breaking down the data into key areas – called metrics – helps you to navigate the numbers, and how they shape the market, whether you are looking to buy a mountain getaway or sell your current home.
So what do I see when I look at May’s data?
My first question is always ‘How Fast is the Market Moving?’
To understand market speed, we look at how quickly homes are selling and how much choice Buyers have.
I look at Days on Market (DOM), which shrank in May. Homes sold averaged 59 days on market, which is roughly 10 days faster (an almost 15% drop) than last May’s average. When buyers see a good property, they are moving quickly!
Next, I look at Months Supply of Inventory (MSI). You can think of this as a countdown clock - if no new homes were listed for sale starting from today, how many months would it take for every existing home to sell out, based on current demand?
Right now, we have 7.75 months of supply. Traditionally, anything over 6 months leans toward a Buyer’s Market, because more properties mean more selection for Buyers, and increased competition for Sellers. For the Columbia Valley market, 7.75 actually represents a slight tightening from last May's 8.23 months.
Also important is the Sales-to-New-Listings Ratio (SNLR) number. This basically measures market efficiency, by comparing how many homes were sold against how many new ones came onto the market.
In May, we saw 82 new listings, with 37 sales. This resulted in a ratio of 45% (down from 54.3% last year). This means that essentially, in May, for every two Sellers who listed their homes, one property was sold.
The Big Picture: fresh options are currently outpacing sales, thanks in part to a 17.14% increase in new inventory. While Buyers are snapping up the right homes faster, the volume of new choices means that for Buyers there is less urgency to buy absolutely everything that hits the market.
My second question is always ‘What is happening with Pricing?
So, now we return to the apparent drop in pricing. At first glance, the headline statistic looks a bit scary - the data shows that the Average Sale Price in May plunged 18.4% year-over-year to $533,781 (down from $654,227). But… if we dig deeper, all is not what it seems!
The key word in the metric is ‘average’, and in a smaller market a handful of sales can tip the balance one way or the other, especially when we look at the types of properties that sold. When we look at the Year-to-Date (YTD) numbers—which average out the data over the whole year so far – we see that prices are actually up 3.03% when compared to the same time last year ($584,127 2026 vs. $566,931 2025).
Property values are not dropping. Rather, May’s sales saw a shift towards a higher concentration of low-to-mid priced units (think condo apartments, townhomes, and smaller single-family residences). In comparison, May last year had a more luxury sales, with higher prices that skewed the numbers upward.
Another key metric, the List-to-Sale Price Ratio, is holding steady at 95.79%. This shows that, while Buyers are negotiating, Sellers are not desperate—they are keeping almost identical negotiation room, when compared to last year's LSPR of 95.42%.
My third question is usually ‘Where Is The Action?’
This involves looking at supply and segmentation – which types of property are selling most frequently?
Total active inventory remains stable at 221 units, but the real story is found by looking at the market through the lens of different price brackets and property sizes.
For the Columbia Valley as we move into June, properties under $675,000 make up the bulk of the inventory. This is a balanced and highly active segment of the market, currently sitting at around 7.7 Months Supply of Inventory. These tend to be properties with 1 to 3 bedrooms, and with sales driven by affordability and increased demand.
Meanwhile, properties of $875,000+ are telling a very different story, with MSI currently at 17.7. These properties tend to have 4+ bedrooms, and largely account for the ‘luxury’ segment of our market. As a result of the high MSI, we are seeing increased competition amongst Sellers, with these properties generally spending longer on the market before they sell.
Well, this is all very well, Bev, but what does this mean for me?
Very good question! Moving into June, the Columbia Valley real estate market is healthy, active, and transitioning into a window of equilibrium. Buyers have more affordable entry points and better selection, while Sellers who price smartly are being rewarded with quicker sales cycles. Real estate is hyper-local, and your strategy will depend entirely upon which side of the closing table you are sitting, which of the local communities you are thinking of, and which segment of the market holds your focus.
If You Are Looking to BUY..
…if you’ve been dreaming of relocating to the Columbia Valley, or thinking of upgrading your space, the outlook is very positive.
With 82 new listings hitting the market in a single month—the highest burst we’ve seen in a few years—you don't have to compromise on your choice, and with a range of fresh options there is something for everyone.
Most sellers are leaving room for respectful negotiations (closing at roughly 95.79% of asking price), especially on larger single-family homes or luxury properties where inventory is sitting for longer.
The Catch? Don't sit on your hands for too long if you find the perfect place! Well-priced, attractive homes are still getting snapped up in under two months (59 days average).
If You Are Looking to SELL…
…if you are planning to put your property on the market, the environment is competitive and your strategy needs to be flawless.
With new listings up over 17%, you are competing with more sellers for the same pool of buyers. Your home needs to stand out through excellent staging, premium marketing and photography, and strategic pricing.
The Bright Spot? Serious buyers are generally moving 10 days faster than last year - if your home is priced correctly, and showcases well, you shouldn't be stuck waiting around for it to sell.
The Strategy: Success in today’s market may require letting go of last year's peak prices. If you are listing a property under $675k, they are moving relatively quickly. If you are listing over $875k, you are entering a heavier Buyer's market, with over 17 months of active inventory available, which means that your pricing must be sharp, or your home especially attractive to Buyers, in order to stand out in the current market
The Columbia Valley is a diverse recreational market. For localized information for Invermere, Windermere, Panorama Mountain Resort, Radium Hot Springs, Canal Flats, and Edgewater, or for property-specific information for lake-access retreats, ski-in/ski-out properties, mountain cabins, rural acreages and beautiful single-family homes, contact me!
Start your property search here:
