Thursday, July 6, 2023 / by Barbara Oleska
One of the biggest challenges in the housing market right now is how few homes there are for sale compared to the number of people who want to buy them. To help emphasize just how limited housing inventory still is, let’s take a look at the latest information on active listings, or homes for sale in a given month, as it compares to more normal levels.
According to a recent report from Realtor:
“On average, active inventory in June was 50.6% below pre-pandemic 2017–2019 levels.”
The graph below helps illustrate this point. It uses historical data to provide a more concrete look at how much the numbers are still lagging behind the level of inventory typical of a more normal market (see graph below):
It’s worth noting that 2020-2022 are not included in this graph. That’s because they were truly abnormal years for the housing market. To make the comparison fair, those have been omitted so . ...
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residential real estate, seller market, realtor, home prices, housing inventory
Thursday, April 27, 2023 / by Barbara Oleska
You’ve likely seen headlines about the number of foreclosures climbing in today’s housing market. That may leave you with a few questions, especially if you’re thinking about buying a house. Understanding what they really mean is mission-critical if you want to know the truth about what’s happening today.
According to a recent report from ATTOM, a property data provider, foreclosure filings are up 6% compared to the previous quarter and 22% since one year ago. As media headlines call attention to this increase, reporting on just the number could actually generate worry and may even make you think twice about buying a home for fear that prices could crash. The reality is, while increasing, the data shows a foreclosure crisis is not where the market is headed.
Let’s look at the latest information with context so we can see how this compares to previous years.
It Isn’t the Dramatic Increase Headlines Would Have You Bel. ...
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florida real estate, south florida real estate, residential real estate
Thursday, April 20, 2023 / by Barbara Oleska
The spring season appears to be warming up in housing as more and more buyers enter the market. And after rising mortgage rates sidelined so many buyers last year, that’s a good sign for sellers. Realtor has the latest:
“Spring is officially here, and like green shoots emerging from the bleak winter, new data suggests that more buyers are back in the market, although more subdued compared to a year ago.”
We know buyer activity is trending up because of mortgage purchase application data. According to Investopedia:
“A mortgage application is a document submitted to a lender when you apply for a mortgage to purchase real estate.”
That means the number of mortgage applications shows how many buyers are applying for mortgages. Put another way, an increase in mortgage applications means an increase in buyer demand – and as Joel Kan, VP and Deputy Chief Economist at the Mortgage Bankers Association . ...
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florida real estate, boca raton realtor, south florida realtor, residential real estate, boca raton residential real estate
Thursday, March 9, 2023 / by Barbara Oleska
Things To Consider When Selling Your House
Should you sell your house this spring? What's the latest on inventory, rates and pricing?
If you’re thinking about selling your house, please click on my Spring guide below to get the answers to your questions. If you want to see how your property measures up in our local market, give me a call and we'll discuss.
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florida real estate, boca raton real estate, south florida real estate, boca raton realtor, south florida realtor, boca raton residential real estate, residential real estate, seller market, how do i sell my home, housing market, what should i do to my house before i sell it
Thursday, February 23, 2023 / by Barbara Oleska
The biggest challenge the housing market’s facing is how few homes there are for sale. Mark Fleming, Chief Economist at First American, explains the root causes of today’s low supply:
“Two dynamics are keeping existing-home inventory historically low – rate-locked existing homeowners and the fear of not finding something to buy.”
Let’s break down these two big issues in today’s housing market.
Rate-Locked Homeowners
According to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), the average interest rate for current homeowners with mortgages is less than 4% (see graph below):
But today, the typical mortgage rate offered to buyers is over 6%. As a result, many homeowners are opting to stay put instead of moving to another home with a higher borrowing cost. This is a situation known as being rate locked.
When so many homeowners are rate locked and reluctant to sel. ...
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florida real estate, residential real estate, housing market, mortgage rates, home price appreciation, housing inventory
