Thanks again to our friends at the Cromford Report, here’s the September Market Update, as the days shorten, the nights cool off and kids are ensconced securely back at their school desks.
Summary:
Listings Under Contract up 12%
Monthly Median Sales Price up 7.1%
For Buyers:
If you’ve been frustrated over the past 5 months with high buyer demand for well-priced properties within your price range, you should be seeing some relief now. August is typically a slow time for buyer activity across all price ranges and 2016 is no different. Contracts in escrow began their decline in June, dropping nearly 17% from a high of 13,432 in May to 11,190 by the first week of August. Active listings have also declined nearly 10%, down to 19,783 since their peak in March at 21,924. At this time of year, many sellers are tired of being on the market, making it a good time to revisit those listings that were not picked up during the peak or came on the market late in the season. August is a very slow month for new listings to come on the market, therefore expect inventory to be relatively stale until more new listings start coming on stronger towards late September and October.
For Sellers:
Yes, the summer is slow in comparison to the busy Spring season. However, there is a bright side for sellers. While contracts in escrow have seasonally declined 17% since their peak last May, at 11,190 this measure is nearly 12% higher than last year’s count. Another bright side for sellers is, despite the seasonal slowdown of new contracts in escrow, listings under $400,000 are still getting within 98-99% of their asking price after negotiations. Nearly 28% of July closings through the MLS included some level of seller-assisted closing costs. That percentage is highest for listings between $200,000 and $250,000 at nearly 35%, and lowest for listings over $500,000 at under 5%. Be prepared for weekly price reductions to increase next month as more new listings begin to enter the market.
If you need help getting active in the market, give us a call at 602-456-9388.
