Barb Duthler

Twin Cities home buyer activity is recovering amid safe REALTOR® practices

(April 17, 2020) – According to new data from the Minneapolis Area REALTORS® and the Saint Paul Area Association of REALTORS®, the number of Twin Cities residential real estate showings displayed the first signs of a turnaround since they began declining during the onset of the coronavirus in mid-March.Since reaching their valley around April 2, showings have been on the rise. As of April 10, overall showings were up 16.1 percent compared to a week earlier. Reduced activity during the Easter and Passover holidays eroded that gain slightly, but that is likely a temporary blip.
“Despite some concerns among buyers and sellers, there’s clearly still activity occurring,” said Linda Rogers, President of Minneapolis Area REALTORS®. “It is still vital that REALTORS® continue to follow best practices for showing homes safely and to consider other options such as virtual tours.”

Both new listings and pending sales also saw declines in the second half of March and into April. New listings began to decline around March 26 and are now roughly 36.8 percent below their 2020 peak. The decline in buyer activity was earlier but not as severe. Pending sales began to decline around March 18 and are now about 19.1 percent below their peak.

“March was off to a strong start until the middle of the month when everything changed,” said Patrick Ruble, President of St. Paul Area Association of REALTORS®. “We even saw a double-digit gain in new listings, providing more options for buyers facing limited choices. The strength of the market preceding this crisis bodes well for a relatively quick recovery once this crisis is over.”

The monthly report for March, with its 16.0 percent gain in new listings and 11.2 percent increase in pending and closed sales, paints only a partial picture of COVID-19’s impact on the market. The numbers don’t fully reflect the effect of the stay-at-home order and school closures which occurred in the second half of the month. And most March sales were for purchase agreements that were finalized in January and February. The April numbers will offer a far more accurate view of COVID-19’s impact on the Twin Cities housing market – from sales, listings and inventory to market times and home prices.

For March, the median Twin Cities home price was up 8.0 percent to $297,000. Mortgage rates on a 30-year fixed loan are now around 3.4 percent—just about the lowest they’ve ever been. While recessions can pause market activity, they typically have only a minor impact on home prices. The undersupplied market—especially at the affordable end—should also shield prices.

March 2020 by the numbers compared to a year ago

• Sellers listed 7,220 properties on the market, a 16.0 percent increase from last March
• Buyers signed 5,148 purchase agreements, up 11.2 percent (4,155 closed sales, also up 11.2 percent)
• Inventory levels declined 11.3 percent to 8,597 units
• Months Supply of Inventory was down 15.0 percent to7 months (5-6 months is balanced)
• The Median Sales Price rose 8.0 percent to $297,000
• Cumulative Days on Market decreased 9.1 percent to 60 days, on average (median of 26)
• Changes in Sales activity varied by market segment
  • Single family sales rose 13.5 percent; condo sales were up 8.4 percent; townhome sales increased 8.1 percent
  • Traditional sales increased 13.6 percent; foreclosure sales dropped 34.6 percent; short sales fell 9.5 percent
  • Previously owned sales were up 13.5 percent; new construction sales climbed 5.9 percent

For more information on weekly and monthly housing numbers visit www.mplsrealtor.com.
From The Skinny Blog.

New data reveals fewer residential showings across most price ranges

(March 19, 2020) – According to new data from the Saint Paul Area Association of REALTORS® and the Minneapolis Area REALTORS®, the number of Twin Cities residential real estate showings declined in most price ranges during the week ending March 17 compared to the previous week. The declines, which come amid the coronavirus pandemic, were most prominent in the higher price brackets.

Showings decreased by 9.7% in the under $250,000 price bracket, where inventory is down significantly. The in-demand $250,000 to $350,000 price range was the only one that had an increase in showings. Homes priced over $1million saw a 33.2% decline in showings.

“It appears that concerns about spreading the coronavirus are starting to have an impact on our market,” said Patrick Ruble, President of the Saint Paul Area Association of REALTORS®. “REALTORS® are encouraged to follow the most current best practices in accordance with their brokers, which should be following the CDC guidelines. This includes activities such as open houses, active listings and interactions with clients and visitors.”

New listings, which are usually on the rise this time of year, have been weakening over the past couple of weeks. Active listings, or the total number of homes for sale, have also started softening in recent days. On a positive note pending sales, or the number of signed purchase agreements, remained strong during this period.

“Buyers in the more affordable price ranges embraced the low rates and mild weather,” said Linda Rogers, President of Minneapolis Area REALTORS®. “We are noticing fewer showings in the higher price points, reflecting both buyer and seller concerns and time will tell how the rest of the month plays out.”

In other news, the February numbers showed buyer and seller activity were up compared to last year. But the gains appear deceptively large due to weather challenges that held activity back in February 2019. Even so, the gains—particularly for pending sales—also outpaced 2018 levels.

Seller listing activity effectively recovered after the snow and melt we saw in 2019 and then increased slightly over 2018 levels. The nearly 24.0 percent increase in pending sales—or the number of signed purchase agreements—goes beyond weather. Mortgage rates have fallen throughout the year and spent most of February below 3.5 percent, compared to around 4.5 percent in February 2019. The Federal Reserve recently acted to further lower interest rates to limit the downside risks of COVID-19 to the economy. Home sales help the economy and low rates help to hedge against declining affordability brought on by rising prices.

February 2020 by the numbers compared to a year ago

• Sellers listed 5,293 properties on the market, a 19.9 percent increase from last February
• Buyers signed 4,267 purchase agreements, up 23.9 percent (3,016 closed sales, up 6.0 percent)
• Inventory levels declined 12.4 percent to 7,879 units
• Months Supply of Inventory was down 11.1 percent to 1.6 months (5-6 months is balanced)
• The Median Sales Price rose 6.3 percent to $282,000
• Cumulative Days on Market decreased 2.9 percent to 67 days, on average (median of 40)
• Changes in Sales activity varied by market segment

• • Single family sales rose 4.9 percent;condo sales fell 1.4 percent; townhome sales rose 17.7 percent
  • Traditional sales increased 6.9 percent; foreclosure sales rose 8.5 percent; short sales fell 5.9 percent
  • Previously owned sales were up 6.3 percent; new construction sales climbed 16.8 percent

For more information on weekly and monthly housing numbers visit www.mplsrealtor.com.
From The Skinny Blog.