Sales Up, Prices Down For December 2008

Money HouseAs the housing market reacts to the recessionary pressures on the economy and the increasing surplus of foreclosures, sellers are lowering prices and houses are getting sold.

What  a surprise.

Now as a homeowner myself I always want to get top dollar for my home when it sells. We all feel that way. But the sentiment has finally crept into the marketplace that homes are selling mainly on price and that if it is overpriced it has no chance of selling.

Now the real estate agents are saying we have been telling you that for a year, but as anyone who has had a child knows, it takes a long time for a lesson to sink in.

December it looks like the lesson has sunk in.

This is a good thing as now the housing market will find it’s proper pricing and a trustworthy price for housing can be established. This will bring the 1st time homebuyers back into the game who have been saving for the past couple of years.

Sales of existing homes rose 6.5 percent to an annual rate of 4.74 million in December, from a downwardly revised pace of 4.45 million in November, the National Association of Realtors said Monday. Without adjusting for seasonal factors, sales nationwide were up 1.1 percent from a year earlier, reflecting a surge of more than 36 percent in the Western states.

The nationwide median sales price plunged to $175,400, down 15.3 percent from $207,000 a year ago. That was the lowest price since May 2003 and the biggest year-over-year drop on records going back to 1968. With sales of foreclosures and other distressed properties making up about 45 percent of sales, many economists expect prices to keep falling. via MSNBC

Related posts:
  1. Third Quarter Existing Homes Sales Increase 11.4 Percent, Prices Drop 11.2 Percent
  2. February U.S. Home Sales Climb 4.7% in February, 2009
  3. Pulte Homes Says New Home Sales Will Increase When Foreclosures Slow Down

« « Case Shiller November 2008 Report Shows Consistent Declines in Major Cities| The Baby Boomer Generation Wants It All » »

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    • Very funny comparison. However you don't need to pay property tax on Barbies 3 Story Dream House. With the unemployment ...
      Pete | 21Mar10 | More
    • My wife has actually decided to study for and get her real eatate licence just so we dont ever have ...
      Brandon | 20Mar10 | More
    • I like your analogy in this article. The real estate economy really is like a patient who you cannot ...
      Bill Hernandez | 19Mar10 | More
    • Real Estate is hyper-local. Every market is different. Phoenix has already hit bottom and is starting to recover. We have ...
      Marc Brodeur | 19Mar10 | More
    • Great to hear that the big boys are predicting recovery sooner than most think. Thanks for the value!
      Mark Arenella | 19Mar10 | More
    • I agree--good analogy. You have to crawl before you can walk. Right now, at least in Austin, many people would ...
      Austin Mortgage | 19Mar10 | More
    • an add on to my previous comment--I suppose nationally it's hard to tell, but each city and market is in ...
      Austin Mortgage | 19Mar10 | More
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      Austin Mortgage | 19Mar10 | More
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    • I have a few Litograghs of Presidents homes , made by Richard V. Sebring. yr. 1990 Do they have any ...
      Jack | 18Mar10 | More
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