The housing market in recent years has been stuck in the same position and is in flux heading into prime buying season. A limited supply of homes for sale has led to competitive bidding that pushed prices higher and higher. Prospective buyers trying to keep up with skyrocketing prices have at least had low interest rates on their side, not to mention an economy long since rebounded from the 2008 financial crisis.
But the market is changing. Because prices have risen faster than wages, the unaffordability of homes is taking a toll on sales. The threat of higher interest rates have also kept some prospective buyers out of the market. As a result, more homes are now on the market; they’re staying on the market for longer and price cuts are on the rise.
The first signs of change came in the summer of 2018, which one realtor Curbed spoke with dubbed “the most competitive housing market in recorded history.” But that prediction didn’t materialize. Instead, homes started lingering on the market and home sales dropped, setting the stage for potential price drops. This trend has been strongest in West Coast markets that have become some of the most expensive in the country, including San Jose, California, San Francisco, and Seattle.
March housing data from a variety of industry sources suggests the current trend is continuing, inching closer to prices possibly coming down. Some data show prices having already dropped.
The Census Bureau’s monthly data on new home sales shows a slight uptick in the number of sales, a result of a larger supply of homes on the market. But more importantly, the data shows the median sales price of new homes dropping year-over-year for the fifth consecutive month.
This suggests that home builders are cutting prices and finally adding inventory to the lower end of the price spectrum, which usually caters to first-time home-buyers and middle-income buyers.
If you are in the market for buying or selling a home, Ken Couture is the best realtor in Las Vegas to help you. Call us at (702) 476-0060 or fill out the form below.
