San Francisco starter homes?
This billboard sign raises an interesting question:
By “low $1,000,000s” do they mean, say, $1,050.000, or low millions such as $2 million or maybe $3 million?
Either way, I am sure they are a “bargain” in San francisco’s red-hot housing market. (more…)
Are new listings up in Marblehead?
It would be logical to assume that, after a mild winter and with continued improvement in the housing market locally, new listings this year would show an increase. That has, indeed, proved to be the case compared with last year, but total new listings in the first quarter were very similar to the number for 2013 and 2014.
Total new listings Q1
Break down by List Price
When we look at the list price of new houses on the market, we see an interesting pattern, one which gives support to the belief that prices are rising. If we focus on 2013, 2014 and 2016, when the total numbers were very similar, we see a clear trend: a sharp drop under $500,000, and modest increases up to $1.5 million.
What is the seasonal pattern of new listings?
While this article has focused on new listings in Q1, the peak period for new listings is only now underway. Note how Q1 and Q3 were similar in 2013 but in 2014 and 2015 there were more new listings in Q3. And Q4, not surprisingly, saw the lowest number in each year.
And finally, if only because these I had to calculate all these numbers to get the summaries, here are the monthly numbers.
Comment
While it maybe somewhat surprising that new listings are not showing, at least so far, a greater increase from the levels of 2013 and 2014, we are now in the peak period for new listings. Half-way through April, however, we have seen just 21 new listings, not an indication of any general pick-up in listings.
The demand is clearly out there – 8 of April’s 21 new listings have already received offers – meaning this is an excellent time to list your house for sale if you are planning to move.
If you – or somebody you know – 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.
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.
Read How should I choose the broker to 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
The week’s New Listings
The number of the week’s new listings was much the same as last week. Read Are new listings up in Marblehead? for an analysis, by price, of new listings this year, and of new listings by month since 2013.
What we are starting to see, however, is listings coming to the market during the week and receiving an offer before the first weekend open house. If you are looking to buy in this market, it would be a good idea to be working with an agent who will call you as soon as a new listing comes to the market that meets your criteria. (more…)
Marblehead Old Town Antique – Open House
If you are looking for an antique home in Old Town with high ceilings, wide staircases, beautiful antique features and plenty of space, make a point of going to today’s Open House at 59 Washington Street in Marblehead from 11:30 to 1:00. If that time is inconvenient call me for a private showing.
This Bright and sunny 1800 Antique Colonial is over 3,000 s.f. and has 6 Bedrooms and 4 Baths, including a self-contained 1 bed 1 bath apartment (AirBnB?). It has high ceilings, wide staircases, wide pine floors and 7 fireplaces, while also offering 2 decks and garden areas.
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 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
Sunday’s Open Houses – no snow please
Last week’s Open Houses, on the first Sunday after Easter, were affected by snow that morning. It may be chilly today but the forecast calls for SUNSHINE! (more…)
Boston – where millennials cannot afford to buy a home
A recent Bloomberg article cited a study showing 13 cities where millennials cannot afford to buy a home. While Boston is not as a bad as some of California’s cities, it still ranked number 10 on the survey.
There is, of course, a solution for people who are being priced out of Boston (or who want to take their profits) – move to Marblehead, as many people are. (more…)
Saturday Open Houses
While Sunday remains the main day for Open Houses, there does seem to be a gradual increase in Saturday Open Houses, perhaps a reflection of a strong housing market. (more…)
Housing Inventory after Easter still low
It is quite common for houses to come to market right after Easter. Unfortunately – for the housing market at least – the date of Easter varies from year to year – rather like the weather. Easter was in late March in 2013 and 2016, April 20 in 2014 and April 5 last year. What this means is the inventory tables and charts below are post Easter for all except 2014.
Marblehead, Swampscott, Beverly and Salem
The biggest message from the tables below is that while inventory is flat to down compared with last year, there is a much larger drop compared with 2013 and 2014. These tables and charts show the numbers for each year and the change since 2013.
This week’s new listings
The second week after Easter has seen a similar number of new listings to last week. Read Housing inventory after Easter still low for an update on current inventory. (more…)
The sun is out in Marblehead
The sun is out so head out to see today’s Open Houses!
Today’s Open Houses after the snow stops
Well at least it’s not 1997 when we had 22 inches of snow on April 1, but it is still annoying! The good news for today’s Open Houses is that the snow is forecast to end by around 11 a.m. and the sun should reappear. (more…)
Homes are flying off the shelf
It seems that not only sellers. but also buyers, have been galvanized into action since Easter, and as a result homes are flying off the shelf. Yesterday I published New listings – what a difference a week makes, referring to the spike in new listings since Easter.
This article traces sales that have been agreed since Monday – and bear in mind that this is before today’s monster
Open House day – and compares those with the number of properties for sale at the beginning of the week.
Percentages can be high because inventory is low, but I find these numbers tell a compelling story of the pace of sales. And, of course, new inventory has come to the market this week and more will come next week.
One final set of numbers: of the 8 SFHs that received accepted offers in Marblehead this week, 4 received offers after being on the market just 1 day and 2 more after 3 days.
The message seems clear: buyers are out there, and a well-priced, attractive property will attract buyers quickly.
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
Open House TODAY. New Listing – Marblehead Old Town Antique
With winter weather due to return overnight, you may want to consider attending today’s first Open House at 59 Washington Street in Marblehead.
This Bright and sunny 1800 Antique Colonial is over 3,000 sf and has 6 Bedrooms and 4 Baths, including a self-contained 1 bed 1 bath apartment (AirBnB?). It has high ceilings, wide staircases, wide pine floors and 7 fireplaces, while also offering 2 decks and garden areas.
Open House today 12:00 – 2:00
Open House Sunday 11:30 – 1:00
Marblehead home prices set record in First Quarter
Marblehead home prices set a record in the first Quarter of 2016, with the median price of $660,000 equalling the record quarterly number in Q3 2015. But……the first quarter is almost always the lowest quarter in terms of the number of sales and, consequently, the quarter most likely to be distorted by the pattern of sales.
The goal of this blog is twofold: to report the numbers, and to interpret them. The second is the more important goal, since there are many, often automated, sources of bare bones numbers, but far fewer analyses and commentaries on the numbers.
Here is the breakdown for 2015 and 2016:
And in chart form:
Commentary
In the first several months of 2015 the surprise, at least to me, was the lack of activity at the higher end in Marblehead. That changed as the year went on, and in Q1 2016 we are seeing some of that effect as sales agreed last year closed in this one. We have already had 3 sales over $3 million (1 over $4 million) and one just below that level.
As a market strengthens, so it is reasonable to expect that sales will move up into higher brackets. Note that sales between $750,000 and $1 million increased from 1 to 5, and that all sales over $750,000 doubled year over year.
While, because of the small number, I believe caution is needed as to the absolute number of the median price to start 2016, there is no doubt that the sales activity in Q1 is indicative of a healthy market. For the reasons I have mentioned it is quite likely that Q1 will see the highest median price for the year, something which last occurred in 2008 and we do not want to relive that year!
I have suggested before that 2016 may be the year when we see homeowners in Boston cashing in their profits and heading to the ‘burbs – and if you are going to move to the ‘burbs what better place to go than historic, idyllic (definition: peaceful, happy and enjoyable) Marblehead! Already this year a large percentage of buyers attending Open Houses are coming from Boston, suggesting that 2016 will be a good year for the real estate market here. (more…)
New listings – what a difference a week makes
There is a saying that a week is a long time in politics – well the same has been true in the real estate market locally. Last week I was lamenting the lack of sellers, but this post-Easter week has seen a flood of houses coming to the market. In total in the four towns below, there are 61 new listings this week, more than double last week’s number:
Marblehead new listings
Swampscott new listings
Salem new listings
Beverly new listings (more…)
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