Homes are selling faster than listings come on the market

The spring market continues to move well in both May and the first part of June. Overall, for Wayne, Oakland, Livingston and Macomb Counties, new listings entering the market were up over last May (4%), however, new home sales have risen even faster (12%) holding For Sale inventories down by 24% compared to this time last year. The Months Supply of Inventory (MSI) is at about 2 months compared to 3 months last May. With the cost of owning a home up over last year (from increased home values and interest rates) and a good share of the pent-up demand released, there are fewer buyers in the market now than last spring. However, there are even fewer homes for sale, making the market feel just as strong as it did last year. The median home value increased 18% and the average price per square foot 14%. True appreciation was probably under 10%, the rest of the increase was a result of more expensive homes being sold.

This May looked very similar to last May in terms of buyer activity. On average, homes sold within 96% of asking price. The market was a bit faster this year with 55% of homes selling within 30 days and 35% within 10 days versus last year with 48% in 30 days and 23% in 10 days. For both years, about 55% of those that were bought within 30 days sold for list price or higher, with an average of 5% over list price.  This year fewer than 10% of properties sold were bank owned, last May it was closer to 15%. For buyers, the majority of well-priced new listings entering the market will have multiple offers and will be bid over asking price. Although overbidding can be scary, we have not yet hit our 2005 peak values yet in SE Michigan, so there is room for aggressive pricing (still keeping within reasonable appraisal ranges). Also, buyers should take a look at the 30% of the properties sitting on the market over 90 days that are not getting much activity. Opportunities are hidden there, but it does take some time to find them.

By price range, there are some differences in market velocity with the lower priced markets suffering from very low inventories and therefore, slower sales compared to the other price ranges.

With the current pace of demand, the market could handle a 25-30% increase in home listings and still keep moving. Over the next 12-18 months, with a steady rise in home values, interest rates and additional homes entering the market, we should see things begin to settle back towards a more balanced market. Inventories will still be low from historical numbers but improving with appreciation under 10% and fewer multiple/over bid transactions.

Regardless of the market, Realtors fulfill a number of important duties. During the recession, one important roll was locating scarce buyers and ensuring their client’s home stood out in the sea of homes for sale. In today’s market, presenting a home to the market is still certainly paramount. In addition, there is the role of matchmaker, reaching out to targeted areas and finding homes that are not currently on the market that fit their buyer’s needs.  In many cases, that buyer has a home that they are holding back from the market until they find a home to buy. We take that “under the radar” market information and use it to match up with other similar sellers/buyers to create sales that would normally not occur.

Please keep me in mind for any of your real estate needs. I am happy to help with any market advice you may be seeking!

Morris Hagerman is a local real estate agent with Real Estate One in Royal Oak, Michigan.  He serves Berkley and the other Woodward 5 communities, including Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, Royal Oak and Huntington Woods.  Hagerman is also a member of the Berkley/Huntington Woods Area Chamber of Commerce.  You can contact him by phone at 248-854-8440, email at morrishagermanproperties@gmail.com or visit his web page. 

Get your price and move on to your next home sooner!

Take a piece of advice from someone that has been in marketing and advertising for more than 30 years.

“As a retailer, you want to be ahead of the market,” says Ron Katz of the Oakland Press.  “By the time buyers get into the market, if you aren’t already there, you will miss out.”

Katz’s 30 years of experience ranges from planning advertising and marketing campaigns, as well as buying and selling advertising.  He knows well that planning ahead means everything in marketing.  When a buyers are ready to make a purchase, if your product isn’t already in front of them it won’t be considered.

“There is something else that is important also,” Katz continues.  “Those that are ahead of the market are more likely to get full price or better for their products.  But, after the build up and peak of the market, what inventory is left needs to be discounted to encourage buyers to make a purchase.”

Can we apply some of this thinking to real estate?  Well, the retail and real estate markets work very much the same in many ways.

Let’s take a look at the real estate market cycle from mid winter through early fall.

In Berkley and the Woodward 5 Communities, everyone knows that spring is a good time for real estate sales.  (Late summer is also a great time, but more about that a little farther into the post.)  It is a good time of year because buyers move into the market in February and early March.  They can only look at houses that are currently on the market.  If your home isn’t there, it won’t get shown.  Research shows that houses that are shown in February and March get a better sale price to list price ratio.  Or, in more straight forward terms, get more money than those that wait to list their homes.

What about the late summer season you may be thinking right now?  The late summer season is partially driven by those people that sold in early spring.  After the sale of their home, they become buyers and look to settle somewhere before fall and the holiday season.

But, something happens to the market.  In late summer, the inventory of homes on the market begins to rise as well as the number of days individual homes are on the market.  Some of the homes on the market are owned by people that waited to get into the market, only to miss the peak.  

There are other reasons people wait.  It could be that they need to prepare the home, or perhaps they need to wait for situations to change in their lives or, life, for many reasons, forces them move.  Those are understandable reasons.  But, if your home is ready, consider mid winter to very early spring to list.    

What happens in the real estate market is just like what happens in the retail market.  With rising inventory, longer time on the market and buyers beginning to leave the market, the sale price to list price ratio begins to fall.  Or, again in more straight forward terms, housing prices begin to fall.

From this, there are three lessons to learn.  

Get into the market early to:

• maximize your exposure to buyers;
• to sell at a much better sale price to list price ratio; and,
• to get your next home before fall and the holidays settle in.

This suggests that if you are considering selling your home this year, think mid winter.  If you wait, you might get caught in the real estate cycle.  

Morris Hagerman is a local real estate agent with Real Estate One in Royal Oak, Michigan.  He serves Berkley and the other Woodward 5 communities, including Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, Royal Oak and Huntington Woods.  Hagerman is also a member of the Berkley/Huntington Woods Area Chamber of Commerce.  You can contact him by phone at 248-854-8440, email at morrishagermanproperties@gmail.com or visit his web page.