Salem Mid-Year Review: By The Numbers
The median price of a Single Family Home (SFH) increased slightly in the first half of 2017, while sales fell back to the levels of 2014/15.
Source: Oliver Reports, MLS
Sales of Condos were also down from the 2016 level, while the median price increased 9%, exceeding $300,000 for the first time.
Source: Oliver Reports, MLS
If you are looking to buy, I will contact you immediately when a house that meets your needs is available. In this market you need to have somebody looking after your interests.
Are you thinking about selling? Read Which broker should I choose to sell my house?
Please contact me on 617.834.8205 or Andrew.Oliver@SothebysRealty.com for a free market analysis and explanation of the outstanding marketing program I offer
Andrew Oliver is a Realtor with Harborside Sotheby’s International Realty. Each Office Is Independently Owned and Operated
@OliverReports
Salem 2016 Housing Market by the Numbers
In 2016 the median price of a Single Family Home (SFH) rose 6% to a new record high on a 16% increase in sales, which were also a record. The median price of a condo rose 2% and is just 1% below the 2005 peak. Condo sales were also up 16% but are still below the levels of 2004/05.
Source: MLS, Oliver Reports
Are you thinking of selling your home? If so please contact me on 617.834.8205 or Andrew.Oliver@SothebysRealty.com for a free market analysis and explanation of the outstanding marketing program I offer.
Not sure which broker to use to sell your home? Read Which broker should I choose to sell my house?
If you are looking to buy, I will contact you immediately when a house that meets your needs is available. In this market you need to have somebody looking after your interests.
Andrew Oliver is a Realtor with Harborside Sotheby’s International Realty. Each Office Is Independently Owned and Operated
@OliverReports
Salem 2016 Housing Market: record prices and sales
In 2016 the median price of a Single Family Home (SFH) in Salem increased by $21,000, or 6%, to $370,000, a new record high. Sales jumped 16% to a new high while the average number of houses for sale dropped slightly, indicating that houses sold very quickly. I shall publish a separate report on the equally buoyant condo market.
Median price*
The first chart, with the numbers below, shows the median price for the two halves of the year and for the full year.
Source: MLS, Oliver Reports
Huge jump in Mortgage Loan Limits
Home buyers in Essex County and Suffolk County received a major boost this week with the announcement that the limit for conforming mortgages was being increased by 18% from $523,250 to $598,000.
For a buyer putting down 20% the price of a home that can be financed conventionally – meaning that it can be sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac – jumps by almost $100,000, from $654,063 to $747,500.
This table shows the trend in the last few years: (more…)
Salem Q3 2016 Housing Market Summary
Through the Third Quarter, the median price of a Single Family House (SFH) in Salem rose 3% to a new high of $370,000, while that for a condo rose 4% to $280,000, also a new record.
Source: MLS, Oliver Reports; peak in bold
If you are considering selling your home please contact me on 617.834.8205 or Andrew.Oliver@SothebysRealty.com for a free market analysis and explanation of the outstanding marketing program I offer.
Not sure which broker to use to sell your home? Read Which broker should I choose to sell my house?
If you are looking to buy, I will contact you immediately when a house that meets your needs is available. In this market you need to have somebody looking after your interests.
Andrew Oliver is a Realtor with Harborside Sotheby’s International Realty. Each Office Is Independently Owned and Operated
@OliverReports
Salem Q3 condo market: booming sales, shrinking supply
While the median price of a Salem condo was flat in Q3 and up 3% YTD through the first three quarters of the year, the story of the year to date is one of sales up 19% while supply is down by more than one-third from a year ago. (more…)
Salem Mid-Year Review: Condo Market sizzling
Condo sales have sizzled this year, up 45% in the first half from a year ago, and up 60% over the average for the first half for the last 5 years. Current inventory represents less than 2 months of supply based on sales in the second quarter, and is about equal to the number sold in the month of June alone.
Median prices* have not – at least as yet – responded to this imbalance between supply and demand, with a modest increase of just under 4% in the first half to $280,000, a new record for the first half (the highest annual median price is$279,000 in 2005, so there is a good chance that 2016 will set a new record high.)
Sales of Single Family Homes (SFH) also jumped sharply, up 30% from a year ago, and almost matched the prior high. The median price of a SFH increased 6.5% to a new record of $380,000 (the highest annual median price is $349,450 in 2015, so it looks certain that 2016 will see that record well beaten.) (more…)
What’s the current supply of houses for sale locally?
This report sets out to analyze the current supply of houses for sale in Marblehead, Swampscott and Salem.
Single Family Homes (SFH)
First, let’s look at sales so far this year to May 20. The pace of sales is slower in winter so these numbers overstate the supply. Bear in mind that a market is generally regarded as being in equilibrium between buyers and sellers when there is 6 months of supply.
Next I looked at recent activity, namely the number of SFHs which had offers accepted since the beginning of April and compared that with current supply. April, May and June are generally the three largest months for accepted offers in these markets, so these numbers may slightly understate supply going forward, but they provide a stark indication of how little supply there is today, especially in Swampscott and Salem:
Source: MLS, Oliver Reports
Condos
While sales numbers for SFHs are similar for the three towns, they are very different for condos, where only Salem has a large market. Thus the supply number for Salem is more significant than for the other towns:
Turning to accepted offers since the beginning of April, the supply drops sharply in all markets. Note that in Salem there have been 47 accepted offers so far in May alone and there are just 61 for sale.
Source: MLS, Oliver Reports
Comment
This report quantifies just how short of supply the market is, especially in Swampscott and Salem. And bear in mind that these numbers are for the total market; at lower prices there is even less supply, as higher priced properties generally take longer to sell.
The supply numbers are somewhat better in Marblehead where there is some evidence that list prices of SFHs have increased this year, possibly in advance of the market.
If you are considering selling your home please contact me on 617.834.8205 or Andrew.Oliver@SothebysRealty.com for a free market analysis and explanation of the outstanding marketing program I offer.
Read Which broker should I choose to sell my house?
If you are looking to buy, I will contact you immediately when a house that meets your needs is available. In this market you need to have somebody looking after your interests.
Andrew Oliver is a Realtor with Harborside Sotheby’s International Realty. Each Office Is Independently Owned and Operated
@OliverReports
Housing Inventory today, by price and town, versus a year ago
This article compares today’s inventory, by price, compared with that of a year ago.We are now past the vagaries of winter weather and the dates of Easter and Passover, thus making the comparisons like for like for probably the first time this year. I will look first at Essex County and Massachusetts for the big picture, followed by Marblehead, Swampscott, Salem, Beverly and Lynn, adding comments where appropriate.
Overall, the story is of a decline in inventory at lower price levels and an increase at higher price points, a trend consistent with a rising market.
Massachusetts and Essex County
Overall inventory is down in the entire State by 9% for SFHs and 6% for condos; in Essex County the decline is 10% for SFHs and 12% for condos. But…. there is a marked difference between supply under $500,000 and above that figure, with large declines in supply below $500,000 and increases above that figure, particularly at the top end.
Source: MLS, Oliver Reports
Marblehead
While Marblehead is one of the few towns to show an increase in inventory over 2015, it still shows a sharp drop from the 92 and 100 SFHs for sales on this date in 2013 and 2014, while condo inventory is more in line with numbers from those years. The increase in SFH inventory is concentrated in the $750,000 – $999,999 and over $2 million brackets for SFHs and, rather surprisingly, in condos under $250,000.
Source:MLS, Oliver Reports
Swampscott
The story in Swampscott continues to be the incredibly low level of supply, most markedly for SFHs below $500,000, where the number available has collapsed from 25 to just 3. And there are just 5 condos for sale in the entire town.
Source:MLS, Oliver Reports
Salem
While overall supply in Salem is down just slightly from last year, here again we see declines in inventory at the lower price levels:
Source: MLS, Oliver Reports
Beverly
The total number of SFHs for sale is much the same as last year but the mix has changed, with a huge drop under $400,000 and increases in most of the higher ranges. Condos for sale under $250,000 plunged from 16 to just 4.
Source:MLS, Oliver Reports
Lynn
The decline is most pronounced in SFHs under $300,000 where supply has more than halved from 48 to 23.
Source: MLS, Oliver Reports
If you are considering selling your home please contact me on 617.834.8205 or Andrew.Oliver@SothebysRealty.com for a free market analysis and explanation of the outstanding marketing program I offer.
Read Which broker should I choose to sell my house?
If you are looking to buy, I will contact you immediately when a house that meets your needs is available. In this market you need to have somebody looking after your interests.
Andrew Oliver is a Realtor with Harborside Sotheby’s International Realty. Each Office Is Independently Owned and Operated
@OliverReports
Salem Q1 Housing Market by the Numbers
This report gives a picture of the Salem Q1 Housing Market by the Numbers, followed by a snapshot of current inventory compared with a year ago.
Median Prices and Sales
Sales of SFHs were up slightly from last year, but sales of condos rose sharply. The median price of a SFH was slightly lower than a year ago, while that for condos was up. Always remember that quarterly numbers can be – and frequently are – volatile, especially during the winter months. We will get a truer picture of the underlying market trends when we get the numbers for the first half of the year.
Source: MLS, Oliver Reports
Current Inventory
While inventory is down somewhat compared with a year ago, the drop is quite modest.
Source: MLS, Oliver Reports
If you are considering selling your home please contact me on 617.834.8205 or Andrew.Oliver@SothebysRealty.com for a free market analysis and explanation of the outstanding marketing program I offer.
Read Which broker should I choose to sell my house?
If you are looking to buy, I will contact you immediately when a house that meets your needs is available. In this market you need to have somebody looking after your interests.
Andrew Oliver is a Realtor with Harborside Sotheby’s International Realty. Each Office Is Independently Owned and Operated
@OliverReports
Where have all the sellers gone?
I am sure I am not alone in expecting that housing inventory would be higher this (early) spring, given the mild winter and continuing low interest rates,but that has not happened. In this post I look at inventory for both Single Family Homes (SFH) and Condos for local towns, Essex County and Massachusetts.
Marblehead, Swampscott, Beverly and Salem
None of these markets has higher inventory than last year – the big snow year, remember? All are sharply down from 2013 and 2014.
Similar story for condos – look at the drop in Salem.
MLS, Oliver Reports
Essex County and Massachusetts
These don’t show well in a chart so here are the numbers, which show a similar, but less pronounced pattern.
Changes in inventory since 2013
The last two charts show the percentage decline in inventory since 2013.
MLS, Oliver Reports
If you – or somebody you know – are considering buying or selling a home and have questions about the market and/or current home prices, feel free to contact me on 617.834.8205 or Andrew.Oliver@SothebysRealty.com.
Read Which broker should list my house for sale?
Andrew Oliver is a Realtor with Harborside Sotheby’s International Realty. Each Office Is Independently Owned and Operated
You can REGISTER to receive email alerts of new posts on the right hand side of the home page at www.OliverReports.com.
@OliverReports
Salem 2015 Condo Market Review
Sales of condos in Salem in 2015 jumped 22% while the median price gained 9%, although both sales and the median price remain below their 2005 peak levels. The median condo sold for 18% above its Assessed Value in 2015. (more…)
Research identifies site of Salem’s witch hangings
The City of Salem has confirmed that researchers have identified the site of Salem’s witch hangings as Proctor’s Ledge, a wooded site overlooking Walgreen’s on Boston Street, and not Gallows Hill. Salem plans to mark the spot with a memorial.
This CBS Boston Actual site of Salem witch hangings discovered article includes a video of their reporter visiting the “scene of the crime”.
If you – or somebody you know – are considering buying or selling a home and have questions about the market and/or current home prices, feel free to contact me on 617.834.8205 or Andrew.Oliver@SothebysRealty.com.
Andrew Oliver is a Realtor with Harborside Sotheby’s International Realty. Each Office Is Independently Owned and Operated
You can REGISTER to receive email alerts of new posts on the right hand side of the home page at www.OliverReports.com.
@OliverReports
Salem 2015 Housing Market Summary
This report shows “just the numbers”. A detailed review of the SFH market can be read here.
Source: MLS, Oliver Reports
If you – or somebody you know – are considering buying or selling a home and have questions about the market and/or current home prices, feel free to contact me on 617.834.8205 or Andrew.Oliver@SothebysRealty.com.
Read How should I choose the broker to sell my home?
Andrew Oliver is a Realtor with Harborside Sotheby’s International Realty. Each Office Is Independently Owned and Operated
You can REGISTER to receive email alerts of new posts on the right hand side of the home page at www.OliverReports.com.
@OliverReports
Salem 2015 Housing Market review
This 2015 Salem housing market review focuses on the Single Family Home (SFH) market. I shall publish a separate report on the condo market. I have also published a one page Summary of the main numbers for both the SFH and condo markets.
Sales of SFHs were over 200 for the third consecutive year, while the median price was slightly higher at $349,000, equaling the previous peak reached in 2005. In contrast, sales of condos were up 21% and the median price increased by 9%, although both are still below their earlier peaks.
Median price
The median price was consistent in the two halves of the year:
As usual, however, there were quarterly fluctuations, with Q1 and Q4 lower than Q2 and Q3:
Source: MLS, Oliver Reports
Sales
Although not quite a record, sales were over 200 for the third year in a row:
ASR*
The ratio of AV to Sale Price (see below for an explanation) increased only to 85.5%, meaning that the median sales prices was 17% (100/85.5) above the Assessed Value:
Comment
It seems like an appropriate reflection of the change in Salem that September saw the visit 0f a cruise ship, just before the last of the stacks of the old Power Plant came down. These acts followed the opening of the new train station garage late in 2014, and all help contribute to the development of Salem as an exciting and dynamic town which continues to attract new residents.
* One way I measure prices is by the ratio (ASR) of Assessed Value (AV) to Sales Price (SP). The ASR is the AV divided by the SP: if the SP is rising (prices going up), the ASR will fall.
Properties selling above their AV will have an ASR below 100%. What this means is that in a period of rising prices the ASR is likely to be falling. So what we, as homeowners, want is an ASR below 100% and falling.
Remember that AVs are a lagging indicator: the tax bills that have just been sent out for FY2016 are based on actual sales in 2014. Thus the 2015 sales data, reported in this review, will be the basis for FY2017 assessments.
If you – or somebody you know – are considering buying or selling a home and have questions about the market and/or current home prices, feel free to contact me on 617.834.8205 or Andrew.Oliver@SothebysRealty.com.
Read http://wp.me/p2SYWq-1sj
Andrew Oliver is a Realtor with Harborside Sotheby’s International Realty. Each Office Is Independently Owned and Operated
You can REGISTER to receive email alerts of new posts on the right hand side of the home page at www.OliverReports.com.
@OliverReports
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