Tag Archives: Home Prices

Contrary to what some other sources are reporting, Realtor.com's National Housing Trend Report for October indicates the home buying season hasn't come to a close just yet.

RE/MAX is the latest company to report an expected seasonal slowdown for housing in October. The real estate network reported a month-over-month decline in sales figures and prices as the market began to chill. "What we're seeing now are predictable seasonal cycles, which is just another sign that the housing recovery is bringing us back to a more normal market," said RE/MAX CEO Margaret Kelly. Inventory remains diminished, though the company noted that losses have slowed in the past several months.

Rising home sales and declining foreclosure sales have driven the highest quarterly price increase since the national housing market recovery began, according to the FNC Residential Price Index released Friday. Prices rose 2.5 percent over the quarter, according to FNC. Phoenix posted the highest cumulative price gain since the start of the recovery--a 46.2 percent increase. The rest of the top five gains were recorded in Las Vegas (38.3 percent), Riverside, California (23.5 percent), Los Angeles (22.7 percent), and Orlando, Florida (20.5 percent).

Steady gains in home prices and rising mortgage rates across the United States contributed to weakening housing affordability in the year's third quarter, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reported Thursday. According to the association's Housing Opportunity Index (HOI), 64.5 percent of new and existing homes from the start of July through the end of September were considered affordable to families earning the national median income of $64,400. That share is down from 69.3 percent in the second quarter.

Even with the seasonal slowdown in full effect, shifting market conditions continued to boost October home sales and prices over last year, Redfin reported Wednesday in its monthly Real-Time Price Tracker. The broker recorded 74,363 total home sales across its 19 tracked markets in October, a 1.0 percent decline from September but a 0.6 percent gain over October 2012. Though historically low mortgage rates and reduced competition have helped keep numbers up, Redfin says the situation is liable to change at any time.

A comparison of four-bedroom, two-bathroom homes in more than 1,900 markets shows Malibu is the most expensive city in the country. According to Coldwell Banker Real Estate, a sample home in the beachside city lists for $2.15 million. On the other hand, a comparable dwelling in Cleveland, Ohio, runs about $63,729, making it the most affordable market in Coldwell's report. According to the firm's findings, there are 20 markets where a four-bed/two-bath residence lists for more than $1 million and eight where they go for less than $100,000.

Speaking at the 2013 Realtors Conference & Expo Friday, National Association of Realtors (NAR) chief economist Lawrence Yun predicted steadiness in existing-home sales over the next year as prices continue to ascend. Looking over the past year, Yun said he expects existing-home sales to be up about 10 percent in 2013 to 5.13 million. Sales in 2014 are expected to hold fairly even at about 5.12 million. Reviewing price movements, he said the median existing-home price should end 2013 about 11 percent higher than 2012.

With reports showing home prices reaching five-year highs coming out on a near-monthly basis, home sellers this year have been aggressive in pricing their listings on the market. However, new data from technology-powered broker Redfin shows more and more sellers have had to dial back their expectations. Only about one in seven sellers had to resort to reducing their listing price in order to move their property, Redfin reported. However, that number has steadily risen to one in four as of September.

Asking prices rose 12.5 percent year-over-year in October blue metros and 11.1 percent in red metros, according to the Trulia Price Monitor.

Fitch Ratings stated unabashedly a fear that has been whispered across the industry for the past several months--a looming bubble in some markets.