While the number of new listings slowed down somewhat in August, inventory levels continued to rise. We are still moving towards a more balanced market, where sellers are no longer holding all the cards. Rising interest rates have yet to really have a material impact on pricing, but it sure feels like the meteoric rise we saw over the last 18 months is a thing of the past. With our peak transaction season rapidly approaching, market direction remains uncertain.
As the Pandemic housing boom fizzled out across the country this summer, we saw inventory jump. In bubbly markets, like Austin and Boise, that inventory jump was greater than 300% between March and August. However, that inventory spike is already fizzling out.
Not all are created equal. Here are some that just might not pay off.
The number of single-family homes sold in Manatee were down 22% YoY in July. While the pace is definitely slowing, prices are holding better than one would expect in this scenario (so far). Inventory is coming on the market quickly, and the active inventory is at around three months of sales volume. Both of these are good signs for balancing the market as sellers have dominated for some time now. How this will ultimately impact price is another story. The law of supply and demand will definitely govern, but the backdrop of the broader economy will definitely play a role.
We have seen the brakes heavily applied to the number of real estate transactions in the United States. The chart below, from the National Association of Realtors, shows just how much has changed in recent months.
