Home Sales Increase 2.3% Despite Peaking Prices, Ever-Shrinking Inventory

DENVER, May 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Home sales increased 2.3% year-over-year in April 2018 in the face of record low inventory and the second-highest median sales price in the nine-year history of the RE/MAX National Housing Report. To access the housing report infographic, visit: https://rem.ax/2phKHWT.     

In April, San Francisco, CA reached a new benchmark surpassing $1 million for the metro area's median sales price. Eight other metro areas including Las Vegas, NV, Seattle, WA and Boise ID saw large double-digit price increases from just a year ago.

"If 2018 is like recent years, we're only two months away from home prices peaking — we're already seeing some impressive prices moving up in markets throughout the U.S.," said RE/MAX CEO Adam Contos. "As we head into summer, we'll watch several housing markers like home starts, mortgage applications and sales price to gauge the effect they'll have on inventory across the country — the good news is that the rate of sales helps accommodate a shrinking inventory and buyers can still find opportunities."

The $243,000 Median Sales Price was a record for April and was second only in report history to $245,000 in June 2017. In each of the last five years, June has produced the year's highest Median Sales Price, with July or August posting the second-highest monthly price each year.

Notable metrics from this month's RE/MAX National Housing Report:

• Thirty-eight of the 53 markets in the report posted more sales than in April 2017, while the 2.5 months supply of inventory tied March as the lowest ever, in the history of the report
• The average Days on Market in April was 52 — that's five days less than April 2017 and a RE/MAX National Housing Report record for the month.

Closed Transactions 
Of the 53 metro areas surveyed in April 2018, the overall average number of home sales increased 3.6% compared to March 2018 and increased 2.3% compared to April 2017. Thirty-eight of the 53 metro areas experienced an increase in sales year-over-year including, Milwaukee, WI, 13.4%, Burlington, VT, 12.1%, Albuquerque, NM, 11.1%, and New Orleans, LA, at 9.1%. 

Median Sales Price – Median of 53 metro median prices
In April 2018, the median of all 53 metro Median Sales Prices was $243,000, up 3.0% from March 2018 and up 7.5% from April 2017. Three metro areas saw a year-over-year decrease in Median Sales Price including, Trenton, NJ, -5.1%, Birmingham, AL, -3.0% and Wilmington/Dover, DE, -0.5%. Nine metro areas increased year-over-year by double-digit percentages, with the largest increases seen in Las Vegas, NV, 18%, Seattle, WA, 17%, Boise, ID, 15.8% and San Francisco, CA, 15.4%. 

Days on Market – Average of 53 metro areas
The average Days on Market for homes sold in April 2018 was 52, down eight days from the average in March 2018, and down five days from the April 2017 average. The metro areas with the lowest Days on Market were San Francisco, CA, at 19, Seattle, WA, at 21, Denver, CO, at 23, and Las Vegas, NV, at 29. The highest Days on Market averages were in Augusta, ME, at 119, Burlington, VT, at 110 and Hartford, CT, at 91. Days on Market is the number of days between when a home is first listed in an MLS and a sales contract is signed.

Months Supply of Inventory – Average of 53 metro areas
The number of homes for sale in April 2018 was up 3.4% from March 2018, and down 11.3% from April 2017. Based on the rate of home sales in April, the Months Supply of Inventory remained at 2.5 from March 2018, and decreased compared to April 2017 at 2.8. A 6.0-months supply historically indicates a market that's balanced equally between buyers and sellers. In April 2018, all 53 metro areas surveyed reported a months supply at or less than 6.0, which is typically considered a seller's market. The markets with the lowest Months Supply of Inventory continue to be in the west with Boise, ID, Denver, CO, San Francisco, CA, and Seattle, WA, at 1.0. 

For specific data in this report or to request an interview, please contact newsroom@remax.com.

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affording its agents and franchisees the flexibility to operate their businesses with great independence. Over 120,000 agents provide RE/MAX a global reach of more than 100 countries and territories. Nobody sells more real estate than RE/MAX, when measured by residential transaction sides. RE/MAX, LLC, one of the world's leading franchisors of real estate brokerage services, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of RMCO, LLC, which is controlled and managed by RE/MAX Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:RMAX). Every year, RE/MAX agents are proud to raise millions of dollars for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and other charities. For more information about RE/MAX, to search home listings or find an agent in your community, please visit www.remax.com. For the latest news about RE/MAX, please visit www.remax.com/newsroom.

Description
The RE/MAX National Housing Report is distributed each month on or about the 15^th. The first Report was distributed in August 2008. The Report is based on MLS data in approximately 53 metropolitan areas, includes all residential property types, and is not annualized. For maximum representation, many of the largest metro areas in the country are represented, and an attempt is made to include at least one metro from each state. Metro area definitions include the specific counties established by the U.S. Government's Office of Management and Budget, with some exceptions.

Definitions
Transactions are the total number of closed residential transactions during the given month. Months Supply of Inventory is the total number of residential properties listed for sale at the end of the month (current inventory) divided by the number of sales contracts signed (pended) during the month. Where "pended" data is unavailable, this calculation is made using closed transactions. Days on Market is the number of days that pass from the time a property is listed until the property goes under contract for all residential properties sold during the month. Median Sales Price is the median of the median sales prices in each of the metro areas included in the survey.  

MLS data is provided by contracted data aggregators, RE/MAX brokerages and regional offices. While MLS data is believed to be accurate, it cannot be guaranteed. MLS data is constantly being updated, making any analysis a snapshot at a particular time. Every month the RE/MAX National Housing Report re-calculates the previous period's data to ensure accuracy over time. All raw data remains the intellectual property of each local MLS organization.

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SOURCE RE/MAX, LLC