Inventory is a huge struggle for quite a while, and the problem is compounded by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. As outlined by realtor.com®’s December Housing Report, the number of homes for sale recently reached an all-time low, hitting below 700,000 for the first time after dropping 39.6% YoY-that’s 449.000 fewer homes for sale than last December.
December 2020 Housing Report: Existing Inventory Hits All-Time Low
“The shortage of homes for sale has been an ongoing issue for the last couple of years, but in December the combination of the holiday inventory slowdown and the pandemic buying trend caused it to dip to its lowest level in history,” said realtor.com® Chief Economist Danielle Hale. “Looking forward, we could see new lows in the next couple of months as buyers remain relatively active, but a surge of new COVID cases may slow the number of sellers entering the market. Newly listed properties have shown mixed trends. While December’s data points to possible relief on the horizon, this figure has been impacted the most in areas with large COVID surges, and consistent improvement will be key in order to get out of this extreme shortage. We eventually expect to see improvements in the supply of homes for sale, especially in the second half of the year. Until then, finding a home will continue to be a top challenge for buyers across all price ranges”
Newly listed homes, however, are just down 0.8% YoY-a big improvement from November’s 8.7% dip. Regionally for new listings, the Western and Northeastern markets are seeing the strongest improvements with an increase of new listings hitting the market (+30.8 percent and +15 percent, respectively). The Midwest and South regions are lagging behind (+0.2 percent and -4 percent, respectively).
Reported by realtor.com, these metros had the most significant declines in new listings when compared to last year:
– Nashville, Tenn. (-19.9 percent)
– Memphis, Tenn. (-18.5 percent)
– Charlotte, N.C. (-16 percent)
Home prices continue on an upward trend. According to the report, the median listing price has risen 13.4% YoY to $340,000-though it’s just below the peak of $350,000. And within the nation’s 50 largest metros, prices increased by 8.8 percent-nearly the same as the month prior.
These metros had the biggest price gains:
– Austin, Texas (+20 percent)
– Riverside-San Bernardino, Calif. (+17.2 percent)
– New Orleans (+16.8 percent)
Regionally, the Northeast leads in home price growth at +12.2%, followed by the West (+10.4 percent), the Midwest (+8.6 percent) and the South (+6.7 percent).
This holiday season sped things up slightly, with homes selling in 66 days on average in December-13 days faster YoY. And in the nation’s 50 largest metros, days on market was even faster at 56 days.
These metros had the fastest days on market:
– Virginia Beach, Va. (-28 days)
– Hartford, Conn. (-23 days)
– Louisville, Ky. (-23 days)
A Few of Our Recent Sales
3705 NE 17TH ST Ocala FL 34470
34018 Laughing Oak DR Wesley Chapel FL 33545
23751 Hastings Way Land O Lakes FL 34639
5628 White Trillium LP Land O Lakes FL 34639
6302 SILVER OAKS DR ZEPHYRHILLS FL 33542
17721 NATHANS DR TAMPA FL 33647
Ready to find out the current market value of your home?
Have a questions or concern? Nick, Cindy & Nicholas Davis with RE/MAX Premier Group are here to assist you with all your Real Estate Needs. We are always available at 813-300-7116 to answer your questions or you can simply click here and we will be in touch with you shortly.