Monday, December 1st, 2014

Amidst frantic shopping for all the things between turkey and toys, the economy has made a surprising statement, offering big gains over the last six months not seen since mid-2003. As we head into the final stretch of the fourth quarter, mortgage rates remain fairly stable, with the 30-year fixed rate mortgage still hovering below 4 percent.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending November 22:

  • New Listings decreased 3.5% to 862
  • Pending Sales decreased 2.7% to 802
  • Inventory increased 1.6% to 16,122

For the month of October:

  • Median Sales Price increased 6.7% to $208,000
  • Days on Market decreased 4.0% to 72
  • Percent of Original List Price Received decreased 0.6% to 95.2%
  • Months Supply of Inventory increased 13.5% to 4.2

All comparisons are to 2013

Click here for the full Weekly Market Activity Report. From The Skinny Blog.

Posted in Weekly Report |
Monday, November 24th, 2014

Consumers are already starting to lean toward 2015, so let’s look ahead ourselves before we hit the weekly tabulations. With virtually no inflation to speak of, interest rates should remain low for the foreseeable future but could flirt with 5.0 percent toward the end of next year. Both new and existing inventory levels should rise – which is more of a continuation than a new development for many communities. Prices are also expected to increase but not by much, which should help first-time buyers. Job growth is likely to continue, and wage growth is expected to pick up.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending November 15:

  • New Listings decreased 14.5% to 857
  • Pending Sales decreased 1.6% to 749
  • Inventory increased 3.5% to 16,692

For the month of October:

  • Median Sales Price increased 6.7% to $208,000
  • Days on Market decreased 4.0% to 72
  • Percent of Original List Price Received decreased 0.6% to 95.2%
  • Months Supply of Inventory increased 13.5% to 4.2

All comparisons are to 2013

Click here for the full Weekly Market Activity Report. From The Skinny Blog.

Posted in Weekly Report |
Monday, November 24th, 2014

Where has the Twin Cities real estate market been and where is it heading? This monthly summary provides an overview of current trends and projections for future activity. Narrated by David Arbit, Research Manager at the Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS®, video produced by Chelsie Lopez.

Posted in Monthly Skinny Video |
Monday, November 17th, 2014

As fall finally goes dim, winter emerges as the prevailing wind through the marketplace. While optimism serves as a white rose through this phase, moderate unemployment rates have given pause to overabundant optimism. All the same, the desire for homeownership remains high among those willing to absorb some risk while attracting enthusiasm.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending November 8:

  • New Listings decreased 2.8% to 1,104
  • Pending Sales increased 2.0% to 826
  • Inventory increased 4.1% to 16,972

For the month of October:

  • Median Sales Price increased 6.7% to $208,000
  • Days on Market decreased 4.0% to 72
  • Percent of Original List Price Received decreased 0.6% to 95.2%
  • Months Supply of Inventory increased 13.5% to 4.2

All comparisons are to 2013

Click here for the full Weekly Market Activity Report. From The Skinny Blog.

Posted in Weekly Report |
Monday, November 17th, 2014
In October 2014, overall buyer and seller activity both cooled slightly in the 13-county Minneapolis–St. Paul metropolitan area. Pending sales declined 1.3 percent from last year, while new listings decreased 2.3 percent.

Gains in traditional activity nearly offset dramatic declines in the foreclosure and short sale arena. Inventory levels rose 4.3 percent to 17,132 homes, providing buyers with more options. The median sales price rose 7.2 percent to $209,000, marking 32 consecutive months of year-over-year median price gains. Price per square foot rose 5.6 percent to $123.

The amount of time a home spends on the market fell 4.0 percent to 72 days, on average. Months’ supply of inventory rose 10.8 percent to 4.1 months, suggesting that the market is moving back toward balance after favoring sellers. The sales mix continued to skew toward traditional homes that sell in less time and at higher price points.

Despite an overall 2.3 percent decrease in seller activity, traditional new listings rose 6.7 percent while foreclosure and short sale new listings were down 42.4 and 31.3 percent, respectively. Similarly, overall closed sales were down 1.5 percent, but traditional closed sales rose 9.7 percent while foreclosure and short sale closings fell 41.1 and 48.3 percent. Market-wide inventory levels increased 4.3 percent, but traditional inventory was up 17.9 percent while foreclosure and short sale inventory levels declined 39.0 and 43.5 percent.

The Twin Cities housing affordability index of 188 means that the median household income was 88 percent higher than what’s necessary to qualify for the median-priced home given current interest rates. While the index is below its 2012 peak, it remains above its long-term average.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Twin Cities has the lowest unemployment rate among major metros in the nation at about 3.8 percent. The national rate recently dropped below 6.0 percent for the first time since 2008.

From The Skinny Blog.

Posted in The Skinny |