Monday, March 03, 2008

Weekly Twin Cities Real Estate Market Activity Report

Here's the latest from MAAR:

The greatest enemy of progress is not stagnation, but false progress.
– Sydney J. Harris (1917–86), famed columnist

New listings for the week ending February 23 posted 1,832 units, down 10.1 percent from the same week in 2007. Signed purchase agreements (pending sales) declined from last year by 15.9 percent for the same timeframe comparison, posting 635 units. Despite the general decline in seller activity, the total number of homes for sale is ahead of this time last year by 9.8 percent. Also, this week's Weekly Market Activity Report features a new March Supply-Demand Ratio of 8.72 houses per buyer, up 38.4 percent from March 2007.

Looking for a silver lining to the weekly litany of grimacing news? Well, the seemingly endless swell in the growth of homes for sale has steadily declined. The Supply-Demand Ratio is the lowest it's been since June 2007. Housing affordability is at its highest point since 2004. And we're receiving anecdotal evidence of increased buyer traffic beyond seasonal norms over the past few weeks.

It ain't all bad news, folks. The word on the sheet may not yet match the work on the sheet, specifically pending sales, but ample supply, lower interest rates, weakening median prices and healthy affordability are all historical buyer opt-ins.

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