California housing market highly competitive, with multiple offers for 57% of home sales in 2012, driven by record-low interest rates, high demand, shortage of available housing: C.A.R.
Allison Oesterle
LOS ANGELES
,
November 1, 2012
(press release)
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Favorable home prices and record-low interest rates combined with high demand and a severe shortage of available housing have created a highly competitive housing market in California, with nearly six in ten home sales receiving multiple offers, according to the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®’ (C.A.R.) “2012 Annual Housing Market Survey.”
Fifty-seven percent of home sales received multiple offers in 2012, the highest in at least the past 12 years, with each home receiving an average of 4.2 offers, up from 3.5 offers in 2011. Lower priced homes – typically real estate-owned (REO) or short sales – attracted more multiple offers than equity sales. Seven of 10 REO sales and short sales received multiple offers, while only half of equity sales received more than one offer.
“Well-qualified buyers are recognizing the once-in-a-generation opportunity to purchase a home in California and are jumping into the market,” said C.A.R. President LeFrancis Arnold. “However, the fierce market conditions have forced many buyers to compete with all-cash offers and investors, setting off multiple offers and bidding wars, making it even more difficult for first-time buyers to become homeowners.”
The competitive housing environment led to more properties being sold at or above the list price, with 41 percent of homes selling without a markdown from the asking price, the highest since 2005 and up from a long-run average of 32 percent. Additionally, homes sold faster in 2012, with equity sales selling in 32 days compared with 67 days in 2011. REOs took 30 days to sell compared with 50 days in 2011, and short sales took 90 days compared with 141 days in 2011, reflecting the still-difficult process.
Other key findings from C.A.R.’s “2012 Annual Housing Market Survey” include:
Annual Housing Market Survey Charts:
C.A.R. has conducted its “Annual Housing Market Survey” since 1981. The survey was mailed to a random sample of 15,000 REALTORS® throughout California, representing a geographical distribution of C.A.R. membership across the state. The survey asked REALTORS® to provide information from their most recent sales transaction that closed escrow in the second quarter of 2012.
Leading the way…® in California real estate for more than 100 years, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (www.car.org) is one of the largest state trade organizations in the United States with 155,000 members dedicated to the advancement of professionalism in real estate. C.A.R. is headquartered in Los Angeles.
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