Monthly sales of existing single-family homes and condominiums in the San Francisco Bay area fell from May to June but were still higher year-over-year for the 12th consecutive month according to real estate information provider DataQuick..

A total of 8,577 new and resale homes were sold in June in the nine county Bay Area, which includes Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Mateo, Solano and Sonoma Counties. That was 2.6 percent lower than the 8,810 home sales in May but still 7.2 percent higher than the 7,998 sales posted in June of 2011. Year-over-year home sales have improved for 12 consecutive months.

Home sales typically increase from May to June in the Bay area with last month’s home sales 14.8 percent below their historical average.

Cash buyers accounted for 27.5 percent of the homes purchased for the month, down from 28.3 percent in May and they paid a median price of $277,000 for the homes they purchased, down from $280,000 the previous month.

Absentee buyers, usually investors and vacation home buyers, accounted for 23.4 percent of all sales, down from 24.4 percent in May, paying a median price of $270,000 for the homes they purchased, up from $262,000 the previous month..

The median sales price for new and resale homes and condos in June increased 4.3 percent to $417,000, up from $400,000 in May. The median price was 10.4 percent higher than in June of 2011, when the median price stood at $377,750. It was the third consecutive month that year-over-year home prices have improved in the area following 19 straight months of declines.

By comparison, the lowest median price posted during the current real estate cycle was $290,000 in June 2009, while the peak median price was $665,000 in June/July 2007.

John Walsh, president of DataQuick, stated, “Some of today’s stats are similar to what we saw in the thick of the housing downturn back in 2009, only in reverse: Instead of foreclosure resales soaring they’re waning, and instead of high-end sales slumping they’re posting some of the larger sales gains. This is one of the main reasons that various price measures are pointing higher – a so-called change in market mix. While last month’s jump in the median sale price might to some extent reflect prices edging a bit higher in certain markets, mostly it’s a reflection of the change in market mix. Fewer discounted distressed properties changing hands, more normal sales in the move-up range.”

Distressed home sales accounted for 36.1 percent of the Bay Area’s re-sale market last month, down from a revised 39.0 percent in May. Foreclosure re-sales accounted for 18.1 percent of all existing home sales in June, down from 21.4 percent in May, while short sales also made up about 18.0 percent of the Bay Area’s existing home sales last month, up from a revised 17.6 percent in May.

Tags: Bay Area, DataQuick, home sales, home prices, spring selling season, median sales price, new homes, re-sale homes

Source:
Dataquick

Article source: http://loanrateupdate.com/mortgages/bay-area-june-home-sales-fall-in-june

A record amount of purchases by investors and cash buyers helped push monthly sales of new and existing homes in the Bay Area higher in February according to real estate information provider DataQuick.

A total of 5,702 new and resale homes were sold in February in the nine county Bay Area, which includes Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Mateo, Solano and Sonoma Counties. That was 4.1 percent higher than the 5,479 home sales in January and 14.2 percent higher than the 4,991 sales posted in February of 2011. Year-over-year home sales have improved for eight consecutive months.

Home sales typically increase from January to February in the Bay area with last month’s sales still 9.0 percent below the historical average of 6,268 sales despite the help of an extra day of sales due to the leap year. February’s sales tally was still the highest for that month since 2007.

Cash buyers accounted for a record 32.0 percent of the homes sold for the month, up from a revised 29.9 percent in January, paying a median price of $247,000 for their purchases. The previous record for cash purchases was 30.5 percent, reached in February of 2011.

Absentee buyers, usually investors and vacation home buyers, accounted for a record 26.0 percent of all sales, up from a revised 25.2 percent in January, paying a median price of $230,000 for the homes they purchased.

The median sales price for new and resale homes and condos in February fell 0.3 percent to $325,500, down from $326,000 in January. The median price was 3.6 percent lower than in February of 2011, when the median price stood at $337,250. It was the 17th consecutive month that home prices have declined year-over-year.

By comparison, the lowest median price posted during the current real estate cycle was $290,000 in March 2009, while the peak median price was $665,000 in June/July 2007.

Transactions below $300,000, where most cash buyers and investors make their purchases, posted the largest increase in sales activity, up 16.8 percent from a year ago.

John Walsh, president of DataQuick, stated, “The market is still strange, just a little less strange than it was. We also need to keep in mind that, when it comes to statistical trends, February is the least typical month of the year. Over the winter you’re left with a higher concentration of investors and people who must buy or sell because of a major life event. In the spring, when many traditional buyers return, we’ll get a much better read on the market. Meanwhile, many potential buyers are still waiting for the lending spigot to open more. Drum-tight credit conditions continue to undermine housing, along with negative equity and the various uncertainties plaguing would-be buyers.”

Distressed home sales accounted for 50.5 percent of the Bay Area’s re-sale market last month, down from a revised 50.7 percent in January. Foreclosure re-sales accounted for 27.4 percent of all existing home sales in February, up from a revised 27.2 percent in January, while short sales made up about 23.1 percent of the Bay Area’s existing homes sales last month, down from a revised 23.5 percent in January.

Foreclosure re-sales peaked at 52.0 percent in February 2009 while the rate of foreclosure re-sales has been about ten percent over the last 15 years.

Tags: Bay Area, DataQuick, home sales, home prices, spring selling season, median sales price, new homes, re-sale homes

Source:
Dataquick

Article source: http://loanrateupdate.com/mortgages/bay-area-home-sales-improve-as-investors-and-cash-buyers-move-in

Just like their brethren to the south, monthly sales of new and existing homes in the Bay area surged in December, fueled by a record percentage of sales to investors according to real estate information provider DataQuick, but the lower prices they paid for their purchases helped push overall prices down.

A total of 7,494 new and resale homes were sold in December in the nine county Bay Area, which includes Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Mateo, Solano and Sonoma Counties. That was 18.6 percent higher than the 6,317 home sales in November and 4.4 percent higher than the 7,178 sales posted in December of 2010.

Home sales typically increase 9.9 percent from November to December in the Bay area with sales varying from a low of 5,065 in 2007 to a high of 12,349 in 2003 with a monthly average of 8,643 sales.

John Walsh, president of DataQuick, stated, “We’ll remember 2011 as much for what didn’t happen as for what did. People put discretionary buying and selling on hold, except at the very top of the market. The spectacular gains in affordability, based on the combination of lower prices and ultra-low interest rates, was largely theoretical for many people because it was so hard to get a mortgage. That, combined with negative equity and economic uncertainty, kept people away.”

The median sales price for new and resale homes and condos in December fell 3.5 percent to $351,500, down from $363,500 in November. The median price was 6.3 percent lower than in December of 2010, when the median price stood at $375,000. It was the 15th consecutive month that home prices have declined year-over-year.

By comparison, the lowest median price posted during the current real estate cycle was $290,000 in March 2009, while the peak median price was $665,000 in June/July 2007.

Distressed home sales accounted for 49.6 percent of the Bay Area’s re-sale market last month, up from 45.9 percent in November. Foreclosure re-sales accounted for 28.6 percent of all existing home sales in December, up from 26.5 percent in November, while short sales made up about 21.0 percent of the Bay Area’s existing homes sales last month, down from 21.3 percent in November.

Foreclosure re-sales peaked at 52.0 percent in February 2009 while the rate of foreclosure re-sales has been about ten percent over the last 15 years.

Cash buyers accounted for 27.4 percent of the homes sold for the month, up from 27.1 percent in November, paying a median price of $215,000 for their purchases.

Absentee buyers, usually investors and vacation home buyers, accounted for a record 23.8 percent of all sales, up from 21.7 percent in November, paying a median price of $225,000 for the homes they purchased which was down from $250,000 in November. Sales of homes priced under $300,000, the primary market for investors, were 15.2 percent higher than they were a year ago.

Tags: Bay Area, DataQuick, home sales, home prices, spring selling season, median sales price, new homes, re-sale homes

Source:
Dataquick

Article source: http://loanrateupdate.com/mortgages/investors-help-push-bay-area-sales-higher-prices-lower

Bay Area home sales rebounded in August after a surprise drop in July but still remained far below historic levels according to data collected by real estate information provider DataQuick.

A total of 7,513 new and resale homes were sold in August in the nine county Bay Area, which includes Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Mateo, Solano and Sonoma Counties. That was a gain of 9.1 percent from July’s 6,887 sales and also a gain of 12.2 percent from the 6,698 sales posted in August of 2010.

The Bay Area historically sees a sales increase of 3.4 percent between July and August. Home sales in the Bay Area were 22.4 percent below the historic August average of 9,682 homes sold. The lowest amount of homes sold in the Bay Area in August since 1988 was 6,688 in 1992, while the highest amount of homes sold was 13,940 in 2004.

However, because August had 23 business days in which home sales could be recorded compared to 20 days in July, the average number of homes sold per day in August was actually five percent lower than in July but were still 7.3 percent higher than in August 2010.

“The sliver of positive news here is that, no matter how you look at it, last month’s sales beat the year-ago numbers, which were pretty lousy. Lower prices and mortgage rates lured some homebuyers off the sidelines last month, but too many others lacked the confidence to step into the game. They worried about their job, or about prices falling more. Others couldn’t get a loan because credit remains drum-tight, or they couldn’t move because they’re underwater,” said John Walsh, DataQuick president.

The median price for new and resale homes and condos declined 1.1 percent to $370,000 in August compared to $374,000 in July. The median price was down 3.9 percent from $385,000 in August of 2010, the eleventh straight month that year-over-year home prices have dropped.

By comparison, the lowest median price posted during the current real estate cycle was $290,000 in March 2009, while the peak median price was $665,000 in July/August 2007.

Distressed home sales made up 45.0 percent of the Bay Area’s resale market last month, with foreclosure re-sales accounting for 26.4 percent of re-sales in August, up from 25.9 percent in July, while short sales made up about 18.6 percent of Bay Area’s sales last month, down from 18.8 percent in July.

Foreclosure re-sales peaked at 52.0 percent in February 2009 while the historic rate of foreclosure re-sales is about nine percent.

Tags: Bay Area, DataQuick, home sales, home prices, spring selling season, median sales price, new homes, re-sale homes

Source:
Dataquick

Article source: http://loanrateupdate.com/mortgages/bay-area-home-sales-rebound-in-august-but-prices-fall