Sales of previously owned homes in the U.S. fell in August to the lowest since early 2004, and prices fell from year-ago levels for the first time since 1995.
Purchases declined 0.5 percent last month to an annual rate of 6.3 million, from 6.33 million in July, the National Association of Realtors said today in Washington. Sales fell 12.6 percent compared with a year earlier.
The median sales price fell 1.7 percent to $225,000 from a year earlier, the first drop since April 1995, David Lereah, chief economist for the Realtors, said at a briefing. Federal Reserve policy makers, who last week held interest rates steady for a second month, expect housing will cool gradually to slow the economy and help curb inflation.The supply of homes for sale increased to 3.918 million, a 7.5 months supply that was the highest since April 1993, up from 7.3 months at the end of July. (Bloomberg)
David 'soft landing' Lereah, stated that "We've been anticipating a price correction and now it's here. The price drop has stopped the bleeding for housing sales. We think the housing market has now hit bottom.'' Think Again!
NAR: Sales Down, Prices Down, Inventory Up (Calculated Risk)
FLASH: Used home sales fall again, bogus price number shows first year-over-year price decline since 1995, Lereah predicts market has hit bottom (Housing Panic)
Posts
The window of opportunity for those who have been sitting on the sidelines waiting to purchase is quickly slipping away, however I suspect most bubbleheads will miss it. I just hope they are on here a year from now explaining why they are still "waiting it out." The justifications will be interesting to hear.
ReplyDeleteLance - based on inventory vs. recent sales figures, I don't think anyone needs to be in a panic to jump into the market right now. There is still more supply than demand at current prices, which indicates more price 'softening' - in the words of the industry.
ReplyDeleteAt the very least, prices aren't going to rise quickly. They may even continue to fall or remain even.
No one except realtors, builders, mortgage lenders, etc, should feel the need to hurry at all.
Curiously, what evidence can you offer of this 'closing window' of opportunity?
sc in dc
why is it a good time to buy houses when inventory is increasing and prices are dropping..and all I read about is overextended homeowners..common sense tells me if I am patient I can get a better deal...the downturn is just starting....but I am not a RE professioanl..so maybe I am wrong...
ReplyDeleteDavid Lereah:
ReplyDelete4 weeks ago - 'home prices won't fall. now is a great time to buy before rates go up.'
2 weeks ago (after seeing the early August numbers) - 'uh, prices may dip, but just for a couple of months.'
today - 'we've been anticipating a price correction all along. but don't worry, prices are about to skyrocket. better get in quick before you get priced out forever.'
I better run and buy before I am priced out forever.
ReplyDeleteHit Bottom!
ReplyDeleteKeep Dream'in Lereah!
What excuse will you have in March when the housing market keeps tanking?
"We think the housing market has now hit bottom."
ReplyDeleteHe did it again.
I thought he was beginning to see the reality in the last few months. But no.
When prices were rising last year, the mantra was buy before you get priced out.
Now, when they are falling he says it is a good time to buy.
No matter what, it is always a good time to buy a home, according to Liareah.
Why? because thatz the only way he can make money.
August existing home sales fall 0.5 pct
ReplyDeleteAnother gem from Liareah...
"That is good news for housing," he said. "The health of the housing sector is in transactions, is home sales, not home prices."
Just build a new house, there's plenty of lumber piling up...
ReplyDeleteAs housing industry cuts back, Minnesota loggers feel pain
"Now some loggers are at the end of a domino chain in which mill owners are putting off deliveries because of the slowdown in home building. That has left some cash-strapped loggers skipping equipment loan payments to their bankers, scuttling their pension plans or simply walking away from the business."
http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/business/15601539.htm
I wonder how much prices REALLY fell when you factor out all the incentives sellers have given buyers this year.
ReplyDeleteAny idea when the DC/NoVa sales, price, inventory numbers will be realeased for August?
ReplyDeleteI get a newsletter from a DC-based realtor & they listed YoY price increases for many local (DC) areas, for most housing types except DC condos (i.e. Montgomery county condos & SFHs, Alexandria condos & SFHs, and DC SFHs all had YoY price increases).
Not clear what the source is though.
The link is here: http://tinyurl.com/z9lw7
Anectdotal: In my little neighborhood on capital hill, there are a few reduced signs (usually in front of unrenovated houses). But I've also noticed more than a few houses that have sold for $600-700k in a matter of a week or two.
ReplyDeleteI know everyone thinks their situation is unique, but I look at the regional housing market, and then look at the District, and think: Why is it that in Georgetown, 5 years ago a 1500sq ft town-house would fetch $800k, but in NE, the same house would sell for $100k? And now, the same rowhouse, say one that's across the street from Eastern Market, is $500k, and that's supposed to be hugely overinflated...
Seems like making sense of these things is very complicated
Oh My....Home prices can fall!
ReplyDeletewhat will the NAR & Lereah say next.
You know, barbara corcoran was on television last weekend talking about the real estate market. She is a recently retired, big name New york real estate agent tycoon type.
ReplyDeleteShe said things are not good right now but that the truth of today's market will not show up in the sales data for at least another three months. It is not over.
For anyone that's interested in NOVA, check out this site:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mris.com/reports/stats/index.cfm
In August I looked through the July numbers and things were down 4-8% in the inner suburbs and zipcodes YOY.
Checking the August numbers indicates drops of 12-18% year over year.
My take on this? July numbers indicated a trend downward before people started accepting that there could be losses. Ie., the herd mentality was, pricing may stagnate or dip, maybe we'll see erosion through inflation but not in nominal dollars. We'll level off.
Now we're seeing hard evidence of erosion in nominal prices that can't be denied. Once that sinks into the herd mentality, expectations of lower prices will gain strength and the market will weaken further.
My $0.02.
“‘We’ve been anticipating a price correction and now it’s here,’ Lereah said.”
ReplyDeleteHAHHAHA!
Can you believe this guy?
The internet proves him wrong. He just flip flopped recently. Before that it was to the moon!
RE The Economist:
ReplyDeleteYeah, I was looking at a house on line in Leesburg, VA - A split level with a pool for $479k about 8 months ago. I was thinking that I could get it for $450k if I wanted it. Decided to wait because of all the signs pointing to a decline. Just went on and looked - it is listed for $400k. now I am thinking I can get it for $350k if I want it, but as you guessed - I don't want it
Anyone who believes prices will decline 40% is nlot being realistic. That won't happen. A 10-15% reduction is likely, in the more overheated areas maybe 20%. That's still a large drop by almost anyone's standard, but in the DC area there's still a great deal of pent up demand. People (me included) are waiting to see what kind of deal we can make.
ReplyDeleteI go out and look at houses every couple of weekends and I feel prices are still out of line quite a bit, but 40% is asking a bit much. I'd love to see it though!
"That is good news for housing," he said. "The health of the housing sector is in transactions, is home sales, not home prices."
ReplyDeleteHe means the health of his bank account.
va_investor says
ReplyDelete"We are experiencing a normal cycle in real estate. Nothing more, nothing less."
First - There are many reasons why this particular cycle is not 'normal'. Mainly - the huge expansion of credit that accompanied it. This was hardly a normal uptick in the RE ebb and flow.
Second - okay, fine. A 'normal' RE downturn takes 7-9 years play out, i.e., to get back to original peak prices.
The truly awesome deals are not here yet.
Anon 1:14,
ReplyDeleteTake a look at the link I posted earlier.
(http://www.mris.com/reports/stats/index.cfm)
Prices are off as high as 17% in some of the inner suburbs YOY. Throw in inflation and real prices are down north of 20% from last year. And the numbers indicating a negative trend in prices are less than 2 months old.
Let this sink into the herd mentality and prices could easily sink another 20 percent...
I'm one of those on the sidelines. I've looked at the long term trend line. Some places were upwards of 50% over trend (and I was allowing for yearly inflationary + appreciation growth). So, I'll consider moving back in when we get closer to reapproaching this trend line. But I still think there's a way to go to the downside.
My $0.02.
The median for the country may only be a drop of only 1.7%, but you can be sure that the many of the old hotter markets are well above the average for the amount that they lost.
ReplyDelete"The truly awesome deals are not here yet"
ReplyDeleteAnd what would be considered a deal? 1997, 2000, 2002, 2004 prices? What guage does one use at the time of purchase, e.g., do you compare present overall economic conditions to a prior time period?
The point being, while some hope for a return to year 2000 prices, if things went one way it could be much worse.
"but 40% is asking a bit much"
ReplyDeleteWhy is it asking to much? Did it not go up at least that much in 4-5 years? Is the boom not over? Are not huge amounts of ARM's resetting next year? Is not our government cutting back on spending? Are companies not cutting back?
Wow,
ReplyDeleteIts really interesting to see people think this will be a normal cycle or a temporary decline in prices. You cannot look at the Florida, Southern California, NoVA, Pheonix, or Vegas inventories and really believe that, can you? And while building is slowing, its still far above the absorption rate! Look at the non-dimensionalized fundamentals.
Its the absolute wrong time of year to have this high of inventory on the MLS. Will homes be pulled off the market until spring? Yes. But those homes will be back. Where I want to buy, there are 500% of the homes on the market as there were ~15 months ago. Yet I've seen dozens of homes pulled off the market until spring... Hmmm... And you wouldn't believe the number of homes pulled off the market for refirbishment that will be back on the market for spring/next summer. Oh, now is not the time to buy. Not yet.
Answer the question: What happens when people are priced out of the market? Easy, Adam Smith's "invisible hand" steps in and corrects: changed immigration (e.g., people are moving out of bubble markets, maybe not DC, but Florida, California, etc.) Or a quick drop in prices. To buy now is to buy pets.com on the way down.
One day I will buy.
But 2007 is going to be the ugliest real estate market in the US since Florida 1926.
And don't worry, no breadlines, unemployment won't get *that* bad, etc. But you will see people moving to areas they can afford.
Once the inventory breaks the magical 8.7 months nationally... you'll see the decline.
Of side note, I have been talking with my dad about the upcoming real estate induced recession. He and his investment club are excited by it! Why? It will create a drop in the dollar, leading us back to being an exporter. Alas, they're looking at a 7 year time frame for the uptick. :(
I have faith the US economy will preservere. How? I don't know, but there are many options: ethanol/bio diesel (reduced cost of imports), medicines (who else introduces new ones, it doesn't seem to happen elsewhere...), micro-jets (unlikely, but I can wish, all but two US made), or maybe a *huge* infrastructure building program to employ those ex-home building workers (freeways/tunnels, subways/streetcars, airports, etc.) :)
I do feel for people who bought into new developments that are only partially sold. :( Those run a risk of becoming "instant slums" a la south central LA. It always amazed me that gang bangers lived in victorians with mahogany stair cases, italian marble fireplaces, exquizate wood-worked kitchens, etc. But those were the homes that sat empty for too long...
Neil
Sir John Templeton suggested a 50% drop!
ReplyDeleteSir John Templeton said 90% drop!!!!!!!!!!
That's right 90%!!
I am extremely bearish on housing and I don't think this could possibly happen. I could say at worse 50%. but more likely 30-40% to get us down tho the so called "Normal' Markkets Lereah and the NAR gang keep babbling about.
This market has not been normal for years.
Fantastic job.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the pressure on Lereah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He owes alot of apologies.
va_investor says
ReplyDelete"We are experiencing a normal cycle in real estate. Nothing more, nothing less."
Well said Va_Investor! Isn't odd how every generation thinks it is the first to experience what it is experiencing?
anon 1:14 said: "but in the DC area there's still a great deal of pent up demand"
ReplyDeletepent up demand, eh? just waiting to be unleashed? tens of thousands of buyers just waiting for the secret signal to start buying en masse?
just what exactly is keeping this demand 'pent up'?
lance said:
ReplyDeleteva_investor says
"We are experiencing a normal cycle in real estate. Nothing more, nothing less."
Well said Va_Investor! Isn't odd how every generation thinks it is the first to experience what it is experiencing?
From 1988 to 1996, the value of my DC condo dropped by 40% *without* adjusting for inflation.
Reading some of these comments, I have to think that most commenters are under 35 or have *very* short memories.
Sept 25. According to USA Today Online ver., David 'its a good time to buy' Lereah does it again.
ReplyDeleteLereah is quoted saying, "If...prices...and sales...drop, then we will have... balloons popping rather than air coming out." He added, "But either way, "it's a buyers' market."
This guy makes my brain hurt!
In other words, if and only if both prices and sales drop then can we declare we were living during a time of highly inflated home prices, a bubble.
What David 'take the option ARM' Lereah is really saying is that the only time you and I can conclude we live in an extremely inflated house price market is *after* it deflates. Not during its inflation, nor the end, after it completely deflates; only then can we look back at historical price inflation and deflation and say ahh..there it is...our beloved housing bubble.
Moreover, if house prices do or do not deflate, its okay b/c either way, "its a good time to buy."
mrktMaven aka Chris from Jacksonville, FL
Hey, canary in the coal mine indicator or what?
ReplyDeletehttp://maine.craigslist.org/rfs/211584092.html
"Well said Va_Investor! Isn't odd how every generation thinks it is the first to experience what it is experiencing?"
ReplyDeleteWell, the price increases over the past few years is something that prior generations haven't experienced (that is, if you haven't lived in Japan).
It will be interesting to watch how real estate prices evolve over the net year or so.
"Well said Va_Investor! Isn't odd how every generation thinks it is the first to experience what it is experiencing?"
ReplyDeleteIsn't it odd how a computer technician turned small time landlord suddenly decides he is an expert on the RE market because he owns a single rowhouse with a basement?
If you want to check out what experts are saying about RE you need to check here, but I don't think you will like it:
"32.6% of new mortgages and home equity loans in 2005 were interest only, up from 0.6% in 2000
(yeah, this is JUST like last time... no difference at all, normal cycle... BTW, in DC proper exotic loans were nearly 60% of total sales at the peak)
43% of first-time home buyers in 2005 put no money down.
(lots of proud home "owners" out there)
15.2% of 2005 home buyers owe at least 10% more than their home is worth.
(The drop has just barely begun. There are going to be a LOT of young people and specuvestors who are going to get screwed here)
10% of all home owners have no equity in their homes
(proud home "owners" all of them... that is literally 1/10 of all owners. Among recent buyers the numbers are FAR higher )
$2.7 trillion in loans will adjust to higher rates in 2006 and 2007.
(just like last time, normal cycle, nothing to worry about)
70% of borrowers who took out pay-option ARMS in the past year have loan balances larger than their initial loan.
(ouch, so lets see... 60% of all DC buyers in late 2004-mid 2005 bought with "exotic" loans.... a majority of those are already under water and prices have just barely started to fall...)"
Here is the link for the numbers and a gloomy assessment.
http://www.comstockfunds.com/index.cfm?act=Newsletter.cfm&CFID=8162040&CFTOKEN=76697441&category=Market%20Commentary&newsletterid=1263&menugroup=Home
-Leroy
I know...
ReplyDeleteOn the one hand "This is a 'normal' downturn in the real estate cycle."
Except, wait, on the other hand..."This is a new paradigm."
So what explains this drop in the new paradigm?