2026 September Stats — Okanagan Real Estate Market

Central Okanagan Real Estate Market Update (August 2026)

The August 2026 real estate data released by the Association of Interior REALTORS® (AIR) reveals a temporary, event-driven pause across the Central Okanagan housing market. Severe wildfire activity and mandatory community evacuations across the Interior region during August shifted local focus away from real estate transactions, leading to a temporary dampening in both buyer activity and new listing volume.

Despite these operational disruptions, benchmark prices remained exceptionally stable, showing that intrinsic value held firm across all major housing segments.

Central Okanagan Market at a Glance: August 2026 vs. August 2025

Source: Association of Interior REALTORS® August 2026 Monthly Statistics Report.

Sales Activity: Wildfire Interruptions Soften Monthly Totals

A total of 362 properties across all categories sold in the Central Okanagan during August 2026, marking a 5.24% drop compared to August 2025 (382 sales) and a sharper month-over-month decline from July (466 sales). Within residential property categories specifically, 327 units changed hands (down 9.42% year-over-year). Total sales volume reached $276.87 million, down 9.38% relative to the $305.51 million recorded in August 2025.

The primary driver behind this slowdown was regional disruption rather than fundamental economic weakening. As active wildfires prompted displacement and safety precautions throughout the region, showings and negotiations were temporarily put on hold.

Year-to-date through August, overall transaction volume remains resilient: 3,131 total units have sold (down just 1.73% year-over-year) generating $2.59 billion in dollar volume.

Inventory & New Listings: Tightening Supply Prevents Price Slippage

The most notable trend in August's metrics is the sharp pull-back in sellers bringing properties to market.

• New Listings: Just 838 new listings were taken in August 2026—an 18.88% reduction from August 2025 (1,033).

• Active Inventory: Total active listings at month-end contracted to 3,953 properties, down 8.81% from last year's 4,335.

Because new supply contracted at a faster rate than demand, active inventory did not flood the market, preserving price stability across core property types.

Inventory Breakdown by Key Residential Segment:

• Single-Family Homes: 1,219 active listings (-18.57% YoY; 296 new listings, -22.72%)

• Condominium / Apartments: 785 active listings (-12.09% YoY; 194 new listings, -13.39%)

• Townhomes: 420 active listings (-0.71% YoY; 127 new listings, 0.00%)

Property Type Deep-Dive: Pricing & Performance Breakdown

Single-Family Detached Homes

Single-family detached homes (excluding lakefront and acreage properties) continued to show underlying strength.

• Benchmark Price: $1,056,700 (+0.2% YoY)

• Average Sale Price: $1,049,811 (-4.31% YoY)

• Median Sale Price: $925,166 (-2.61% YoY)

• Units Sold: 142 units (-9.55% YoY)

• Days to Sell: 60 days (vs. 58 days in August 2025)

Condominiums & Apartments

The condo sector saw stable transaction volume with modest price gains in average values.

• Benchmark Price: $465,700 (-5.5% YoY)

• Average Sale Price: $475,971 (+3.75% YoY)

• Median Sale Price: $413,500 (-1.55% YoY)

• Units Sold: 96 units (-4.95% YoY)

• Days to Sell: 79 days (vs. 68 days in August 2025)

Townhomes

Townhomes experienced the largest decrease in monthly sales unit volume relative to last year.

• Benchmark Price: $698,600 (-3.3% YoY)

• Average Sale Price: $678,186 (-3.03% YoY)

• Median Sale Price: $615,000 (-5.38% YoY)

• Units Sold: 42 units (-10.64% YoY)

• Days to Sell: 64 days (vs. 56 days in August 2025)

Market Pace & Negotiation: Sellers Realize Asking Prices

Properties averaged 78 days to sell in August 2026 across all categories, compared to 65 days in August 2025. Residential properties specifically averaged 70 days.

While properties took longer to close due to monthly disruptions, negotiation margins remained tight. The list-to-sale price ratio across all properties held firm at 96.05% (slightly up from 95.83% in August 2025), while the overall residential list-to-sale ratio came in at 96.26%. Buyers continue to secure minor discounts during negotiations, but sellers pricing in line with current conditions are achieving close to their asking price.

Macro Context: Seasonally Adjusted Regional & Provincial Benchmarks

To strip out expected seasonal swings and temporary monthly distortions, evaluating seasonally adjusted Home Price Index (HPI) data provides crucial perspective on broader regional strength across Interior British Columbia and comparative markets.

• Interior BC Price Holding: On a seasonally adjusted basis, Interior BC’s composite benchmark price settled at $658,500 in August 2026, remaining virtually unchanged year-over-year (+0.38% vs. $656,000 in August 2025) and easing just 0.35% month-over-month from July ($660,800).

• Single-Family Anchor: Single-family detached homes across Interior BC posted a seasonally adjusted benchmark of $772,300 (+0.32% YoY), holding completely flat month-over-month (-0.01% vs. $772,400 in July), highlighting resilient underlying demand for detached properties.

• Outperforming Wider Trends: While provincial benchmark prices across British Columbia fell -4.62% YoY (to $872,200) and the National Aggregate index contracted -3.04% YoY (to $657,400), Interior BC demonstrated superior price stability, signaling strong local fundamentals despite seasonal disruptions.

Strategic Advice for Buyers & Sellers

For Buyers:

• Inventory Constraints: Active listings are down nearly 9% overall and over 18% in the single-family segment. Do not expect widespread distress sales or heavy inventory accumulation entering the fall.

• Leverage the Pace: With days on market averaging 60–79 days across primary residential segments, buyers have adequate room to conduct due diligence, complete inspections, and negotiate without pressure.

For Sellers:

• Fewer Competing Listings: New listings dropped sharply by 18.88% in August. Properties entering the market now face reduced competition for serious buyer attention.

• Pricing Precision: Buyers remain selective and sensitive to pricing. Single-family homes listed at benchmark market rates ($1.05M range) continue to attract activity, while overpriced listings in condo and townhome categories face extended days on market.