September 2009 Tucson MLS Statistics

Active listings continue to go down, a trend we’ve been experiencing all year.  We anticipate this trend to continue into October and November as first time home buyers take advantage of the tax credit.

Here are the highlights from the 3^rd Quarter Summary:

• Total unit sales up 39.48% over 1^st Qtr
• Average median sales price down 1.71% over 1^st Qtr
• Average sales price down 3.80% over 1^st Qtr
• Average active listings down 19.99$% over 1^st Qtr
• Average days on market slightly down with YTD average 80 days
• Pending contracts up 4.63% over last month
• Pending contracts increased 9/08 to 9/08 59.45%

Click here for the full report, including comprehensive charts and graphs.  If you are considering selling your home at this time, I’d suggest looking at the Active/Sold by Zip Code chart at the bottom of page 2.  This is telling, in that you can calculate months of inventory by dividing #Active by #Sold.  For example, in the 85712 zip code there were 158 active listings and only 19 sold in September.  19 into 158 equals a little over 8 months of inventory.  19 divided by 158 equals 12 (%) of the inventory sold in a month.  If you want your home to sell quickly, you will need to price, market and stage it so that it will beat the competition.  How can you position your home to be in the small percentage of homes sold versus the larger group of unsold properties?

Denise McCreary

July 2009 Tucson MLS Statistics

July’s Tucson real estate statistics reveal a continued uptick in the market with with unit sales up, 3.9% over last month, 23.46% increase over July 2008 and 90.05% over January 2009 numbers.    Although average sales prices are down 17.3% over last year, it remains consistent with the average list price being down by 17.44% and the average median price being down by 16.04% over July 2008.

Pending contracts are down 14.32% over last month but, up over July 2008 counts by 27.81%.We continue to see a decrease in inventory with total active listings (6,075) being down 21.04% since January 2009, and at the lowest since December 2005 (5,457 units) and January 2006 (6,499 units).

The northwest continues to have the largest inventory with over 1500 active listings compared to the second largest central area with 738.  Average days on market are still at 80 with the north area’s highest at 102.  You can study the full report here.

I’m seeing increased inquiries from buyers and sellers alike.  I’ve received two calls in the past week from buyers wanting to find a good deal in Tucson Country Club.  Move up buyers especially need to realize the advantages in today’s real estate market.  Although you may not realize the returns of the past on the sale of your current residence, if you are moving up in price range, your net savings will be worth it!

The time to buy real estate in Tucson is definitely now.

 Denise McCreary

 

 

 

 

 

 

Housing Up!

Media sources report today that new home sales rose an historic 11%–the largest increase in 8 years.  Buyers took advantage of  low interest rates, bargain prices, and the first time homebuyer tax credits.  Some economists are saying that the worst of the recession is behind us.  Is it possible that these two bits of good news could cause the public to finally rally the housing market?  Although shares of big builders soared with the news, continued falling prices may prevent big profits to these companies in the near future. 

Reporting on the existing home market, the National Association of Realtors reports that sales are up again 3.6% in June.  Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist is hopeful about the gain.  This trend mirrors ours here in the Tucson Real Estate Market, with inventories dropping and prices declining less sharply.  Read my post here for the full market report.

What does this mean for Tucsonans?  Buyers, you are on top!  In the Luxury market, I’ve found many great deals to be found in the Foothills areas.  I conducted a search for Short Sales in the Foothills and found more than a dozen good listings between $500,000 and $700,000.  If  you are in a position to move up there has NEVER been a better time to purchase your dream home than right now. 

Denise McCreary

June 2009 Tucson MLS Statistics

June closed out the first half of 2009 breaking records for the year!  Home sales volume was up over May by 14.63%, average sales price was up by 3.06%, pending contracts were up by 9.98%, and home sale units were up by 11.23%.

 With the first 6 months of 2009 behind us we can now take a realistic view of the absorption of inventory which has moved in a positive direction with June pushing that number up to 22.9%. Even though we have a long way to go, these numbers show a positive sign.

 Activity by zip codes shows us that 85718 continues to have the highest number of active listings at 415 with 85750 taking second at 323.  There are many good deals to be had in these areas.

 All in all, we’re looking forward to the second half of 2009 with high hopes of the continued trend of recovery in Tucson’s Real Estate Market.

 First time home buyers have an unprecedented opportunity for three reasons:

• The $8,000 Federal Tax Credit for First Time Home Buyers (including those who have not owned a home for 3 years)
• Historically low interest rates
• An abundance of relatively low priced listings (the Tucson Real Estate Market currently has over 2,700 active listings priced under $200,000!)

There are opportunities for Luxury Home buyers as well in that there are over 1,000 active listings priced at $500,000 and above.

You can read the full report here.  Make the decision to participate in the American Dream and enjoy the benefits of home ownership.

Denise McCreary

Tucson MLS Stats for February 09

Steady is the word to describe the current Tucson Real Estate Market, meaning we aren’t seeing any remarkable changes either positively or negatively.

February pending sales and closings exceeded January’s, with pendings up 8.4% and closings up 12%.  Comparing this year to 08, we see only moderate declines.  January pending sales were down 22% from 08, but February was down only 12% from last year.  Closed sales comparitively were very much the same, with 659 this year to 664 in February 08.

It appears as if we are leveling off .  And the median sales price is currently $178,000,  11% lower than last year, but within sight of the ‘05 median sales price of $186,500.

Listing inventories have come down as well;  last February we saw a staggering 9,168.  As of last month we now have 7,532.  Kimberly Clifton, MLS President asserts that with the “mere .75 drop in sales you can see that we’re gaining ground.” This improved inventory vs. sales ration is encouraging.  You can view the full statistical report here.

Denise McCreary

Arizona Ballot Measures Would Affect Our Businesses

There are a couple of ballot measures you need to pay attention to tomorrow.  In particular, Prop 100 and Prop 201.  I wrote about Prop 100 in August; see “Support Protect Our Homes“. This initiative will prevent the government from imposing a real estate transfer tax on the sale of your Tucson Arizona home.  At a time when the real estate market is suffering, new taxes will further depress home sales and place a burden on lower income home sellers in particular.

Prop 201 is called the “Homeowners Bill of Rights”, but is more accurately a proposition which will promote lawsuit abuse.  I attended a Southern Arizona Homebuilder’s Association meeting in which we learned the source of this initiative.  Prop 201 is nothing more than union extortion.  The  The AFL-CIO, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, Sheet Metal Workers International Association and Ironworkers International unions gave $25,000 each on Halloween.  (How appropiate–SCARY!)  Prop. 201 would give consumer more protections and the right to fivolously sue home builders for construction defects.  This initiative, if passed, will place a terrible burden on the already distressed new home market.  Real estate industry groups oppose the measure saying it would encourage more lawsuits. The National Association of Realtors recently gave $782,000 to oppose the proposal. For more information on this very bad law, go here.

Vote Yes on 100.  Vote no on 201.

Denise McCreary

Support Protect Our Homes

The Arizona Association of Realtors (AAR) is in support of C-18-2008, a ballot initiative which, if passed, would prevent our state government from imposing a real estate transfer tax.  A real estate transfer tax is a state or local government imposed tax that is collected when you trasfer ownership of your home, land or commercial real estate.  Once the tax is initiated, the rate can be increased by the state, county or city at any time.  This is bad news for homeowners for the following reasons:

• Double Taxation.  Governments already collect taxes on your property.  This new tax would unfairly impose a second tax to impact your home or property.
• Loss of Equity. Since the tax is assessed against the total value, including the amount owed on mortgages, the overall equity earned by the seller is decreased.
• Damage to the Real Estate Market.  Our market is already burdened with people struggling to sell their homes.  This new tax would make it more difficult to initiate sales due to higher overall costs.  It would also make the market less attractive for commercial real estate to recruit business to the area.
• Punishment of Homeowners.  People who move from one home to another shouldn’t be punished while others choose not to move.  This is considered discriminatory and harms access to the “American Dream: of owning a home.
• Negative Impact on Lower-Income Arizonans.  A transfer tax would impose a higher tax burden on lower income households that typically spend a larger percentage of their income on a home.

It was reported in the AZ Daily Star, that the group, Protect Our Homes, is going to court over a contention that Maricopa County Recorder Helen Purcell improperly disqualified 1,000 signatures on the more that 14,000 signatures randomly sent to here.  This action presents the risk that the ballot initiative will not make the November ballot.

To find out more about this important issue click here.

Denise

Welcome to my blog!!!

This blog is geared at informing anyone who’s interested about what’s up in the Tucson real estate market. There are those that say the market is in the dumps, and it has definitely taken its hits, but I am still as excited as always about this industry. Tucson is a great market, and the custom home and luxury market is still doing well–and the area offers a lot.

Like all things, it pays to stay informed, up-to-date and with your ear to the ground for all the little murmurings that are happening. Continuing education is a top priority with me. A commitment to stay in tune with current industry standards, practices, marketing strategies, and “up to the minute” technology benefits everyone involved in the business of real estate.

Here I promise to pass along any tips I can think of, dig up or come across, whether you are buying, selling or just trying to learn a bit. Feel free to comment, interact or ask me any questions.

Denise