Will U.S. Tariffs Crash Vancouver’s Real Estate Market?

It's always sunny with me ☀️ This is your REALTOR®, Jersey Li 😄!

Jersey’s Hot Take for Q2 2025 – Don’t Say I Didn’t Warn You

Brace yourself, Vancouver—there’s a storm brewing in real estate, and it’s coming straight from the south. The U.S. just paused its new tariffs on global imports, and while economists argue about who it’ll hurt more, let’s cut through the noise: it’s already hitting us here at home—especially in real estate.

🌍 Will U.S. Tariffs Crash Vancouver’s Real Estate Market? Global Tariffs, Local Chaos

Let’s keep it real: when the U.S. fired off a tariff war, the global economy flinched. Prices rose, investor confidence dropped, and construction costs in Vancouver spiked overnight. Steel, glass, timber, and tech? All more expensive. Developers now face shrinking margins—and that means fewer builds and discounted inventory flooding the market just to stay afloat.

What’s worse? Everyone’s sitting on the fence, unsure what to do. Meanwhile, smart buyers are watching—and preparing to pounce.

📉 Jersey’s Q2 2025 Prediction: Prices Are Going Down—Hard

Let’s not sugarcoat this. A stagnant market is a fragile market, and the cracks are showing.

Even if the federal government whispers sweet nothings like a GST exemption on new builds, it’s too little, too late. Confidence is shaky.

🔥 Prices are going to drop. Period.

In today’s tug-of-war, buyers have the advantage—they can walk away. Sellers? Not so much.

📈 But Volume Will Go Up (And Fast)

Here’s the kicker: once prices hit that magic point, the fence-sitters will rush in.

Expect to see a transaction spike in Q2. The difference is they’ll be closing at 5–10% below peak asking prices.

🔻 Presale developers? They’ll panic first. Some will quietly slash prices behind closed doors. Others will bait buyers with hidden incentives and bonuses. You’ll start seeing signs like “limited time upgrades” or “inquire for incentives.” That’s code for: we’re in trouble.

💼 If You’re a Seller (Especially a Serious One)...

🚨 Drop. Your. Price. Now.

Let me be blunt. If your place is worth $1M today and you’re listing at $1.2M hoping someone’s cousin from Toronto will overpay—

❌ You’ll sit. You’ll stew. And you’ll sell for $970K six months from now.

✅ Price at $999K, close at $990K, and walk away like a pro.

In a down-trending market, pricing ahead of the curve isn’t just smart—it’s survival.

🧠 If You’re a Buyer (And You’ve Been Waiting)...

Stop waiting for some perfect unicorn moment. Real estate doesn’t reward the patient—it rewards the prepared.

Watch for these 4 signs that the market is entering its sweet spot:

Interest Rates Under 3% – If banks start whispering sub-3 rates, it’s go-time.
Your Preferred Party is in Power – Politics and policy matter. If they’re aligned with your outlook, so is the market.
The Tariff War Ends – Global cooperation resumes, and materials drop in price.
Smarter Immigration Reform – New, financially capable immigrants are being welcomed again.

If all four align? It’s the green light. But guess what?

By then, so many others will have jumped in that you’ll miss the best deals.

So if you have the stomach for risk and a long-term vision, beat the wave—don’t ride it.