Triangle home sales and prices are rising. Homes in the $200,000 to $400,000 bracket are selling fast. This past January, the average price of homes sold was $279,800. A 5% increase over last January, triangle home prices are on the rise. Not only are prices increasing, but so are the number of homes selling.
The issue we are facing now is a true lack of inventory. If you are thinking about selling, this is a great time to sell your home.
More homes are making it onto the market daily, but they won’t stay for long. The greatest demand for homes is within the $200,000 to $350,000 price range. In January, homes priced in that range spent an average of 49 days on the market. Last year, homes priced in that range spent an average of 59 days on the market, whereas four years ago they spent 115 days on the market. Availability of homes in this coveted price range is dropping, creating a considerable shortage of inventory.
Over the last year, the Triangle inventory dropped 9.4%. This inventory dropped an astonishing 36.4% in the last four years. New construction contributes homes to the market, however they are often priced higher than buyers might like. This is a consequence of rising land prices in the Triangle, but it makes new construction less attractive. The lack of acceptable options has encouraged home owners to stay put, influencing the lack of inventory of homes in the $200,000 to $300,000 price range.
In this seller’s market, homes are often sold above the original list price. In January, 13% of homes sold for more than they were originally listed for. Even buyers are confused as to why they make an offer at or above list price, and they don’t win the bidding war. “Blind bidding,” says John Wood, owner of Re/Max United in Cary, North Carolina. “They don’t know why they’re not being successful,” he reports to the News and Observer. It’s all about inventory.
In January, 61% of homes either reached a contract pending, or closed sale. Inventory has fallen for 29 consecutive months, according to MLS data. At the end of January, there were 4,654 Triangle homes on the market overall. This is great news if you’re looking to sell your home, especially if it is appraised within the coveted price range. Consequently, it isn’t great news if you’re looking to relocate to a home in this price range.
“The continued lack of inventory within the sweet spot of demand will produce the following: increasing prices, lower than average days on the market, multiple offers and many final offers accepted above list price,” concludes the MLS report on January, 2017.
How We Can Help
Overall, the indicators are good and real estate market trends in the Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill metropolitan area show that it is an excellent time to sell.
At Real Estate Experts, we pride ourselves on our strengths in our home valuation knowledge and our expertise in preparing and marketing homes for sale. Contact us for a skilled appraisal of your home and expert advice on selling your home in today’s real estate market.