Price Declines Likely Reflect A Slower Market And A Rise In Buyers’ Negotiating Power
A report from the Los Angeles Times in California. "Here’s a look at what roughly $750,000 buys right now in the L.A. neighborhoods of Lincoln Heights, Granada Hills and Hollywood Hills. In the 90046 ZIP Code, based on 12 sales, the median price for single-family homes in February was $1.825 million, down 17% year over year, according to CoreLogic. In the 90031 ZIP Code, based on five sales, the median price for single-family homes in February was $607,000, down 10.9% year over year, according to CoreLogic."
"In the 90068 ZIP Code, based on 21 sales, the median price for single-family homes in February was $1.305 million, down 11.6% year over year, according to CoreLogic."
The Napa Valley Register. "The number of Napa County homes sold in February declined 15.1 percent year-over-year — from 93 to 79 — matching a Bay Area-wide trend, reported CoreLogic. At the same time, the median price of a Napa home dipped slightly — from $600,000 to $590,000."
"Total February 2019 home sales in the San Francisco Bay Area were the lowest for that month in 11 years, since 3,989 homes were sold in February 2008. Sales have fallen on a year-over-year basis the past nine consecutive months."
"February 2019 sales were 27.5 percent below the February average of 6,008. In February 2019, sales of newly built homes (detached houses and condos combined) were 43.9 percent below the month’s historical average, while resales were 25.3 percent below the month’s average."
"'For the third month in a row, Bay Area home sales were at an 11-year low for that month,' said Andrew LePage, a CoreLogic analyst. 'Four of the region’s nine counties – Napa, Santa Clara, San Mateo and Sonoma – posted year-over-year declines in their median sale prices last month. Those declines likely reflect a combination of a slower market and a rise in buyers’ negotiating power, as well as changes in market mix in some areas.'"
The Calaveras Enterprise. "The California Association of Realtors (CAR) reported in January that the price of homes in California had declined for the eighth straight month. As of February 2019, the median single-family home price in California was $534,140, as compared to December 2018, when the reported cost was $557,600."
"'While February’s sales rebound is welcome news, the market will likely remain constrained as sellers and buyers sort through the realities of today’s market,' said CAR Chief Economist Leslie Appleton-Young. 'With the market about to kick off its home-buying season, buyers have a window of opportunity in the upcoming months as interest rates remain stable, there are more properties on the market to consider, and prices are more attractive.'"