The big story of 2017 was threefold: the median sales price reached an all-time high; closed sales reached a 12-year high; and inventory levels reached a 15-year low. Sales nearly broke their all-time record, but fell just 12 units short of their all-time 2004 high. In January 2018, new listings posted a year-over-year decline for a third consecutive month. Because of the supply shortage, closed sales were lower compared to the year prior for a second consecutive month. For-sale housing supply (inventory) was about a quarter lower than January 2017. This shortage has created a competitive environment where multiple offers have become commonplace. Sellers are receiving strong offers close to their original list price in record time, which can sometimes frustrate home buyers. New construction pending sales rose nearly 14.0 percent compared to last January. Although single-family homes made up about 76.0 percent of all sales, townhomes were the only segment to show an increase in pending sales. Similarly, previously-owned homes made up about 91.0 percent of sales but new construction showed a much stronger increase in pending purchase activity.
January 2018 by the Numbers
• Sellers listed 4,041 properties on the market, a 7.8 percent decrease from January 2017
• Buyers closed on 2,758 homes, a 4.4 percent decrease from 2017
• Inventory levels for January fell 26.3 percent compared to 2017 to 6,875 units, near a 15-year low
• Months Supply of Inventory was down 27.8 percent to 1.3 months, a 15-year low
• The Median Sales Price rose 9.6 percent to $243,750, a record high for January
• Cumulative Days on Market declined 13.8 percent to 69 days, on average (median of 45)—a 12-year low
• Changes in sales activity varied by market segment
o Single-family sales fell 1.3 percent; condo sales fell 15.1 percent; townhome sales fell 8.5 percent
o Traditional sales fell 1.7 percent; foreclosure sales fell 21.8 percent; short sales fell 42.4 percent
o Previously-owned sales fell 3.8 percent; new construction sales fell 0.4 percent