California home sales and prices spring higher in April; median price posts five-year high
LOS ANGELES, CA – May 16, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — Fueled by high demand and tight inventory, California home sales and prices both experienced strong increases in April, with the median price surpassing the $400,000-mark for the first time in five years, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) reported.
“California’s housing market maintained its momentum in April, getting the spring home-buying season off to a good start,” said C.A.R. President Don Faught. “Southern California regions such as Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego led the way in both month-to-month and year-over-year sales increases, while sales in the Bay Area region as a whole posted a healthy monthly gain but dipped slightly from last year.”
Closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes in California totaled a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 423,510 units in April, according to information collected by C.A.R. from more than 90 local REALTOR® associations and MLSs statewide. Sales in April were up 1.3 percent from a revised 417,880 in March but down 3.7 percent from a revised 439,770 in April 2012. The statewide sales figure represents what would be the total number of homes sold during 2013 if sales maintained the April pace throughout the year. It is adjusted to account for seasonal factors that typically influence home sales.
The statewide median price of an existing, single-family detached home climbed 6.3 percent from March’s revised median price of $378,960 to $402,760 in April, signaling the first time since April 2008 that the statewide median price has exceeded the $400,000 mark (and was the highest since then). April’s price was up 28.9 percent from a revised $312,500 recorded in April 2012, marking 14 straight months of annual price increases and the tenth consecutive month of double-digit annual gains. The median sales price is the point at which half of homes sold for more and half sold for less; it is influenced by the types of homes selling as well as a general change in values.
“The upsurge in the median price continues to be driven by an increase in sales in the upper- price range, where low inventory is less of an issue,” said C.A.R. Vice President and Chief Economist Leslie Appleton-Young. “Over the past year, home sales in the $500,000-and-higher market segment posted a year-over-year gain of 35 percent on average, which contributed to an increase in the statewide median price of nearly 30 percent from the previous year.”
Other key facts of C.A.R.’s April 2013 resale housing report include:
• The available supply of homes for sale was essentially unchanged from March, but was down markedly from a year ago. The April Unsold Inventory Index for existing, single-family detached homes was 2.8 months in April, down from 2.9 months in March, and down from 4.2 months in April 2012. The index indicates the number of months needed to sell the supply of homes on the market at the current sales rate. A six- to seven-month supply is considered normal.
• Increased market competition has significantly driven down the time on market compared with a year ago. Homes sold more quickly in April, with the median number of days it took to sell a single-family home decreasing to 27.9 days in April, down from 29.4 days in March and down from a revised 48 days for the same period a year ago.
• Mortgage rates dipped in April, with the 30-year fixed-mortgage interest rate averaging 3.45 percent, down from 3.57 percent in March 2013 and down from 3.91 percent in April 2012, according to Freddie Mac. Adjustable-mortgage interest rates were flat from March, averaging 2.63 percent in April, but down from 2.78 percent in April 2012.
Multimedia:
• Unsold Inventory by price range.
• Change in sales by price range.
• Share of sales by price range.
Note: The County MLS median price and sales data in the tables are generated from a survey of more than 90 associations of REALTORS® throughout the state, and represent statistics of existing single-family detached homes only. County sales data are not adjusted to account for seasonal factors that can influence home sales. Movements in sales prices should not be interpreted as changes in the cost of a standard home. The median price is where half sold for more and half sold for less; medians are more typical than average prices, which are skewed by a relatively small share of transactions at either the lower-end or the upper-end. Median prices can be influenced by changes in cost, as well as changes in the characteristics and the size of homes sold. Due to the low sales volume in some areas, median price changes in January may exhibit unusual fluctuation. The change in median prices should not be construed as actual price changes in specific homes.
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.
April 2013 County Sales and Price Activity
(Regional and condo sales data not seasonally adjusted)
| April 2013 | Median Sold Price of Existing Single-Family Homes | Sales | |||||||
| State/Region/County | Apr-13 | Mar-13 | Apr-12 | MTM% Chg | YTY% Chg | MTM% Chg | YTY% Chg | ||
| CA SFH (SAAR) | $402,760 | $378,960 | $312,500 | r | 6.3% | 28.9% | 1.3% | -3.7% | |
| CA Condo/Townhomes | $319,080 | $306,050 | $237,320 | r | 4.3% | 34.5% | 2.1% | 2.7% | |
| Los Angeles Metropolitan Area | $370,640 | $352,510 | $289,700 | 5.1% | 27.9% | 6.0% | 2.2% | ||
| Inland Empire | $231,610 | $227,920 | $181,770 | 1.6% | 27.4% | 2.1% | -4.6% | ||
| S.F. Bay Area | $685,530 | $636,150 | $526,370 | 7.8% | 30.2% | 13.6% | -1.8% | ||
| S.F. Bay Area | |||||||||
| Alameda | $624,270 | $578,310 | $456,910 | 7.9% | 36.6% | 8.1% | -9.1% | ||
| Contra-Costa (Central County) | $744,230 | $721,870 | $626,970 | 3.1% | 18.7% | 24.3% | 5.3% | ||
| Marin | $952,870 | $888,890 | $783,850 | 7.2% | 21.6% | 20.3% | 5.5% | ||
| Napa | $453,850 | $430,950 | $363,890 | 5.3% | 24.7% | 14.9% | 1.8% | ||
| San Francisco | $922,500 | $828,700 | $693,750 | 11.3% | 33.0% | 0.4% | 1.1% | ||
| San Mateo | $913,500 | $912,000 | $745,000 | 0.2% | 22.6% | 15.8% | -0.5% | ||
| Santa Clara | $790,000 | $730,000 | $636,000 | 8.2% | 24.2% | 18.1% | -2.1% | ||
| Solano | $255,170 | $250,000 | $191,220 | 2.1% | 33.4% | 2.8% | -11.7% | ||
| Sonoma | $442,100 | $398,090 | $343,750 | 11.1% | 28.6% | 14.5% | 4.2% | ||
| Southern California | |||||||||
| Los Angeles | $361,630 | $340,890 | $286,800 | 6.1% | 26.1% | 9.0% | 5.7% | ||
| Orange County | $653,740 | $619,430 | $513,950 | 5.5% | 27.2% | 6.8% | 9.7% | ||
| Riverside County | $274,420 | $263,670 | $213,950 | 4.1% | 28.3% | 1.3% | -4.9% | ||
| San Bernardino | $164,470 | $161,900 | $132,030 | 1.6% | 24.6% | 3.4% | -4.1% | ||
| San Diego | $454,390 | $436,710 | $369,910 | 4.0% | 22.8% | 4.5% | 9.2% | ||
| Ventura | $502,940 | $475,000 | $427,320 | 5.9% | 17.7% | 6.5% | 0.5% | ||
| Central Coast | |||||||||
| Monterey | $380,000 | $359,900 | $280,000 | 5.6% | 35.7% | -4.4% | 0.4% | ||
| San Luis Obispo | $431,250 | $417,590 | $360,670 | 3.3% | 19.6% | 2.3% | 8.0% | ||
| Santa Barbara | $648,260 | $565,970 | $390,380 | r | 14.5% | 66.1% | 24.3% | 11.4% | |
| Santa Cruz | $645,000 | $585,000 | $475,000 | 10.3% | 35.8% | -13.5% | -7.8% | ||
| Central Valley | |||||||||
| Fresno | $173,860 | $160,510 | $140,100 | 8.3% | 24.1% | 0.7% | -9.4% | ||
| Kern (Bakersfield) | $182,000 | $174,950 | r | $146,000 | r | 4.0% | 24.7% | 1.4% | -12.3% |
| Kings County | $157,140 | $146,000 | $152,940 | r | 7.6% | 2.7% | -20.5% | -23.3% | |
| Madera | $170,000 | $136,000 | $137,500 | 25.0% | 23.6% | 7.1% | -23.1% | ||
| Merced | $139,560 | $144,000 | $120,000 | -3.1% | 16.3% | 6.5% | -14.2% | ||
| Placer County | $354,370 | $322,560 | $276,150 | 9.9% | 28.3% | 11.8% | 14.1% | ||
| Sacramento | $221,880 | $220,590 | $168,820 | 0.6% | 31.4% | 9.3% | -4.2% | ||
| San Benito | $358,000 | $348,000 | $287,450 | 2.9% | 24.5% | -3.8% | -17.7% | ||
| San Joaquin | $195,960 | $191,280 | $164,730 | 2.4% | 19.0% | 13.9% | 1.7% | ||
| Stanislaus | $174,390 | $168,870 | $138,650 | 3.3% | 25.8% | 3.4% | -16.9% | ||
| Tulare | $139,520 | $137,560 | $131,360 | r | 1.4% | 6.2% | 3.2% | -12.8% | |
| Other Counties in California | |||||||||
| Amador | $193,330 | $200,000 | $183,330 | -3.3% | 5.5% | -3.8% | 8.7% | ||
| Butte County | $234,000 | $250,000 | $197,620 | -6.4% | 18.4% | 8.3% | 11.1% | ||
| El Dorado County | $344,170 | $329,170 | $257,410 | 4.6% | 33.7% | 7.2% | 17.7% | ||
| Humboldt | $251,190 | $225,000 | $240,280 | 11.6% | 4.5% | 15.7% | 33.8% | ||
| Lake County | $156,670 | $145,000 | $113,330 | 8.0% | 38.2% | -6.4% | -6.4% | ||
| Tuolumne | $215,380 | $158,000 | $160,000 | 36.3% | 34.6% | 3.0% | 47.8% | ||
| Mendocino | $350,000 | $221,880 | $209,090 | 57.7% | 67.4% | -12.8% | -34.6% | ||
| Shasta | $183,330 | $180,740 | $164,540 | 1.4% | 11.4% | -1.8% | 11.9% | ||
| Siskiyou County | $118,000 | $123,330 | $103,330 | -4.3% | 14.2% | -21.6% | 0.0% | ||
| Tehama | $156,000 | $156,670 | $160,000 | r | -0.4% | -2.5% | 18.9% | 15.8% | |
| Yolo | $291,340 | $250,000 | $238,890 | 16.5% | 22.0% | 21.0% | 21.0% | ||
April 2013 County Unsold Inventory and Time on Market
(Regional and condo sales data not seasonally adjusted)
| April 2013 | Unsold Inventory Index | Median Time on Market | ||||||||
| State/Region/County | Apr-13 | Mar-13 | Apr-12 | Apr-13 | Mar-13 | Apr-12 | ||||
| CA SFH (SAAR) | 2.8 | 2.9 | 4.2 | 27.9 | 29.4 | 48.0 | r | |||
| CA Condo/Townhomes | 2.6 | 2.5 | 4.0 | 28.7 | 28.6 | 55.2 | r | |||
| Los Angeles Metropolitan Area | 2.8 | 2.9 | 4.5 | 35.2 | 38.3 | 54.8 | ||||
| Inland Empire | 3.1 | 3.1 | 4.4 | 35.6 | 40.3 | 52.5 | ||||
| S.F. Bay Area | 2.4 | 2.6 | 3.3 | 32.4 | 34.3 | 47.5 | ||||
| S.F. Bay Area | ||||||||||
| Alameda | 2.2 | 2.1 | 2.8 | 47.9 | 50.2 | 61.4 | ||||
| Contra-Costa (Central County) | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.8 | 47.8 | 48.4 | 70.2 | ||||
| Marin | 3.2 | 3.1 | 4.1 | 32.5 | 45.2 | 41.4 | ||||
| Napa | 4.2 | 4.7 | 6.5 | 48.1 | 55.9 | 59.1 | ||||
| San Francisco | 2.9 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 24.6 | 23.4 | 37.0 | ||||
| San Mateo | 2.3 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 19.1 | 19.7 | 23.0 | ||||
| Santa Clara | 1.8 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 17.9 | 18.3 | 22.6 | ||||
| Solano | 2.6 | 2.9 | 4.4 | 33.8 | 38.8 | 54.1 | ||||
| Sonoma | 3.1 | 3.4 | 4.6 | 47.5 | 50.3 | 68.7 | ||||
| Southern California | ||||||||||
| Los Angeles | 2.6 | 2.7 | 4.4 | 29.2 | 31.5 | 53.0 | ||||
| Orange County | 2.8 | 2.8 | 4.8 | 42.2 | 45.1 | 61.7 | ||||
| Riverside County | 2.9 | 3.0 | 4.5 | 36.9 | 41.1 | 56.3 | ||||
| San Bernardino | 3.3 | 3.3 | 4.3 | 33.4 | 39.0 | 45.0 | ||||
| San Diego | 3.1 | 3.3 | 4.8 | 24.9 | 26.6 | 47.4 | ||||
| Ventura | 3.5 | 3.6 | 5.1 | 44.3 | 47.2 | 69.3 | ||||
| Central Coast | ||||||||||
| Monterey | 3.0 | 2.9 | 4.1 | 24.8 | 26.1 | 43.7 | ||||
| San Luis Obispo | 4.1 | 3.6 | 4.7 | 27.5 | 36.0 | 59.7 | ||||
| Santa Barbara | 3.7 | 4.3 | 4.9 | 39.7 | 36.9 | 64.7 | r | |||
| Santa Cruz | 3.9 | 3.0 | 4.5 | 23.2 | 29.8 | 26.5 | ||||
| Central Valley | ||||||||||
| Fresno | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 23.8 | 27.2 | 28.3 | ||||
| Kern (Bakersfield) | 1.9 | 2.6 | r | 3.3 | r | 24.0 | 27.0 | 37.0 | r | |
| Kings County | 3.5 | 2.7 | 3.2 | r | 39.9 | 50.6 | 50.8 | r | ||
| Madera | 3.3 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 39.3 | 23.6 | 29.3 | ||||
| Merced | 2.2 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 28.3 | 27.1 | 48.4 | ||||
| Placer County | 2.3 | 2.4 | 4.2 | 21.1 | 21.2 | 29.3 | ||||
| Sacramento | 2.1 | 2.2 | 4.0 | 19.1 | 19.9 | 29.5 | ||||
| San Benito | 2.2 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 20.5 | 21.8 | 43.4 | ||||
| San Joaquin | 2.0 | 2.2 | 4.1 | 20.5 | 21.3 | 29.9 | ||||
| Stanislaus | 2.1 | 2.0 | 3.5 | 19.0 | 20.7 | 29.0 | ||||
| Tulare | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.9 | 24.6 | 26.9 | 27.7 | r | |||
| Other Counties in California | ||||||||||
| Amador | 4.8 | 5.0 | 6.4 | 40.7 | 75.5 | 72.6 | ||||
| Butte County | 3.4 | 3.3 | 3.9 | 27.5 | 29.5 | 29.8 | ||||
| El Dorado County | 3.4 | 3.5 | 5.3 | 27.4 | 27.6 | r | 58.7 | |||
| Humboldt | 4.6 | 4.8 | 7.1 | 52.3 | 56.0 | 67.2 | ||||
| Lake County | 5.9 | 5.7 | 6.2 | 67.0 | 72.6 | 94.6 | ||||
| Tuolumne | 5.7 | 4.9 | 9.0 | 35.8 | 45.5 | 87.9 | ||||
| Mendocino | 2.9 | 8.6 | 6.9 | 61.0 | 71.9 | 78.4 | ||||
| Shasta | 2.9 | 2.6 | 4.8 | 28.7 | 27.1 | 25.6 | ||||
| Siskiyou County | 12.9 | 9.0 | 12.6 | 110.3 | 108.4 | 68.3 | ||||
| Tehama | 4.5 | 5.1 | 6.4 | 50.3 | 28.1 | 61.0 | ||||
| Yolo | 2.1 | 2.3 | 4.9 | 20.8 | 22.4 | 37.1 |
