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Could This Be The Beginning Of A Change?

by Galand Haas

Good Monday Morning!

It looks as if most of the country has a similar housing market to that of the Eugene/Springfield and surrounding area.  Low inventories of homes for sale and high demand are fueling the market and making for a difficult situation for home buyers.  Historic low mortgage interest rates are driving demand, but last week rates began to creep up.  Could this be the beginning of a change?  For sellers, time is running short to take advantage of this market.  If you are considering the sale of a home this year, don't wait!  Here is an article from "Realtor.com" that talks about the national housing market.

The numbers: U.S. existing home sales inched up 0.6% to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 6.69 million, the National Association of Realtors said Friday. Compared with a year ago, home sales were up 23.7%.

Economists polled by The Wall Street Journal had forecast that existing home sales would fall to a median rate of 6.66 million.

What happened: The median existing-home price rose to $303,900 in January, up 14.1% from a year ago.

The inventory of homes for sale fell to a record low 1.04 million units by the end of January. That’s a 25.7% decline year-over-year. The market had a 1.9-month supply of homes for sales. A 6-month supply is considered a sign of a balanced market.

The South and the Midwest showed an increase in sales in January.

Big picture: Sales have been moving sideways since setting a cycle high in October. Economists think that low mortgage rates will continue to boost housing demand in coming months. Buyers are also looking for more room and more remote locations in the wake of the pandemic.

What the NAR said: “Home sales continue to ascend in the first month of the year, as buyers quickly snatched up virtually every new listing coming on the market. Sales easily could have been even 20% higher if there had been more inventory and more choices,” said said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist.

What economists are saying? “In general, record low mortgage rates and families fleeing more crowded living situations are fueling demand for single family homes in spite of ongoing turmoil in the labor market and higher home prices. Indeed, this is one sector which is coming out of the crisis stronger than it went into it,” said Josh Shapiro, chief U.S. economist at MFR Inc.

Have An Awesome Week!

Stay Healthy! Stay Safe! Trust in God!

THIS WEEKS HOT HOME LISTING!

640 Flamingo Ave, Springfield, OR 

Price: $305,000    Beds: 3    Baths: 1.0    Sq Ft: 1269

Cute 1 story home in the Game Bird park area!! This lovely home has a living room and a connected spacious family room. Family room features a wood burning fireplace, built in bookcase. Sliding glass door leads to covered patio and large private bac...View this property >> 

AND HERE'S YOUR MONDAY MORNING COFFEE!!

This Month In Real Estate

by Galand Haas

Good Monday Morning!

January 2021 home sales numbers are in and there are some slight changes, but for the most part our trend of low home inventory high demand continues, .8 months for January.  Even though there were some slight improvements in the number of homes for sale in January over December, the inventory remains at a historic low level.  Most concerning is the fact that home prices continue to escalate and the average home sale price in Lane County for January was over $380,000.  My concern is that the price of homes continues to spiral upward, but incomes levels in Lane County do not.  At some point in time and it will be sooner than later, the price of homes will exceed the appetite of the market and homes sales will begin to slump.  Inventory will then increase and pressure will be put on home prices.  This is a trend that repeats itself over and over again with real estate markets.  I am still stating that we are at the top of the market for home values and demand.  If you are thinking of selling a home, don't put this off.  You will be selling at top market value, which may not be the case soon.  Here are the numbers for Lane County home sales in January 2021.

January Residential Highlights

New listings (343) decreased 19.3% from the 425 listed in January 2020, and increased 30.9% from the 262 listed in December 2020.

Pending sales (348) decreased 2.2% from the 356 listed in January 2020, and increased 18.0% from the 295 offers accepted in December 2020.

Closed sales (288) increased 18.0% from the 244 listed in January 2020, and decreased 35.3% from the 445 closings in December 2020.

Inventory and Market Time

Inventory increased to 0.8 months in January. Total market time decreased to 34 days.

Year-to-Date Summary

Comparing the first month of 2021 to the same period in 2020, new listings (343) decreased 19.3%, pending sales (348) decreased 2.2%, and closed sales (288) increased 18.0%.

Average and Median Sale Prices

Comparing 2021 to 2020 through January, the average sale price has increased 17.0% from $328,000 to $383,700. In the same comparison, the median sale price has increased 16.3% from $305,000 to $354,700.

Have An Awesome Week!

Stay Healthy! Stay Safe! Remain Positive! Trust God!

THIS WEEKS HOT HOME LISTING!

37791 Wheeler Rd, Dexter, OR 

Price: $299,000    Beds: 2    Baths: 1.0    Sq Ft: 840

Wonderful hidden gem, close in country property (15 min to Eugene). Meticulously cared for home on over 1/3 acre with fantastic views of the hills. Open floorpan featuring a fireplace, luxury vinyl flooring, newer ductless heat pump, oversized garage...View this property >> 

AND HERE'S YOUR MONDAY MORNING COFFEE!!

No Better Time To Sell Than Now!!

by Galand Haas

Good Monday Morning!

Home prices continue to rise in the Eugene and Springfield area as demand for housing hits a fevered pitch.  An extremely low inventory of homes for sale along with historic low mortgage interest rates are driving home prices higher in our local Real Estate market area and around the country.  This trend cannot last forever, but at this time I do not see a quick end to this market in our area.  As I have been saying for months, if you are considering the sale of your home, there is no better time to sell than right now.  This sellers market cannot last forever, so take advantage of it while you can.  The following is an article from "Realtor.com" that gives further details on our current natonal housing market.

The numbers: Home prices rocketed at a fast pace yet again in November, according to two separate indices released Tuesday, making it increasingly more difficult for buyers to navigate the housing market as many states began reopening businesses from shutdowns related to the coronavirus pandemic. Recent data suggest price appreciation should gain steam in the latter half of the year.

The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller 20-city price index posted a 9.1% year-over-year gain in November, up from 8% the previous month. On a monthly basis, the index increased 1.5% between October and November.

Additionally, the broader S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller national price index, which covers the entire country, demonstrated a 9.5% gain year-over-year in November, up from 8.4% the prior month.

What happened: Prices rose in at least 19 of the 20 large cities tracked by Case-Shiller. Detroit, which is typically included in the 20-city index, was again excluded because of issues collecting data during previous coronavirus-related shutdowns.

Phoenix experienced the largest price increase for the 18th consecutive month with a 13.8% increase, followed by Seattle (12.7%) and San Diego (12.3%).

Separately, the Federal Housing Finance Agency released its own monthly home price index for November. According to that report, home prices were up 1% from the previous month and 11% from November 2019. This is the sixth consecutive month in which home prices have risen, and annual gains are now outpacing the price growth seen during the last housing boom before the Great Recession, said Lynn Fisher, deputy direction of the division of research and statistics at the FHFA.

The big picture: While there may be evidence that demand among home buyers is waning from the heights reached this summer — as evidenced by lower mortgage application volumes — it still remains very strong. Plus, the supply of homes for sales is all but exhausted. The lack of inventory should continue to fuel home-price increases for foreseeable future, especially in popular markets such as Phoenix and Boise, Idaho.

Have An Awesome Week!

Stay Healthy! Stay Safe! Remain Positive! Trust God!

THIS WEEKS HOT HOME LISTING!

37791 Wheeler Rd, Dexter, OR 

Price: $299,000    Beds: 2    Baths: 1.0    Sq Ft: 840

Wonderful hidden gem, close in country property (15 min to Eugene). Meticulously cared for home on over 1/3 acre with fantastic views of the hills. Open floorpan featuring a fireplace, luxury vinyl flooring, newer ductless heat pump, oversized garage...View this property >> 

AND HERE'S YOUR MONDAY MORNING COFFEE!!

Mortgage Rates Have Fallen Again

by Galand Haas

Good Monday Morning!

Yes, mortgage interest rates have fallen again.  Just when you think that rates can't go any lower, they drop again.  Many experts think that this may be short term and could actually be the low point this time.  There is actually pressure to begin raising mortgage interest rates and some experts argue that a raise won't effect home sales.  My position is that the housing market is fragile at this time.  Home prices are inflated and the economy is uncertain.  With the new administration proposing harsh tax increases on middle America, look out.  This could signal the end of the strong sellers market we have seen for years.  An increase in mortgage rates would only speed up this process.  The following is a recent report on mortgage rates from "Realtor.com".

Mortgage rates dipped slightly over the past week, as investors sought a safe haven amid volatile markets and concerns about the economy. But the era of persistently falling rates has likely passed, which is bad news for home buyers.

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 2.73% for the week ending Jan. 28, down four basis points from the week prior, Freddie Mac reported this week.

The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage fell one basis point to an average of 2.2%, while the 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage held steady at 2.8%.

The slight decrease in rates was a testament to investor activity, according to Realtor.com senior economist George Ratiu.

“With COVID cases still elevated amid the vaccine rollouts, investors remained worried about high unemployment claims, volatile earnings and lingering concerns about the economic outlook from the Federal Reserve,” he said. “The mood kept them funneling funds into mortgage bonds.”

Despite the decline, Ratiu argued that rates will rise this year. If that prediction plays out, what will happen to home sales? It depends on who you ask.

“As we look at 2021, we expect rising mortgage rates to dampen the pace of activity in the next couple of months, as many buyers will be priced out,” Ratiu said. He noted that as the youngest millennials are entering their 30s and the economy is expected to improve from the coronavirus pandemic, both factors that should keep the pace of home sales elevated in the spring and summer.

Others argue that rising interest rates won’t necessarily hurt home sales or prices. “Historically, when mortgage rates rise, existing-home sales don’t necessarily fall,” Mark Fleming, chief economist at title insurer First American, wrote in a recent report.

Fleming examined previous eras where rates were rising. In two cases — the 2005-2006 period and the 1994 period — home sales did fall after interest rates increased. But in the other time periods he examined, home sales actually increased. The difference came down to why rates were rising.

“Rising interest rates reduce house-buying power and affordability, but are often a sign of a strong economy, which increases home buyer demand,” Fleming wrote.

Have An Awesome Week!

Stay Healthy! Stay Safe! Remain Positive! Trust God!

THIS WEEKS HOT HOME LISTING!

88770 Heritage Ln, Springfield, OR 

Price: $650,000    Beds: 3    Baths: 2.0    Sq Ft: 1808

One of those rare homes and properties that combines a closeness to town with the serenity and beauty of the country. Just under 5 acres of fenced pasture and wooded hillside. A gorgeous creek runs right through the property. Beautiful hillside and...View this property >> 

AND HERE'S YOUR MONDAY MORNING COFFEE!!

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Haas Real Estate Team
Keller Williams Realty Eugene and Springfield
2645 Suzanne Way Suite 2A
Eugene OR 97408
Direct: (541) 349-2620
Fax: 541-687-6411

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