February 11, 2011 (Shirley Allen)
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) released its latest survey on home sales and home prices for the 4th quarter of 2010. NAR reported that home prices increased in 78 out 152 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) compared to the fourth quarter of 2009. Home sales however, were down substantially from last year.
Total state existing-home sales, including single-family and condo, jumped 15.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate1 of 4.80 million in the fourth quarter from 4.16 million in the third quarter, but were 19.5 percent below a surge to an unsustainable cyclical peak of 5.97 million in the fourth quarter of 2009, which was driven by the initial deadline for the first-time buyer tax credit.
While prices increased in 78 MSAs, 71 areas had price declines and three areas were unchanged. That compares to 67 areas that had price increases in 2009, even with the first- time home buyer tax credit.
The national median price for an existing single family home remained virtually unchanged with the 4th quarter 2010 price averaging $170,600, versus $170,300 the year before.
Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, encouraged by the trend stated, “Home sales clearly recovered in the latter part of 2010 and are helping to absorb the inventory, including many distressed properties. Even with foreclosures continuing to enter the inventory pipeline, they’ve been selling well and housing supplies have trended down,” he said. “A recovery to normalcy requires steady trimming of the inventories.”
Regionally, the median existing single-family home price in the Northeast increased 2.3 percent to $240,400 in the fourth quarter from a year earlier. Existing-home sales in the Northeast rose 15.0 percent in the fourth quarter to a level of 797,000 but are 22.8 percent below the surge in the fourth quarter of 2009.
In the Midwest, the median existing single-family home price rose 0.5 percent to $139,200 in the fourth quarter from the same period in 2009. Existing-home sales in the Midwest jumped 18.3 percent in the fourth quarter to a pace of 1.02 million but are 25.4 percent below the cyclical peak one year ago.
In the South, the median existing single-family home price edged up 0.3 percent to $152,400 in the fourth quarter from the fourth quarter of 2009. Existing-home sales in the region rose 11.4 percent in the fourth quarter to an annual rate of 1.82 million but remain 17.8 percent below the surge in the fourth quarter of last year.
The median existing single-family home price in the West declined 2.9 percent to $214,400 in the fourth quarter from a year ago. Existing-home sales in the West jumped 19.9 percent in the fourth quarter to a level of 1.17 million but are 14.2 percent below the cyclical peak in the fourth quarter of 2009.
Meanwhile the condo sector, covering condominium and cooperative prices in 57 metro areas, reportedly had a median price of $164, 200 for existing units which was 6.4 percent below the price for the 4th quarter of 2009. Increases in the median condo price were seen in 22 areas, while 35 had declines.
“Consumers in the hard hit regions of Nevada, Arizona and Florida were able to scoop up condos at absolute bargain basement prices,” Yun said. Median condo/co-op prices in affected metro areas include Las Vegas-Paradise at $60,700, Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale with a fourth quarter median of $68,900, and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach at $81,900.
NAR President Ron Phipps, broker-president of Phipps Realty in Warwick, R.I., said a very favorable affordability environment is a huge factor in the recovery. “Although job growth has been relatively modest and credit is tight, you can’t underestimate the impact of historically high housing affordability conditions,” he said.
“Mortgage interest rates recently hit record lows, median family income has edged up and prices in most areas have been stable following the correction from the housing boom. For people with good credit and long term plans, it’s hard to imagine a better opportunity than what we see today,” Phipps said. “Unfortunately the flow of credit is unnecessarily tight and is constraining the pace of the housing and job growth recoveries.”
Tags: NAR, home prices, home sales, mortgage interest rates, credit, housing affordability, single family homes, condominiums, distressed properties, foreclosures
