Weekly real estate market update 2/26/21… average inventory change by state

ShowingTime Stats 2021-02-24

Showings continue on about the same path as last year, but feel so much more frenetic. Why? Because inventory is only 42.6% of what it was last year. That means the same number of showings for about half the number of properties and no overlapping showings because of Covid-19. I have a new listing that was listed as coming soon last Sunday, with showings starting today. We have 25 showings scheduled for today. It used to be that multiple parties could be showing at the same time, but because of Covid-19 only one party can show at a time. That means very little showing time per buyer, with very little time to make an important decision on buying a home!  The urgency is there, because we will likely have multiple offers.

2021-01-historical inventory3

New listings increased a bit this week, hanging closely below last year. Pending sales continue to be almost the same as last year, although with little more than half as much inventory! Coming soon listings continue to give hope that more inventory is on the way.

Market Stats YTD – 2021-02-26

This is what is happening in the Twin Cities real estate market, but what is happening in the rest of the country? Interestingly enough, the average number of homes for sale in the whole country is also 42.6% below last year! Read about it in the post below from our blog at Keeping Matters Current.


In today’s housing market, it seems harder than ever to find a home to buy. Before the health crisis hit us a year ago, there was already a shortage of homes for sale. When many homeowners delayed their plans to sell at the same time that more buyers aimed to take advantage of record-low mortgage rates and purchase a home, housing inventory dropped even further. Experts consider this to be the biggest challenge facing an otherwise hot market while buyers continue to compete for homes. As Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at realtor.comexplains:

“With buyers active in the market and seller participation lagging, homes are selling quickly and the total number available for sale at any point in time continues to drop lower. In January as a whole, the number of for sale homes dropped below 600,000.”

Every month, realtor.com releases new data showing the year-over-year change in inventory of existing homes for sale. As you can see in the map below, nationwide, inventory is 42.6% lower than it was at this time last year:Where Have All the Houses Gone? | Simplifying The Market

Does this mean houses aren’t being put on the market for sale?

Not exactly. While there are fewer existing homes being listed right now, many homes are simply selling faster than they’re being counted as current inventory. The market is that competitive! It’s like when everyone was trying to find toilet paper to buy last spring and it was flying off the shelves faster than it could be stocked in the stores. That’s what’s happening in the housing market: homes are being listed for sale, but not at a rate that can keep up with heavy demand from competitive buyers.

In the same realtor.com report, Hale explains:

Time on the market was 10 days faster than last year meaning that buyers still have to make decisions quickly in order to be successful. Today’s buyers have many tools to help them do that, including the ability to be notified as soon as homes meeting their search criteria hit the market. By tailoring search and notifications to the homes that are a solid match, buyers can act quickly and compete successfully in this faster-paced housing market.”

The Good News for Homeowners

The health crisis has been a major reason why potential sellers have held off this long, but as vaccines become more widely available, homeowners will start making their moves. Ali Wolf, Chief Economist at Zondaconfirms:

“Some people will feel comfortable listing their home during the first half of 2021. Others will want to wait until the vaccines are widely distributed.”

With more homeowners getting ready to sell later this year, putting your house on the market sooner rather than later is the best way to make sure your listing shines brighter than the rest.

When you’re ready to sell your house, you’ll likely want it to sell as quickly as possible, for the best price, and with little to no hassle. If you’re looking for these selling conditions, you’ll find them in today’s market. When demand is high and inventory is low, sellers have the ability to create optimal terms and timelines for the sale, making now an exceptional time to move.

Bottom Line

Today’s housing market is a big win for sellers, but these conditions won’t last forever. If you’re in a position to sell your house now, you may not want to wait for your neighbors to do the same. Let’s connect to discuss how to sell your house safely so you’re able to benefit from today’s high demand and low inventory.

Written By

I love what I do! Highly insightful, analytical and creative, there is nothing I love more than helping you find the right solution for your real estate transition. My mission is to serve my clients with honesty and integrity, exceeding their expectations in service and support… and to help others by donating a portion of every transaction to Habitat for Humanity.

Related Posts

Staging Tips For A Fall Sale

🖨 Print Article Staging & Styling: Rooms With Style, Photography: Mill City Team It’s hard to believe that we are in the full swing of autumn already. At Rooms With...

Q&A: “Are these cracks in my deck posts a problem?”

🖨 Print Article I’m frequently asked about nasty-looking vertical cracks in wood deck posts. Is this a problem? Is the deck going to fail? How big of a crack is...

Subscribe to Our Newsletter for Market Updates & Mid-Century Modern Listings

Our weekly HomesMSP Update includes current local market information and a curated list of mid-century modern properties for sale, plus posts from an inspector, a lender, a stager, info about neighborhoods, life in the Twin Cities… even recipes!

Hidden

Blog Categories

Archives

Sharon and John Hensrud

About Us

The HomesMSP Team is committed to meeting you where you are and listening… really listening to understand you so we can use our extensive knowledge of the market and local neighborhoods to give you personalized service.