Sept 2026 Sunshine Coast Real Estate Market Update

Photo: Gibsons Harbour by Visit-World.com, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Cropped, with text overlay added.Posted October 2026 by Randi Thomas PREC*Hi neighbours! Fall has arrived on the Coast. The mornings are misty, the kids are back at school, and the leaves are starting to turn. September also gave us plenty to talk about, from a bit of life in our housing market to the news our whole community was waiting for out at Port Mellon. Here's my monthly round-up of the numbers and what's been going on around town.

The Numbers: September 2026 at a Glance

These figures come from the Greater Vancouver REALTORS® (GVR) September 2026 market report for the Sunshine Coast:

• Composite benchmark price: $805,600. That's up 2.9% from August and down 2.1% from September 2025.
• Detached homes: $853,300 (up 2.7% month over month, down 2.8% year over year)
• Townhouses: $743,600 (up 0.9% month over month, up 1.2% year over year)
• Apartments/condos: $461,000 (up 4.8% month over month, down 4.1% year over year)
• Sales: 44 homes sold (39 detached, 4 townhouses, 1 apartment). That's the same as August and down from 51 last September.
• New listings: 146 homes came on the market. That's up from 94 in August and 131 a year ago.
• Sales-to-new-listings: about 30% (32% for detached, 27% for townhouses, 10% for condos)

What I'm seeing: Prices bounced back nicely after a softer August, and townhouses are the one segment that's actually up from a year ago. Buyers have more choice than they've had in a while, though. A lot of new listings came on in September while sales stayed flat. That's typical of a fall market, and it means homes are taking a bit more time and a sharp price to move.For the long view: the Sunshine Coast benchmark is still up about 77% over 10 years. It's also about 25% below the Metro Vancouver composite benchmark of $1,075,900, so the Coast remains one of the better values in the region.

Around the Coast: What Happened in September

The Port Mellon mill: from closing to reopening

This was the big one. On August 20, Domtar announced it would indefinitely idle the Howe Sound Pulp and Paper mill and the Bayview Fibre chipping facility in Port Mellon, affecting about 400 employees. The company pointed to weak global pulp prices, lower demand from Asia and a shortage of affordable fibre. For a mill that has been part of our community for more than a century, it was a gut punch. I know many of you have family, friends and neighbours who work there or depend on it.Then things started to move. On September 4, MLA Randene Neill announced that the province had appointed two negotiators to work with Domtar on keeping the mill running: former deputy minister Don Wright and former Canfor CEO Don Kayne. On October 1, Domtar confirmed the mill will reopen after its regularly scheduled maintenance shutdown, with government support in place. Gibsons Mayor Silas White said he'd been told to expect a restart in mid-October, with a full ramp-up by November 1.A huge thank you to the workers, the union, local leaders and everyone who rallied around those families. This is what community looks like.

Election season, times two

Nominations for our local elections closed on September 11. General voting day is Saturday, October 17. Sechelt has a three-way race for mayor and 19 candidates running for six council seats. Gibsons has a two-way mayoral race and 10 candidates for four council seats. On top of that, a provincial election was called on September 22, and final voting day is October 24. Housing, ferries and transportation have been big topics at the all-candidates forums, so it's well worth getting informed and getting out to vote.

Ferries and roadwork

The Town of Gibsons Ferry Advisory Committee released its 2026 position paper on Route 3 (Horseshoe Bay–Langdale). It notes that more than 30% of sailings were overloaded in 2025, and it calls for more sailings, a better reservation system and the return of the Langdale terminal redevelopment. Closer to home, the SCRD started a roughly 10-week watermain replacement on Reed Road on September 8. If you usually take that shortcut to the ferry, give yourself extra time or stick to Highway 101 for now.

What This Means for You

For buyers: This is a good time to shop. You have more listings to choose from, less competition than we've seen in years past, and more room to negotiate on price and conditions. With the mill news looking positive, some of the uncertainty that may have made people hesitate is starting to lift.For sellers: Homes are still selling, and prices firmed up in September. With more competition from other listings, though, presentation and pricing matter more than ever. Homes that are priced right from day one and look their best are the ones getting the attention. If you're thinking about listing this fall or next spring, now is a great time to start planning.

Wrapping It Up

Every month I'm reminded how special it is to live somewhere people show up for each other the way they did for our mill workers. Whether you're curious what your home is worth, thinking about a move up or down the Coast, or just want to chat about the market over a coffee in Gibsons, I'd love to hear from you.Randi Thomas PREC* RE/MAX City Realty, Gibsons 📞 778-834-6156 | ✉️ coasthomesbyrandi@gmail.com 🌐 www.coasthomesbyrandi.comMarket statistics are from Greater Vancouver REALTORS® (September 2026) and are deemed reliable but not guaranteed. *Personal Real Estate Corporation.