Just like spring, the Kamloops housing market is popping

After February's wait-and-see, Kamloops' housing market snapped into action in March.

"We saw the typical seasonal uptick that usually comes as we head into the busy spring market," said Kaytee Sharun, president of the 2,600-member Association of Interior Realtors.

"While the broader economic uncertainty surrounding tariffs may be contributing to an atmosphere of hesitation, home sales and inventory levels are maintaining a healthy pace, as demand and the need for housing remain strong."

Even if you aren't buying or selling a home, the monthly housing figures should be of interest to everyone because they are a prime economic indicator.

What housing statistics like this show is that while we might be scared of tariffs and the future, life goes on and you still gotta buy stuff.

So let's put this all into numbers.

Last month in Kamloops, 78 single-family homes changed hands, up from 64 in February and 60 in January.

Yet, that's off 20% compared to March 2024's activity.

The benchmark selling price of a typical single-family home in Kamloops in March was $667,800, a bump from $652,700 in February and $635,000 in January.

The single-family benchmark hit a record-high of $820,990 in the post-COVID, pre-inflation boom of June 2022.

When it comes to townhouses, 29 sold in March, a jump from 23 in February and 20 in January.

Despite the recent rises, the March 2025 sales activity was 4% less than March 2024

The benchmark selling price of a typical townhouse last month was $507,700, up from $502,500 in February and $495,100 in January.

The townhouse benchmark peaked in the spring of 2022 at $569,400.

For condos, there were 28 sales last month, a boost from 22 in February and 24 in January.

The March 2025 sales were 12.5% softer than March 2024.

The benchmark selling price of a typical condo in March was $378,800 up from $367,700 in February and $354,700 in January.

The record-high condo benchmark was $403,323 in June 2022.

Another indicator included in the association's monthly report is 'days to sell'.

In March, single-family homes sold after being on the market for 58 days, which is 10% more than last year at the same time.

Yet, last month, townhouses that sold had been listed for sale for 51 days, which is 59% longer than March 2024.

And of the condos that changed hands in March, the average time on the market was 77 days, 40% longer than the same month last year.

The higher 'days to sell' show that while the housing market may be picking up, buyers are still taking their time comparison shopping, haggling on price and ruminating over that final decision.

After all, there's still an element of uncertainty in the market and a home is generally the largest purchasing decision you make in your life.