Lower Mainland real estate prices climbed again in June amid near-record sales activity.

The benchmark price of a detached house in Greater Vancouver rose to $701,000 last month. That's up three per cent from $680,000 in May and about eight per cent from $649,000 in February.

Housing prices have been gaining or at least holding their own since bottoming out in February, when fears of a severe economic recession peaked and began to subside.

Attached homes also gained in price last month, up to $441,000, according to the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV). Condos gained about two per cent to nearly $357,000.

Renewed interest from buyers powered Greater Vancouver realtors to their second-busiest month on record.

REBGV president Scott Russell said reduced prices and low interest rates have attracted buyers and pushed sales up to just short of the all-time record pace set in June of 2005.

"Many people who were reluctant to purchase a home last fall and earlier this year are returning to the market," he said.

"However, the current marketplace is such that buyers are more inclined to walk if they don't like the terms on offer."

Prices fell about 15 per cent between spring 2008 and early 2009. Despite the rebound in recent months, residential prices are still down about eight per cent from one year ago.

The Fraser Valley Real Estate Board, which includes Surrey, White Rock and North Delta, also reported strong sales.

FVREB president Paul Penner noted a survey of realtors who sold homes in the first half of June showed 32 per cent were first-time home buyers and another 22 per cent were trading up, from an apartment or townhouse to a detached house.

Benchmark prices of detached houses in the Fraser Valley were up 1.3 per cent in June. Townhouses gained 0.9 per cent and condos were down 0.5 per cent from a month before.

Both boards reported a shrinking number of active home listings in June.