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Weekly Market Report

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The first week in December this year was filled with Black Friday and Cyber
Monday deals – this means more people were clamoring in line at 2:00 a.m.
waiting for a Suzie-Talks-A-Lot than were attending open houses. Seasonal trends
should be evident in a slight market slowdown, but year-over-year comparisons
will still brighten any burgeoning bah-humbuggers.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending December 7:

  • New Listings decreased 5.7% to 887
  • Pending Sales increased 0.9% to 751
  • Inventory decreased 5.6% to 14,043

For the month of November:

  • Median Sales Price increased 13.4% to $195,000
  • Days on Market decreased 26.5% to 75
  • Percent of Original List Price Received increased 1.3% to 95.4%
  • Months Supply of Inventory decreased 11.1% to 3.2

All comparisons are to 2012

Click here for the full Weekly Market Activity Report.From The Skinny.

Lighter Foreclosure and Short Sale Load Continues to Help the Market

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6a00e54ee9620b8834019b029cac33970c-800wiThe 13-county Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area housing market continued to settle itself in November. While some measures of housing demand may suggest a slowdown, most deceleration is the result of a healing lender-mediated (foreclosures and short sales) segment, which made up a smaller share of the residential pie compared to last year.

For the first time in seven months, new listings were lower year over year, declining 5.3 percent to 3,900, but traditional new listings rose 11.1 percent over the same time comparison. Buyers closed on 3,760 homes, a 5.9 percent decrease from last November, even though traditional sales were up 13.6 percent. Twin Citizens have 14,126 properties to choose from – or 5.8 percent fewer than last November.

The market-wide median sales price held steady at $195,000 for a third straight month and up 13.4 percent compared to November 2012. Last year, foreclosures and short sales comprised 35.6 percent of all closed sales. In November 2013, these segments made up only 22.1 percent of all sales.

“We are seeing exactly what we want to be seeing,” said Andy Fazendin, President of the Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS® (MAAR). “Lender-mediated activity once commanded heavy market share, and residential real estate is going to be stronger with fewer foreclosure and short sale properties in the system.”

Traditional new listings rose 11.1 percent, but foreclosure and short sale new listings fell 36.2 and 42.1 percent, respectively. Traditional closed sales rose 13.6 percent; foreclosure and short sale closings fell 34.7 and 57.6 percent. Traditional homes are selling at a median price of $217,000; foreclosures for $133,851; short sales for $150,000.

On average, homes are spending 75 days on the market – quite brisk relative to the past several years. Sellers are receiving an average of 95.4 percent of their original list price – the highest November ratio since 2005. The Twin Cities metro now has 3.2 months’ supply of inventory, which suggests sellers have regained their leverage.

“Some might claim that the recovery is stalling, but the reality is that job growth is gaining momentum and there are fewer distressed properties being listed and sold than at any point in the past five years.” said Emily Green, MAAR President-Elect. “We could stand to see this trend continue into 2014.”

Weekly Market Report

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The calendar can sometimes have just as profound an effect on housing data as
supply and demand. The 2013 Thanksgiving holiday was a week later than in
2012, causing some peculiar shifts in activity. This serves as a good reminder to
watch for calendar oddities just as much as you do economic indicators. Even so,
aside from family time and tryptophan, buyers and sellers had a lot to be grateful
for this Thanksgiving. Buyers still live in a time of great affordability, and sellers
should be thankful for shorter market times, higher prices and less competition.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending November 30:

  • New Listings decreased 47.0% to 540
  • Pending Sales decreased 38.5% to 579
  • Inventory decreased 4.5% to 14,582

For the month of November:

  • Median Sales Price increased 13.4% to $195,000
  • Days on Market decreased 26.5% to 75
  • Percent of Original List Price Received increased 1.3% to 95.4%
  • Months Supply of Inventory decreased 11.1% to 3.2

All comparisons are to 2012

Click here for the full Weekly Market Activity Report.From The Skinny.

Weekly Market Report

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As the end of the year approaches, market futurists will either put on their overly cheery, poinsettia-colored glasses or turn into a bunch of dreary Nostradamus Nellys. The wise analyst will tune out extremes and embrace seasonally appropriate slowdowns as a sign of normal market activity while looking with anticipation to what will likely be continued moderate recovery in 2014. Watch for light gains in inventory, quieter pending sales activity and more sedate market times.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending November 23:

  • New Listings increased 46.6% to 893
  • Pending Sales increased 42.8% to 841
  • Inventory decreased 3.6% to 15,008

For the month of October:

  • Median Sales Price increased 11.4% to $194,900
  • Days on Market decreased 27.2% to 75
  • Percent of Original List Price Received increased 1.4% to 95.8%
  • Months Supply of Inventory decreased 10.0% to 3.6

All comparisons are to 2012

Click here for the full Weekly Market Activity Report.From The Skinny.

Weekly Market Report

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This week, and through the end of the year, you might be watching for much-needed inventory gains that will not arrive due to traditional end-of-year lulls in the marketplace related to holidays and/or colder weather. Nobody wants to sell at the bottom. In general, inventory pools are up in year-over-year comparisons in many areas, suggestive of seller confidence with recent price gains. Overall recovery is unlikely to stall. The pace of price gains and bidding wars may ease, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Just ask any prospective home buyer.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending November 16:

  • New Listings decreased 4.2% to 1,003
  • Pending Sales decreased 7.3% to 758
  • Inventory decreased 3.2% to 15,318

For the month of October:

  • Median Sales Price increased 11.4% to $194,900
  • Days on Market decreased 27.2% to 75
  • Percent of Original List Price Received increased 1.4% to 95.8%
  • Months Supply of Inventory decreased 12.5% to 3.5

All comparisons are to 2012

Click here for the full Weekly Market Activity Report.From The Skinny.

Weekly Market Report

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Fewer people are out scouting homes now that they’re scouting the perfect bird for their Thanksgiving feast. Weekly and monthly seller and buyer activity may be slowing in comparison to last reporting period, but overall markets still show signs of stable recovery. By and large, expect the end of 2013 to look just as juicy and golden as your bird is soon to be.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending November 9:

  • New Listings increased 11.4% to 1,132
  • Pending Sales decreased 3.1% to 819
  • Inventory decreased 3.2% to 15,517

For the month of October:

  • Median Sales Price increased 11.4% to $195,000
  • Days on Market decreased 27.2% to 75
  • Percent of Original List Price Received increased 1.4% to 95.8%
  • Months Supply of Inventory decreased 12.5% to 3.5

All comparisons are to 2012

Click here for the full Weekly Market Activity Report.From The Skinny.

Traditional Market Share Dominates as Sellers Re-enter the Scene

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6a00e54ee9620b8834019b00fc7317970c-800wiMinneapolis, Minnesota (November 12, 2013) – The Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan housing market continued along the path toward recovery in October. While some measures suggest a slowing in the pace of recovery, this
deceleration is primarily the result of a healing distressed segment. Sellers felt more confident as new listings rose 15.1 percent to 6,102, marking the seventh consecutive year-over-year increase in monthly seller activity. Buyers
closed on 4,495 homes, a modest 1.9 percent increase over last October. Consumers have 15,556 properties from which to choose – or just 3.7 percent fewer than last October, but 19.2 percent more than in January 2013.

The market-wide median sales price was unchanged from September 2013 at $195,000, but was up 11.4 percent compared to October 2012. In October 2011, foreclosures and short sales together comprised 46.2 percent of all closed
sales. In October 2013, these two segments made up only 21.5 percent of all sales. For new listings, the same October figure dropped from 42.4 percent in 2011 to 19.5 percent of all new listings in 2013.

“The slight decrease in pending sales activity is entirely attributable to declines in the number of contracts signed on foreclosure and short sale properties,” said Andy Fazendin, President of the Minneapolis Area Association
of REALTORS® (MAAR).

Traditional pending sales activity was up 19.7 percent while foreclosure and short sale contracts were down about 33.7 and 50.8 percent, respectively. Closed sales increased 1.9 percent overall, but traditional closed sales rose 23.6
percent. Foreclosure sales and short sales were down 32.9 and 50.0 percent, respectively. New listings rose 15.1 percent overall, but traditional seller activity increased 39.0 percent higher as foreclosure and short sale new
listings fell 24.4 and 50.1 percent, respectively.

On average, homes are spending 75 days on the market – the quickest October pace in seven years. Sellers are receiving an average of 95.8 percent of their original list price – the highest October ratio since 2006. The Twin Cities
metro now has 3.5 months’ supply of inventory, which suggests sellers are regaining their leverage.

“We are within the final phases of market recovery,” said Emily Green, MAAR President-Elect. “Supply levels are stabilizing and regenerating, which means buyers have more choices and balance is being restored.”

All information is according to the Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS® (MAAR) based on data from NorthstarMLS. MAAR is the leading regional advocate and provider of information services and research on the real estate industry for brokers, real estate professionals and the public. MAAR serves the Twin Cities 13-county metro area and western Wisconsin. 10K Research and Marketing, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of MAAR.

Weekly Market Report

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Most analysts agree that we are not in the midst of inflating another housing bubble. Instead, we are sometimes seeing seemingly dramatic price and sales increases, but off of artificially low baseline levels. Private equity firms and first-time buyers have bought up a lot of inventory, while some sellers await further price recovery. Credit remains available but not abundant, so lenders are avoiding the facilitation of another bubble. Default rates and foreclosure activity are at multiyear lows. As of now, the housing recovery is intact.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending November 2:

  • New Listings increased 5.5% to 1,185
  • Pending Sales increased 6.9% to 972
  • Inventory decreased 2.6% to 16,034

For the month of October:

  • Median Sales Price increased 11.4% to $195,000
  • Days on Market decreased 27.2% to 75
  • Percent of Original List Price Received increased 1.4% to 95.8%
  • Months Supply of Inventory decreased 12.5% to 3.5

All comparisons are to 2012

Click here for the full Weekly Market Activity Report.From The Skinny.

Weekly Market Report

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Holiday decorations have debuted in department stores across the nation (really?), and their mere presence just might affect housing activity for those prone to a good winter hunker. Comparisons to year-ago levels will show improvement and recovery, even as general activity will likely slow through the rest of 2013. With rates seemingly in a continuous go-low zone, the thrifty buyer and willing seller will still meet for transactional tea.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending October 26:

  • New Listings increased 16.4% to 1,209
  • Pending Sales increased 10.4% to 974
  • Inventory decreased 3.1% to 16,211

For the month of September:

  • Median Sales Price increased 11.7% to $195,000
  • Days on Market decreased 29.7% to 71
  • Percent of Original List Price Received increased 1.7% to 96.4%
  • Months Supply of Inventory decreased 14.0% to 3.7

All comparisons are to 2012

Click here for the full Weekly Market Activity Report.From The Skinny.