Tag Archives: Housing Supply

According to RE/MAX's monthly report, the housing market is attempting to return to traditional seasonal trends after a slow summer following the spring rush to qualify for the government's homebuyer tax credit. September sales were 6.4 percent below those in August and 20.6 percent below sales in September 2009, but RE/MAX officials say they are encouraged by reports of signed contracts in the field, which should translate into increased home sales in the months ahead.

According to recently released reports from the Nevada Title Company, the closing price for homes in Las Vegas Valley was $135,000 in September, down $5,000 from the closing price in August and down $3,000 from September 2009. Last month, 984 REO homes and 734 short sales were closed, making up 40 percent and 31 percent of all closings in the Valley, respectively. The latest figures from Nevada Title suggest that REO inventory, although high, may begin to steady in coming months.

Sales figures for previously owned homes rose in August following a big correction in July, according to data released by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) Thursday. The trade group's existing-home sales report showed a 7.6 percent increase in transactions during the month, bumping the annualized sales pace to 4.13 million homes and reducing for-sale inventory to an 11.6-months supply. The sales share of distressed homes rose to 34 percent last month. Analysts say the results are in line with expectations but disappointing, nonetheless.

HUD released a new survey of New Orleans area housing conditions this week. The agency says its the most comprehensive analysis of the metro's housing stock since the department's last assessment in 2004 (prior to Hurricane Katrina). In the five years since Hurricane Katrina struck the area, the New Orleans metro lost 75,000 housing units, nearly 13 percent of its housing stock, and the median monthly cost of housing rose by nearly 33 percent from $662 in 2004 to $882 in 2009.