Equity home sales post higher in September; seasonal factors slow California pending sales
Visual
CAR in National News |
CAR in Social Media |
Distressed housing market data:
• The share of equity sales – or non-distressed property sales – rose again for the 10th straight month, making up more than eight in 10 sales, the highest share since November 2007. The share of equity sales in September increased to 85.8 percent, up from 84.7 percent in August. Equity sales made up 62.7 percent of sales in September 2012.
• Conversely, the combined share of all distressed property sales continued to decline in September, dropping to 14.2 percent in September, down from 15.3 percent in August and down sharply from 37.3 percent in September 2012. Twenty-six of the 38 reported counties showed a month-to-month decrease in the share of distressed sales, with San Diego, San Mateo, and Santa Clara tied for the lowest share at 4 percent.
• Of the distressed properties, the share of short sales, at 9.4 percent, fell to the lowest point since January 2009. September’s figure was down from 10.2 percent in August and was nearly a third of what it was a year ago, when short sales made up 24.3 percent of all sales. The continuing decline in short sales indicates more previously underwater homes are moving into positive equity as home prices are bolstered.
• The share of REO sales also continued to fall, dropping to single-digits for the sixth straight month. REOs made up only 4.3 percent of all sales in September, down from 4.7 percent in August and from 12.5 percent in September 2012. The September 2013 figure was the lowest since August 2007.
• Housing inventory levels improved for the fifth straight month but remained low. The Unsold Inventory Index for equity sales inched up from 3.1 months in August to 3.5 months in September. The supply of REOs edged up from 2.3 months in August to 2.7 months in September, and the supply of short sales rose from 2.3 months in August to 3.8 months in September.
Pending home sales data:
• California pending home sales dipped in September, with the Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI)* slipping 1.8 percent in September to 106.4, down from 108.3 in August, based on signed contracts. The monthly slip was slightly smaller than the average August-to-September decrease over the past five years. Pending sales were down 8.1 percent from the 115.7 index recorded in September 2012. Pending home sales are forward-looking indicators of future home sales activity, providing information on the future direction of the market.
Charts:
• Pending sales compared with closed sales.
• Historical trend in the share of equity sales compared with distressed sales.
• Closed housing sales in September by sales type (equity, distressed).
• Housing supply of REOs, short sales, and equity sales in September.
• A historical trend of REO, short sale, and equity sales housing supply.
• Year-to-year change in sales by property type.
Share of Distressed Sales to Total Sales
(Single-family)
Type of Sale | Sept. 2013 | Aug. 2013 |
Sept. 2012 |
Equity Sales | 85.8% | 84.7% | 62.7% |
Total Distressed Sales | 14.2% | 15.3% | 37.3% |
REOs | 4.3% | 4.7% | 12.5% |
Short Sales | 9.4% | 10.2% | 24.3% |
Other Distressed Sales (Not Specified) | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.4% |
All Sales | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Single-family Distressed Home Sales by Select Counties
(Percent of total sales)
County | Sept. 2013 | Aug. 2013 |
Sept. 2012 |
Alameda | 7% | 7% | 28% |
Amador | NA | NA | 38% |
Butte | 14% | 13% | 36% |
Contra Costa | 7% | 6% | 29% |
El Dorado | 16% | 14% | 38% |
Fresno | 27% | 29% | 51% |
Humboldt | 13% | 14% | 28% |
Kern | 18% | 21% | 45% |
Kings | 28% | 30% | 39% |
Lake | 31% | 34% | 47% |
Los Angeles | 14% | 15% | 37% |
Madera | 32% | 30% | 60% |
Marin | 7% | 8% | 24% |
Mendocino | 23% | 20% | 47% |
Merced | 21% | 24% | 46% |
Monterey | 21% | 25% | 40% |
Napa | 12% | 16% | 37% |
Orange | 9% | 9% | 25% |
Placer | 11% | 15% | 43% |
Riverside | 18% | 20% | 50% |
Sacramento | 16% | 20% | 50% |
San Benito | 13% | 24% | 55% |
San Bernardino | 21% | 24% | 45% |
San Diego | 4% | 5% | 15% |
San Joaquin | 23% | 25% | 52% |
San Luis Obispo | 11% | 11% | 28% |
San Mateo | 4% | 3% | 20% |
Santa Clara | 4% | 4% | 22% |
Santa Cruz | 9% | 13% | 31% |
Siskiyou | 23% | 37% | 40% |
Solano | 22% | 22% | 59% |
Sonoma | 12% | 13% | 37% |
Stanislaus | 23% | 22% | 57% |
Sutter | 23% | 28% | NA |
Tehama | NA | NA | 49% |
Tulare | 26% | 28% | 54% |
Yolo | 9% | 11% | 51% |
Yuba | 25% | 18% | NA |
California | 14% | 15% | 37% |
NA = not available
*Note: C.A.R.’s pending sales information is generated from a survey of more than 70 associations of REALTORS® and MLSs throughout the state. Pending home sales are forward-looking indicators of future home sales activity, offering solid information on future changes in the direction of the market. A sale is listed as pending after a seller has accepted a sales contract on a property. The majority of pending home sales usually becomes closed sales transactions one to two months later. The year 2008 was used as the benchmark for the Pending Homes Sales Index. An index of 100 is equal to the average level of contract activity during 2008.
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.
+