A total of 2,579 homes were sold in Metro Vancouver last month.

According to the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV), the number is a 2.5 percent increase over March sales of 2,517 units.

The benchmark price for all properties increased slightly by 0.7 percent in April compared to March, and 14.3 percent over April 2017.

The composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Greater Vancouver is $1,092,000.

The REBGV covers Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Richmond, Port Moody, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, South Delta, Whistler, Sunshine Coast, Squamish, West Vancouver, and North Vancouver.

Although sales rose in April compared to March, the REBGV reported that last month’s transactions represent a 27.4 percent decrease compared to April 2017.

Moreover, according to the REBGV, last month’s numbers were 22.5 percent below the 10-year April sales average.

“Home sales declined in our region last month to a 17-year April low and home sellers have become more active than we’ve seen in the past three years,” REBGV president Phil Moore said in a news release Wednesday (May 2).

Moore noted that market conditions are “changing”.

“The mortgage requirements that the federal government implemented this year have, among other factors, diminished home buyers’ purchasing power and they’re being felt on the buyer side today,” Moore said.