local real estate news, statistics, and commentary without the sales spin.
County-wide statistics.
NWMLS posted their stats this morning, but first here are our regular monthly “preview” charts. Now that May is behind us let’s take a look at the local housing market stats for the month. Short story: Sales shot up, listings improved a little but are still scarce…
Let’s have a look at the latest data from the Case-Shiller Home Price Index. According to March data that was released this morning, Seattle-area home prices were:
Up 2.6 percent February to March
Up 12.3 percent year-over-year.
Up 12.7 percent from the July 2007 peak
Over the same period last year prices were up 2.4 percent month-over-month and year-over-year prices were up 10.9 percent.
Seattle home prices as measured by Case-Shiller shot up yet again to a new all-time high in March, and let the nation in month-over-month and year-over-year price gains for the second month in a row.
The near hockey-stick shape of some of these home price charts is starting to concern me.
April market stats have been published by the NWMLS yesterday. Here’s their press release: Shrinking inventory putting “stranglehold” on sales
You can practically hear OB Jacobi and J. Lennox Scott drooling over all those sweet, sweet high commissions. At least George Moorhead seems relatively level-headed, pointing out that prices might be getting a bit out of control.
Pending sales have been down year-over-year for three months in a row, and now closed sales have finally declined year-over-year as well. That said, even with the drop, closed sales in April came out higher than the April level in thirteen of the last twenty-four years. Given the continued extreme shortage of inventory, it’s no surprise then that strong demand + very low supply = surging prices.
NWMLS posted their stats yesterday, but I still want to share the regular monthly “preview” charts here. Now that April done let’s take a look at the local housing market stats for the month. Short story: Inventory is still almost non-existent, and it seems to be finally putting somewhat of a damper on sales.
Sales slipped slightly between March and April in both counties. Listings increased month-over-month, but it was a very weak gain for this time of year.
Let’s have a look at the latest data from the Case-Shiller Home Price Index. According to February data that was released this morning, Seattle-area home prices were:
Up 1.9 percent January to February
Up 12.2 percent year-over-year.
Up 10.0 percent from the July 2007 peak
Over the same period a year earlier prices were up 1.1 percent month-over-month and year-over-year prices were up 10.7 percent.
Seattle home prices as measured by Case-Shiller shot up yet again to a new all-time high in February.