The Market is on the Rise!
Son and business partner, Jonathan got his first live taste on the state of the buyer’s market out there making an offer on he and Sarah’s first home. He is one of those millennials that will practice what we’ve been preaching which is to get off the sidelines and start looking. You’ll have to tune in later to find the outcome, but suffice to say, the house they made an offer on within two days had two other offers on it. He’s learning first-hand about multiple offers and buying strategy. Oh yea, and home buying emotions.
…regular home buyers are leading the surge rather than investors. This may yet change, but currently it’s a stronger and safer market.
Considering what’s happening in the market-place, it’s no surprise. As we’ve been suggesting for several months and likewise advocating for buyers longer than that, buyer’s need to take action if they want in on the current bottom of the market, for it is moving forward and upward.
Consider These Market Stats:
- Active Listings: 19,835 versus 23,096 last year – down 14.1% – and down 6.0% from 21,103 last month
- Under Contract Listings: 10,039 versus 8,173 last year – up 22.8% – and up 16.4% from 8,628 last month
- Monthly Sales: 7,174 versus 5,825 last year – up 23.2% – and up 38.8% from 5,170 last month
- Monthly Average Sales Price per Sq. Ft.: $134.78 versus $135.18 last year – down 0.3% – but up 0.6% from $134.04 last month (Prospective Buyers, memorize this number)
- Monthly Median Sales Price: $207,000 versus $198,050 last year – up 4.5% – and up 2.0% from $203,000 last month (Prospective Buyers, memorize this number). (Thanks to Michael Orr of ASU and the Cromford Report for these timely numbers)
You’ll note our highlighted instruction above for buyers to memorize the Monthly Average Sales Price per square foot and Monthly Median Sales Price. I think these numbers will be a new price appreciation benchmark, as they will begin to rise considerably shortly due to increasing sales, (demand) and further supply decrease. Another Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware).
What’s so healthy about this market versus our frenetic market in 2005, is that right now, regular home buyers are leading the surge rather than investors. This may yet change, but currently it’s a stronger and safer market. Amen to that!
Oh and by the way buyers, the standard 30 year fixed rate mortgage, has just dropped to a two year low at 3.71%.
