Tag Archives: Housing Supply

In July, sales of single-family homes and condominiums in Illinois reached 16,012--the highest level since August 2006, the Illinois Association of Realtors reported. The total represents a 28.5 percent increase from July 2012. The median price of a home in Illinois also shot up, increasing 14.2 percent year-over-year to $169,000, IAR reported.

Median home prices dipped month-over-month in July, but still experienced a sharp rise from last year, according RE/MAX's latest housing survey covering 52 metropolitan areas. Homes in July sold for a median price of $189,950, down 2.1 percent from June, but up by 11.5 percent from July 2012. While inventory was down compared to last year and the prior month, the decreases were more conservative, which means home price gains should slow, according to RE/MAX.

The positive indicators seen in housing markets across the country are not a mirage but a true recovery, according to RealtyTrac VP Daren Blomquist and a panel of six real estate professionals who spoke during a roundtable discussion Friday. RealtyTrac ranked 100 markets in terms of recovery and found a smattering of markets from all regions in the top 20. Blomquist said the defining factors for where a market landed on the ranks were location and employment.

Led by multifamily activity, new housing permits and starts rose in July with new construction, continuing a shift from single-family homes. The Census Bureau and HUD reported Friday builders broke ground on new homes at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 896,000 units, up 5.9 percent from June, and filed permits for construction of 943,000 new units, up 2.7 percent from June. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg had expected the pace of total starts to increase to 900,000 and total permits to increase to 918,000.

The National Association of Home Builders' Housing Market Index (HMI)--a measure of builder confidence--increased again in August, climbing three points to 59, its highest reading since November 2005, the group reported Thursday. The index has improved 15 points (34 percent) in the last three months. At the same time, the index reading for the Midwest rose to a record high (64), and the reading for the South hit the highest level (56) since April 2006. While NAHB's national survey began in January 1985, the regional readings began in December 2004.

According to Redfin's Real-Time Demand Pulse for August (using July data), the brokerage's agents continue to report declines in both the number of customers touring homes and the number of signed offers. Both metrics have been on a downward slope since peaking in April. ""Although there are finally more homes for sale to satisfy pent-up demand after months of historically low inventory, buyers are not responding,"" said data analyst Tommy Unger, who attributed the decline to buyer fatigue following a cutthroat spring season.

The pace of inventory declines appears to be slowing, which may in turn slow price appreciation in some markets, according to Realtor.com. ""Dramatic national year-over-year inventory declines have evaporated,"" Realtor.com said in its National Housing Trend Report released Tuesday. National housing inventory declined 5.24 percent year-over-year in July, which is a slowdown from the 16.47 percent year-over-year decline reported in January. At the same time, the number of markets with declining inventory year-over-year decreased to 118 in July, down from 125 markets in June.

California markets dominate Realtor.com’s list of Turnaround Towns for the second quarter of this year, claiming the top four spots on the list and six of the top 10. While California may take the most spots on the top 10 list, Realtor.com says Detroit's presence on the list is ""most noteworthy."" The top 10 ""Turnaround Towns"" are determined by an algorithm that relies on data including inventory levels, median list prices, median number of days on market, and search and listing activity on Realtor.com.

For the first time since November 2012, asking home prices decreased month-over-month, slipping 0.3 percent from June to July, Trulia reported. ""If you were worried about a housing bubble, July's asking-price slowdown will probably be the best news you've heard this year,"" said Jed Kolko, Trulia's chief economist. Factors such as rising mortgage rates, growing inventory, and declining investor demand were attributed to the dip in asking prices.

In July, national home prices jumped 9.3 percent year-over-year, led by gains in the West, according to Clear Capital's latest housing report. Among metro areas, price gains were especially strong in Las Vegas, where home values spiked 31.2 percent from last year. Despite the recent streak of impressive home price gains, Clear Capital expects the market to experience more moderate and sustainable increases in the last half of 2013 as homebuyers transition into the ""new normal"" the report explained.