Home sales in B.C. were up in October compared to the same month last year.

The British Columbia Real Estate Association says 8,677 homes were sold last month in B.C., an increase of 19.3 per cent from last year, despite a housing supply crunch.

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In Metro Vancouver, the association reports sales were up nearly 35 per cent over the same time period.

Prices continued to rise, however, in Metro Vancouver, with the average price of a home jumping more than 20 per cent to $1,074,834 from $891,705 year over year.

Meantime, the average residential price in the province also rose to $720,129, up 18.7 per cent from October 2016.

BCREA chief economist Cameron Muir said, in a statement Tuesday, that a lack of supply in the resale market continues to put upward pressure on home prices in most B.C. regions.

Total active listings were down 5.1 per cent to 27,987 units in October compared to the same month last year, and have declined 49 per cent over the last five years, he added.

B.C. is currently considered to be in a balanced market.