The Seattle P-I and the Eastside Business Monthly both take a look at the newly-released NWMLS report on 2005. The reports are full of the usual ra-ra real estate talk:
“In the past, the market has absorbed home price increases with household income growth,” said J. Lennox Scott, chairman and chief executive of John L. Scott. “Well, we had household income growth in 2005, but appreciation rates were higher than that, therefore we needed the low interest rates.”
…
In 2005, even King County’s price increases were outpaced by those of Snohomish, Pierce and Kitsap counties, though none of those three counties’ median home sale prices broke $300,000 in the year-end tallies. In all four of the counties, the typical house sold for slightly more than its listed price.Only 12.5 percent of the 67,237 single-family homes sold in 2005 in those four counties went for less than $200,000; Kitsap’s prices jumped the fastest, rising 20.8 percent to $250,000 from $206,900 in 2004.
But there is also a hint of realism and a dying down of the hype:
“A lot of the sellers that we deal with are unrealistic, so we’re seeing a lot of listings come onto the market overpriced,” said Ryan Thompson, a John L. Scott Realtor in Seattle.
“There were a lot of multiple offers in the summer and fall when buyers had a ‘devil may care’ attitude, but there is more fear on their part now.”
The result is that sellers are beginning to recalibrate prices after their homes sit without selling.
…
“Developers have followed the curve and are starting new developments because condos are so hot … but I don’t see how demand can continue like this.”Thompson credits investors for some of the heat in the downtown condo market, noting that “even some agents do this on the side.”
I think 2006 may well be a defining year for the Seattle housing market.
(Kristen Millares Bolt, Seattle P-I, 01.18.2006)
(Eastside Business Monthly, 01.18.2006)