fbpx

Over List, February

I’m not going to get crazy-optimistic just because the over-list percentage more than doubled MoM, or because last month’s median sales price was 11% higher than it was a couple of months ago.

I’m just happy that the number of sales appears to have bottomed out.

Let’s say that it looks like our local market has stabilized.

So far, there have been 37 sales closed in March, which means we should hit 100+ easily.

Over List, January

Paying over the list price wasn’t a new thing created by the frenzy – there have always been over-list sales in the past. But getting down to 8% last month begged for a comparison to a previous January!

In January, 2019 there were 151 NSDCC sales, and 18 of them (12%) closed over the list price. Of the eighteen, seven were among the 37 sales that closed under $1,000,000 (which were a quarter of all sales).

Thirty of the 37 sales under $1,000,000 closed for less than full price?

Last month, we didn’t even have ANY sales that closed under a million!

With 92% of closings last month selling for list price or less, it must mean that today’s sellers are more willing to ‘give away’ their home. They have gained huge gobs of equity in the last couple of years, and only the seriously-motivated sellers would dare try to sell their house in a ‘bad’ market. If they need to give back a bigger portion to make the deal, they might do it.

Let’s predict the next few months.

Sellers will still try to get full retail, and based on the over-list stats from last month, 10% or less will get it.  The rest will be priced to sit, and after 30+ days on the market, be prone to receiving lowball offers.

This is where the 2023 Spring Selling Season will be made. Will 80% to 90% of sellers take a low offer?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NSDCC Average and Median Prices by Month

Month
# of Sales
Avg. LP
Avg. SP
Median LP
Median SP
Feb
224
$2,298,797
$2,257,334
$1,719,500
$1,758,000
March
252
$2,295,629
$2,260,524
$1,800,000
$1,825,000
April
357
$2,396,667
$2,403,962
$1,799,900
$1,828,000
May
300
$2,596,992
$2,581,715
$1,900,000
$1,994,500
June
348
$2,509,175
$2,537,953
$1,900,000
$1,967,500
July
311
$2,421,326
$2,442,738
$1,795,000
$1,855,000
Aug
268
$2,415,075
$2,438,934
$1,897,000
$1,950,000
Sept
278
$2,479,440
$2,445,817
$1,899,000
$1,987,500
Oct
248
$2,754,470
$2,705,071
$1,899,000
$1,899,500
Nov
199
$2,713,693
$2,707,359
$1,999,000
$2,100,000
Dec
189
$2,686,126
$2,664,391
$1,985,000
$2,157,500
Jan
140
$2,828,988
$2,855,213
$2,234,944
$2,240,000
Feb
158
$3,063,331
$3,108,907
$2,149,500
$2,386,500
Mar
207
$3,247,251
$3,337,348
$2,400,000
$2,625,000
Apr
227
$3,190,161
$3,251,604
$2,350,000
$2,550,000
May
215
$2,943,657
$3,032,977
$2,350,000
$2,500,000
Jun
190
$2,864,089
$2,872,690
$2,297,500
$2,350,000
Jul
155
$2,889,612
$2,832,080
$2,299,900
$2,300,000
Aug
164
$2,933,243
$2,830,855
$2,200,000
$2,150,000
Sep
135
$2,650,642
$2,560,314
$2,149,000
$2,040,000
Oct
124
$3,090,320
$2,971,211
$2,272,500
$2,212,500
Nov
115
$2,581,790
$2,459,974
$1,950,000
$1,875,000
Dec
100
$2,859,960
$2,675,549
$2,097,500
$1,892,500
Jan
96
$3,032,101
$2,897,135
$2,197,500
$2,075,000

In the months when the average and median sales prices increased, it didn’t mean your home’s value went up – it just means that the set of homes were a little bigger and nicer than other months.

The number of sales is the real indicator. Fewer and fewer homes are deserving of today’s pricing.

Over List, December

The number of December sales has been hanging right at 100 and ten closed above list, or 10%!

Percentage Of Sales Closed Above the List Price, by Price Range

If the over-list sales start to increase this spring and get above 20%, then the frenzy feelings are slipping back into the equation. Hopefully they will be accompanied by more than 100 sales, because if that’s all we have during the selling season, there should be real dogfights over the creampuffs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NSDCC Average and Median Prices by Month

Month
# of Sales
Avg. LP
Avg. SP
Median LP
Median SP
Feb
224
$2,298,797
$2,257,334
$1,719,500
$1,758,000
March
252
$2,295,629
$2,260,524
$1,800,000
$1,825,000
April
357
$2,396,667
$2,403,962
$1,799,900
$1,828,000
May
300
$2,596,992
$2,581,715
$1,900,000
$1,994,500
June
348
$2,509,175
$2,537,953
$1,900,000
$1,967,500
July
311
$2,421,326
$2,442,738
$1,795,000
$1,855,000
Aug
268
$2,415,075
$2,438,934
$1,897,000
$1,950,000
Sept
278
$2,479,440
$2,445,817
$1,899,000
$1,987,500
Oct
248
$2,754,470
$2,705,071
$1,899,000
$1,899,500
Nov
199
$2,713,693
$2,707,359
$1,999,000
$2,100,000
Dec
189
$2,686,126
$2,664,391
$1,985,000
$2,157,500
Jan
140
$2,828,988
$2,855,213
$2,234,944
$2,240,000
Feb
158
$3,063,331
$3,108,907
$2,149,500
$2,386,500
Mar
207
$3,247,251
$3,337,348
$2,400,000
$2,625,000
Apr
227
$3,190,161
$3,251,604
$2,350,000
$2,550,000
May
215
$2,943,657
$3,032,977
$2,350,000
$2,500,000
Jun
190
$2,864,089
$2,872,690
$2,297,500
$2,350,000
Jul
155
$2,889,612
$2,832,080
$2,299,900
$2,300,000
Aug
164
$2,933,243
$2,830,855
$2,200,000
$2,150,000
Sep
135
$2,650,642
$2,560,314
$2,149,000
$2,040,000
Oct
124
$3,090,320
$2,971,211
$2,272,500
$2,212,500
Nov
115
$2,581,790
$2,459,974
$1,950,000
$1,875,000
Dec
100
$2,859,960
$2,675,549
$2,097,500
$1,892,500

In the months when the average and median sales prices increased, it didn’t mean your home’s value went up – it just means that the set of homes were a little bigger and nicer than other months.

But if you want to make comparisons, then these latest averages and medians are similar to October, 2021.

Over List, November

Only 12% of the houses sold last month actually closed over their list price, which sounds normal.

There were 51 of the 115 of the sales (44%) that closed for $100,000+ BELOW their last list price.

The count of 51 broke down to 17 of 19 sales over $3,000,000, and 34 of 96 sales under $3,000,000 – where knocking off $100,000+ off the list price is fairly significant. Either realtors aren’t that great about their pricing, or they wander into lowball territory and get their head tore off.

The median days-on-market was 28 days, and the average was 41 days.

About half wandered into lowball territory, and about half sold for $100,000+ below their list price – there is a direct connection. People need to figure out how to sell the house in the first couple of weeks of being on the market, or face the same consequences in 2023.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NSDCC Average and Median Prices by Month

Month
# of Sales
Avg. LP
Avg. SP
Median LP
Median SP
Feb
224
$2,298,797
$2,257,334
$1,719,500
$1,758,000
March
252
$2,295,629
$2,260,524
$1,800,000
$1,825,000
April
357
$2,396,667
$2,403,962
$1,799,900
$1,828,000
May
300
$2,596,992
$2,581,715
$1,900,000
$1,994,500
June
348
$2,509,175
$2,537,953
$1,900,000
$1,967,500
July
311
$2,421,326
$2,442,738
$1,795,000
$1,855,000
Aug
268
$2,415,075
$2,438,934
$1,897,000
$1,950,000
Sept
278
$2,479,440
$2,445,817
$1,899,000
$1,987,500
Oct
248
$2,754,470
$2,705,071
$1,899,000
$1,899,500
Nov
199
$2,713,693
$2,707,359
$1,999,000
$2,100,000
Dec
189
$2,686,126
$2,664,391
$1,985,000
$2,157,500
Jan
140
$2,828,988
$2,855,213
$2,234,944
$2,240,000
Feb
158
$3,063,331
$3,108,907
$2,149,500
$2,386,500
Mar
207
$3,247,251
$3,337,348
$2,400,000
$2,625,000
Apr
227
$3,190,161
$3,251,604
$2,350,000
$2,550,000
May
215
$2,943,657
$3,032,977
$2,350,000
$2,500,000
Jun
190
$2,864,089
$2,872,690
$2,297,500
$2,350,000
Jul
155
$2,889,612
$2,832,080
$2,299,900
$2,300,000
Aug
164
$2,933,243
$2,830,855
$2,200,000
$2,150,000
Sep
135
$2,650,642
$2,560,314
$2,149,000
$2,040,000
Oct
124
$3,090,320
$2,971,211
$2,272,500
$2,212,500
Nov
115
$2,581,790
$2,459,974
$1,950,000
$1,875,000

In October, when the average and median sales price spiked, it didn’t mean your home’s value went up – the homes sold that month had a median square footage that was 12% higher than in September. Similarly, the group of homes that sold in November had a median sf that was 8% smaller than in October.

But if you do want to make a big deal of these sales prices, they are similar to those in July, 2021.

At least there were 100+ sales!

Did Home Prices Go Up?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NSDCC Average and Median Prices by Month

Month
# of Sales
Avg. LP
Avg. SP
Median LP
Median SP
Feb
224
$2,298,797
$2,257,334
$1,719,500
$1,758,000
March
252
$2,295,629
$2,260,524
$1,800,000
$1,825,000
April
357
$2,396,667
$2,403,962
$1,799,900
$1,828,000
May
300
$2,596,992
$2,581,715
$1,900,000
$1,994,500
June
348
$2,509,175
$2,537,953
$1,900,000
$1,967,500
July
311
$2,421,326
$2,442,738
$1,795,000
$1,855,000
Aug
268
$2,415,075
$2,438,934
$1,897,000
$1,950,000
Sept
278
$2,479,440
$2,445,817
$1,899,000
$1,987,500
Oct
248
$2,754,470
$2,705,071
$1,899,000
$1,899,500
Nov
199
$2,713,693
$2,707,359
$1,999,000
$2,100,000
Dec
189
$2,686,126
$2,664,391
$1,985,000
$2,157,500
Jan
140
$2,828,988
$2,855,213
$2,234,944
$2,240,000
Feb
158
$3,063,331
$3,108,907
$2,149,500
$2,386,500
Mar
207
$3,247,251
$3,337,348
$2,400,000
$2,625,000
Apr
227
$3,190,161
$3,251,604
$2,350,000
$2,550,000
May
215
$2,943,657
$3,032,977
$2,350,000
$2,500,000
Jun
190
$2,864,089
$2,872,690
$2,297,500
$2,350,000
Jul
155
$2,889,612
$2,832,080
$2,299,900
$2,300,000
Aug
164
$2,933,243
$2,830,855
$2,200,000
$2,150,000
Sep
135
$2,650,642
$2,560,314
$2,149,000
$2,040,000
Oct
124
$3,090,320
$2,971,211
$2,272,500
$2,212,500

OMG – the average & median sales prices went up!

Does that mean home prices went up?

NONONONO!

It means the set of homes that closed escrow in October happen to produce higher numbers because they were larger (October median sf was +12%) and more attractive than the group in September.

Over List, September

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NSDCC Average and Median Prices by Month

Month
# of Sales
Avg. LP
Avg. SP
Median LP
Median SP
Feb
224
$2,298,797
$2,257,334
$1,719,500
$1,758,000
March
252
$2,295,629
$2,260,524
$1,800,000
$1,825,000
April
357
$2,396,667
$2,403,962
$1,799,900
$1,828,000
May
300
$2,596,992
$2,581,715
$1,900,000
$1,994,500
June
348
$2,509,175
$2,537,953
$1,900,000
$1,967,500
July
311
$2,421,326
$2,442,738
$1,795,000
$1,855,000
Aug
268
$2,415,075
$2,438,934
$1,897,000
$1,950,000
Sept
278
$2,479,440
$2,445,817
$1,899,000
$1,987,500
Oct
248
$2,754,470
$2,705,071
$1,899,000
$1,899,500
Nov
199
$2,713,693
$2,707,359
$1,999,000
$2,100,000
Dec
189
$2,686,126
$2,664,391
$1,985,000
$2,157,500
Jan
140
$2,828,988
$2,855,213
$2,234,944
$2,240,000
Feb
158
$3,063,331
$3,108,907
$2,149,500
$2,386,500
Mar
207
$3,247,251
$3,337,348
$2,400,000
$2,625,000
Apr
227
$3,190,161
$3,251,604
$2,350,000
$2,550,000
May
214
$2,941,080
$3,030,794
$2,350,000
$2,480,000
Jun
188
$2,871,956
$2,881,314
$2,297,500
$2,350,000
Jul
152
$2,892,729
$2,833,588
$2,272,000
$2,280,000
Aug
161
$2,953,967
$2,849,332
$2,200,000
$2,150,000
Sep
134
$2,652,892
$2,560,764
$2,134,500
$2,020,000

BOTH THE AVERAGE AND MEDIAN SALES PRICES ARE -23% SINCE MARCH.

We saw that the difference needed to fully compensate for the higher rates is -30%.  We’re almost there, and the full effect should be built in by springtime!

Please note that I didn’t say home prices are down 23%.

The median sales price is 23% lower than it was six months ago.

Over List, August

The over-bidding is winding down to more manageable levels as just 24% of August buyers were willing to pay over the list price.  As usual, the $1,000,000 to $2,000,000 range was the most active, where inventory is low and the number of quality homes for sale even lower:

The number of sales in August were higher than they were in July, but still well under recent history:

NSDCC August Sales

2018: 275

2019: 263

2020: 351

2021: 268

2020: 161

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NSDCC Average and Median Prices by Month

Month
# of Sales
Avg. LP
Avg. SP
Median LP
Median SP
Feb
224
$2,298,797
$2,257,334
$1,719,500
$1,758,000
March
252
$2,295,629
$2,260,524
$1,800,000
$1,825,000
April
357
$2,396,667
$2,403,962
$1,799,900
$1,828,000
May
300
$2,596,992
$2,581,715
$1,900,000
$1,994,500
June
348
$2,509,175
$2,537,953
$1,900,000
$1,967,500
July
311
$2,421,326
$2,442,738
$1,795,000
$1,855,000
Aug
268
$2,415,075
$2,438,934
$1,897,000
$1,950,000
Sept
278
$2,479,440
$2,445,817
$1,899,000
$1,987,500
Oct
248
$2,754,470
$2,705,071
$1,899,000
$1,899,500
Nov
199
$2,713,693
$2,707,359
$1,999,000
$2,100,000
Dec
189
$2,686,126
$2,664,391
$1,985,000
$2,157,500
Jan
140
$2,828,988
$2,855,213
$2,234,944
$2,240,000
Feb
158
$3,063,331
$3,108,907
$2,149,500
$2,386,500
Mar
207
$3,247,251
$3,337,348
$2,400,000
$2,625,000
Apr
227
$3,190,161
$3,251,604
$2,350,000
$2,550,000
May
214
$2,941,080
$3,030,794
$2,350,000
$2,480,000
Jun
188
$2,871,956
$2,881,314
$2,297,500
$2,350,000
Jul
152
$2,892,729
$2,833,588
$2,272,000
$2,280,000
Aug
161
$2,953,967
$2,849,332
$2,200,000
$2,150,000

This is much more normal – the average and median sales prices are under their list prices!

NSDCC List Price vs. Sales Price

Want proof that Jay Powell has tamed the housing frenzy, and reversed the trend of buyers having to pay well over the list price to win a house? Here are examples of the list and sold prices of August home sales between La Jolla and Carlsbad – note the relationship to the days-on-market (DOML):

So far, we’ve had 154 August closings reported, which means we should get up to 175 or so by the time every sale is inputted.

I’ll do the final count later, but of the 154 sales, there were 23% that sold over their list price. But it is much more reasonable and sustainable if buyers only have to pay $25,000 to $50,000 over the list price for the creampuffs, rather than $400,000 to $800,000!

Sellers shouldn’t be bummed either, because their huge gains are priced in now.

Over List, July

The graph above shows how the 2021 off-season wasn’t off by much, with nearly half of the Nov-Jan sales closing over their list price. We probably won’t see that happen this year!

On the street, it feels like the off-season is already here, which is fine.  The seasonality has been topsy-turvy ever since the pandemic started, so we can handle a longer off-season this year. The outcome will be determined by what the listing agents are telling their sellers.

Are they saying that this is the start of a long downward slide, and sellers should hit the panic button and dump on price to get out while they can?  If so, shame on them.  If 39% of the buyers who closed in July were still paying over the list price, then it suggests that what we are experiencing is an inventory problem – there aren’t many superior houses for sale at decent prices, and the gap between them and inferior houses hasn’t adjusted enough yet.

Here is the breakdown by price range:

There was only one sale under $1,000,000, and it was a mobile home.  Most of the homes sold between $1,000,000 and $2,000,000 closed for more than their list prices, and the sales above $2 million were still competitive. The group of salable homes is smaller than before, but the great ones are still being bid up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The average and median sales prices are closer to the list prices now, suggesting that those who do bid over the list price aren’t going over by much:

For an industry that has never figured out how to properly handle a bidding war, it is a miracle that this many homes are still selling over list.  This was our big chance to incorporate a true auction format, but it will pass us by, unfortunately.

100% Sold In Ten Days or Less

Here is a good sampling of the NSDCC pricing decisions made in May (mortgage rates started going up the first of April). The days-on-market are on the left.

Days on Market: All 28 found their buyer quickly – only one took as long as ten days!

Paid Over List: 21 of 28 paid over the list price (75%).

Of the 21 who paid over the list price, the average amount paid over list was $185,761. Literally 11 out of 21 paid at least $200,000 over list – and these 28 sales are the mid-range group!

Best Discount: -$70,000.

Here are some of the big winners:

Pin It on Pinterest