Way Under

The Nation’s real estate market is significantly under-supplied.According to the most recent research from Freddie Mac, the United States has a housing supply deficit of 3.8 million units.The available inventory today is lower than it has ever been in the last 40 years and is 3.5x lower than the peak of 2008.The reason why available inventory is so low, is the low amount of new home starts that have occurred over the last 15 years.Builders have faced many obstacles trying to keep up with housing demand including supply chain issues, labor supply, land availability, water availability, and stricter approval processes.Fewer new homes were built in the decade ending 2018 than any other decade since the 1960’s.The reality is, the obstacles builders face are unlikely to change significantly in the foreseeable future.Low inventory is likely to persist.An under-supplied market is a key reason leading economists do not expect home prices to crash even while the market cools off.

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Big Jump

We are seeing a big jump in properties for sale as measured by months of inventory.​​​​​​​

As a reminder, a market is considered balanced when there is between 4 and 6 months of inventory on the market.  Meaning, at the current pace of sales, it would take 4 to 6 months to sell all of the properties currently for sale.

Inventory one year ago at this time was:

  • 1 month in Northern Colorado
  • 0.7 months in Metro Denver (3 weeks)

Today the inventory is:

  • 2.3 months in Northern Colorado
  • 2.3 months in Metro Denver

This represents a:

  • 164% increase in Northern Colorado
  • 245% increase in Metro Denver

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Toward Balance

Our market is moving toward a balanced market, but it is still unbalanced.

By definition, a balanced market has between 4 and 6 months of inventory for sale.

Today there is essentially two months.  One year ago, there was only 3 weeks of inventory.

It has actually been 16 years since the market has been in balance.

So, while we still have a ways to go before it is balanced, it is moving that way.

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The Big News

The big news this week is obviously the rise in interest rates.

Average 30-year fixed mortgage rates are now at 6.7% which is the highest they have been since July 2007.

So, how is this affecting the market?  Here is what we notice…

There are fewer buyers in the market.  Sales activity, measured by closed and pending sales, is down 30% compared to last year.

Prices, however, continue to rise.  Average prices are roughly 11% higher than last year.  This is driven by the market being under-supplied.

Inventory levels, as measured by months of supply, tells us we still have a Seller’s market.  There is 2 month’s of supply currently for sale.

Ultimately, we expect the rise in interest rates to slow the pace of price appreciation.  We believe the market will return to its long-term average of 6% per year.

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Most Multi

There are more multi-family residential properties under construction than at any time since 1974.

 

890,000 properties with 2+ units are currently being built across the United States.  This includes both for-sale product, and for-rent product.

 

Additional supply is clearly beneficial for both buyers and renters and will hopefully relieve some of the housing affordability issues.

 

So, why are there so many multi-family units under construction?  There seem to be three key reasons.

 

1.  The rental market is especially undersupplied with product and developers see this opportunity.

 

2.  With the increase in residential prices, multi-family becomes the only option for many first-time buyers. 

 

3.  Supply chain constraints are causing extended construction timelines.

The post Most Multi appeared first on Fort Collins Real Estate | Fort Collins Homes for Sale & Property Search.

Most Multi

There are more multi-family residential properties under construction than at any time since 1974.

 

890,000 properties with 2+ units are currently being built across the United States.  This includes both for-sale product, and for-rent product.

 

Additional supply is clearly beneficial for both buyers and renters and will hopefully relieve some of the housing affordability issues.

 

So, why are there so many multi-family units under construction?  There seem to be three key reasons.

 

1.  The rental market is especially undersupplied with product and developers see this opportunity.

 

2.  With the increase in residential prices, multi-family becomes the only option for many first-time buyers. 

 

3.  Supply chain constraints are causing extended construction timelines.

The post Most Multi appeared first on Fort Collins Real Estate | Fort Collins Homes for Sale & Property Search.

Like 1993

Here’s a trivia question…

The number of new, single-family homes completed in 2022 will most closely resemble which prior year?

If you guessed 1993, you are correct.

Yes, the number of homes built and completed this year is no more than the number from 30 years ago.

In 2022, there will be just over 1 million single family homes constructed in the U.S. which is the same as 1993.

This is much more than the bottom of construction in 2011 which saw just under 500,000 new homes built.

But it is also much less than the top of 2006 which had almost 1.7 million.

Limited new home construction today is preventing anything close to a glut of inventory on the market which, in turn, insulates us from any sort of major price correction.

The post Like 1993 appeared first on Fort Collins Real Estate | Fort Collins Homes for Sale & Property Search.

Like 1993

Here’s a trivia question…

The number of new, single-family homes completed in 2022 will most closely resemble which prior year?

If you guessed 1993, you are correct.

Yes, the number of homes built and completed this year is no more than the number from 30 years ago.

In 2022, there will be just over 1 million single family homes constructed in the U.S. which is the same as 1993.

This is much more than the bottom of construction in 2011 which saw just under 500,000 new homes built.

But it is also much less than the top of 2006 which had almost 1.7 million.

Limited new home construction today is preventing anything close to a glut of inventory on the market which, in turn, insulates us from any sort of major price correction.

The post Like 1993 appeared first on Fort Collins Real Estate | Fort Collins Homes for Sale & Property Search.

Weeks to Months

For the first time in almost two years, there is more than a month’s worth of inventory on the market.

This means that at the current pace of sales, it would take more than a month to sell all of the homes currently for sale.

This is certainly welcome news for buyers who have been craving a less frenzied market.

Since the market took off in the summer of 2020, inventory levels have been measured in terms of weeks.

Two to three weeks of inventory was the typical measurement for the last two years.

Today, inventory levels look like this:

  • Larimer County = 1.1 months
  • Weld County = 1.2 months
  • Metro Denver = 1.2 months

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Still Behind

Single family new housing starts in 2022 will show an increase versus last year, will be the most since 2007, and will still be well behind the peak of 2006.

This year, experts predict that a total of 1.1 million single family homes will be started. In 2021 there were 970 thousand new home starts.

The peak occurred in 2006, when 1.65 new homes were started.

So, this year will finish 33% behind the peak.

When we are asked why today’s market is different from the ‘bubble years’ of 2004 to 2007, the difference in new home starts is one reason we cite.

Even though the market is cooling, we remain significantly undersupplied which insulates prices from any kind of dramatic downturn.

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