An “existing home” is one that has been previously occupied.  The remaining homes are covered on the New Home Sales report.

The number of existing homes sold in the prior 12 months is now at its highest point since May of 2010, the month before the end of the first time home buyer credit.  The May 2010 report would have also included the other first time home buyer tax credit that expired in late 2009 and buoyed that fall market.

We’re also up almost 40% since the dismal month of July after the tax credit ended.  The current numbers are the real housing market, not temporary federal stimulus markets.

When sales increase, supply decreases.  Housing supply is measured in months and answers the question “at the current rate of sales, how fast would we run out of homes?”

In the past 2 years, the average has been 9 months.  In July of 2010, we were over 12 months.

Currently, we’re down to 7.6 months.  The total home resale inventory is down to just 3.38 million homes.  We’re also not even yet into the traditionally busy spring markets.

The breakdown of purchases by the type of buyer:

• First-time buyers accounted for 29% of purchases, down from 33% in January
• Repeat homebuyers accounted for 48% of purchases, up from 47% in January
• Investors accounted for 23% of of purchases, up from 20% in January

With supplies falling and the repeat buyers beginning to dominate the market, the forecasts are for rising home prices in the coming months.

Home resales rose another 2.7 percent last month, according to the National Association of REALTORS® monthly Existing Home Sales report.

An “existing home” is a home that’s been previously occupied and is not considered new construction.

The number of existing homes sold on a rolling 12-month basis is now at its highest point since May 2010, the month before the federal homebuyer tax credit ended. It’s also up some 40% since July 2010, the month after the tax credit ended.

But that’s not the biggest story in the Existing Home Sales report. The precipitous decline in home inventory deserves more attention.

At the current pace of sales, the complete, national home resale inventory will be sold in 7.6 months. This is close to 5 months faster as compared to last year’s peak, and well below the 2-year home supply average of 9.0 months. There more buyers in the market, it seems, and fewer homes from which they can choose.

Total home resale inventory is down to just 3.38 million homes nationwide — the fewest in 12 months.

There were other interesting statistics in the official Existing Home Sales report, including a break-down of purchases by buyer-type.

• First-time buyers accounted for 29% of purchases, down from 33% in January
• Repeat homebuyers accounted for 48% of purchases, up from 47% in January
• Investors accounted for 23% of of purchases, up from 20% in January

In addition, distressed sales — foreclosures and short sales — made up 37 percent of the market.

Over the next few days, more housing data will hit the wires and it’s expected to show similar strength to January’s Existing Home Sales report. With falling supplies and a growing base of move-up buyers, home prices are expected to rise in the coming months ahead.

Existing Home Sales surged 12 percent last month, closing 2010′s housing market with strength. An “existing home” is a home that cannot be categorized as new construction; a resale.

According to the National Association of REALTORS®, seasonally-adjusted, annualized Existing Home Sales figures climbed by more than a half-million units in December as compared to November. It’s the 3rd straight month of home resale improvement nationwide.

Sales volume is now as high as it’s been since May 2010 — just after the federal home buyer tax credit’s expiration.

In addition, the number of months needed to sell the complete, current home inventory at the current pace of sales fell by 1.4 months, tying December for the biggest one-month home supply improvement in 2 years.

It’s yet another signal that the housing market is in recovery. Not that this data should surprise anyone. November’s Pending Home Sales report told us to expect it two weeks ago.

Broken down by buyer-type, home sales split as follows:

• First-time home buyers : 33% of all sales
• Repeat buyers : 47% of all sales
• Real estate investors : 20% of all sales

Cash buyers represented 29 percent of all transaction, down 2 ticks from November. This may suggest that mortgage guidelines are loosening — another sign of economic improvement.

So, take note, Chicago home buyers. This spring, along with mortgage rates, home values should rise, too. Expect less “bang for your buck” as the housing recovery takes hold here in Wicker Park and across the nation.

The best deals of the year may be the ones made this month.

According to the National Association of REALTORS®, a quarter-million more existing homes were sold during the annual period ending in November as compared to October.  An “existing home” is a home that cannot be considered new construction.

This type of growth impacts the home supply.  It dropped by a full month, now meaning that the complete stock of homes for sale will be exhausted in 9.5 months.

November’s strong housing data is yet another signal that the housing market’s foundation has been rebuilt.  Like all real estate data, your market may will vary.

It’s helped that there are great “deals” on which for buyers to pounce.   In November, short sales and foreclosures accounted for one-third of all existing homes sold, and carried an average price discount of 10 percent and 15 percent, respectively, as compared to non-distressed sales.  While conventional financing may not always work for distressed properties, the 203(k) rehab loan can be an incredible opportunity in markets like these.   With average discounts of 10-15%, distressed properties that need minor rehabilitation can be immediate equity-builders.

We’re seeing some changes in who is buying:

• First-time buyers : 32% of all buyers
• Investors : 19% of all buyers
• Repeat buyers : 51% of all buyers

This breakdown suggests that housing has regained its footing.   First time home buyers cannot support a long-term market.  It’s like a football team only having the rookies show up for practice.  You need everybody there.

Compared to a year ago, we’re seeing the veterans come back.  Repeat buyers only represented 37% of buyer traffic one year ago and that’s up to 51% now.  The investor participation remains steady.   While we track consumer sentiment readings when talking about mortgage rates on this blog all the time, perhaps the most important consumer sentiment reading comes when a family upgrades their home.  It’s certainly more economically significant than buying a new dishwasher.   Families don’t need 6% GDP growth to upgrade a home, it follows when they perceive their job as safe and the economics make sense.

We may not be getting a wild and crazy skyrocketing housing market, but it looks like we’re getting the beginnings of a healthier, more sustainable housing market. If you’re looking at buying a home in 2011, please don’t wait until the snow melts.   If the market keeps improving like this, your home affordability will worsen.

Existing Home Sales jumped another 6 percent in November, the report’s third month of improvement since bottoming in July.

According to the National Association of REALTORS®, a quarter-million more existing homes were sold during the annual period ending in November as compared to October.  An “existing home” is a home that cannot be considered new construction.

Additionally, the national housing supply dropped by a full month. At the current pace of existing home sales, the complete stock of homes for sale will be exhausted in 9.5 months.

November’s strong housing data is yet another signal to buyers in Oak Park that the housing market’s foundation has been rebuilt, and that a rebound is imminent.  It’s helped that there are great “deals” on which for buyers to pounce.

In November, short sales and foreclosures accounted for one-third of all existing homes sold, and carried an average price discount of 10 percent and 15 percent, respectively, as compared to non-distressed sales.

Repeat buyers continue to power the market, too, representing more than half of all home buyers.

• First-time buyers : 32% of all buyers
• Investors : 19% of all buyers
• Repeat buyers : 51% of all buyers

This breakdown suggests that housing has regained its footing. First-time buyers can’t support a market long-term like repeat buyers can and, as compared to 12 months ago, the percentage of repeat buyers is now up 14 points.

Home buyers take note. Raw sales volume is rising and available inventory is dropping. Basic supply-and-demand tells us that this will lead home prices higher. Furthermore, mortgage rates are rising quickly, increasing the cost of homeownership.

If buying a home is a part of your plan for 2011, consider accelerating your purchase time frame. Existing homes account for more than 80% of homes sold nationwide. If the market keeps improving like this, your home affordability will worsen.

After two months of surging sales, home resales fell by 100,000 units last month to 4.4 million homes nationwide.

October’s Existing Home Sales tally is slightly below the report’s 6-month rolling average, according to the National Association of REALTORS® — a time span which includes this year’s $8,000 federal home buyer tax credit’s tail end.

Housing statistics have been wildly inconsistent during that period.

For the future of Chicago housing markets, though, it’s encouraging that first-time and investment property buyers were both outnumbered by “move-up” buyers; buyers that have sold their respective homes in favor of larger ones. It’s the move-up buyers that power housing.

In October, buyer profiles broke down as follows:

• First-time buyers : 32 percent of all buyers, unchanged from September
• Repeat home buyers : 49 percent of all buyers, down one tick from September
• Investors : 19 percent of all buyers, up one tick from September

As a point of comparison, first-timers represented 50 percent of all purchases in October 2009.

For Wicker Park home buyers, October’s Existing Home Sales report is neither weak nor strong. It signals that, with mortgage rates low and home affordability high, housing may be reaching some form of balance. Because — although home sales are down — home supplies are down, too.

We can infer that buyers outnumber sellers, but probably not by much. In most areas, negotiation leverage is still up for grabs.

At the current pace of sales, the complete housing stock would be depleted in 10.6 months.

Existing home sales jumped 10 percent in September, the biggest monthly jump on record and a signal that the housing market may be returning to a normal sales pattern post-$8,000 federal tax credit.

Existing Home Sales counts home resales (i.e. not new construction) and 80 percent of home resales close within 45-60 days. It’s no surprise, therefore, September’s data is strong.

Throughout the July and August, mortgage rates were in free-fall, pushing home affordability to near-record levels. Concurrently, the number of homes available for sale climbed to multi-year highs.

“Deals” were in ample supply this summer and eager Oak Park home buyers snatched them up.

Some of these deals included “distressed properties”, a categorization that includes homes in various stages of foreclosure or short sale, accounted for 35 percent of all sales, an uptick of 1 percent from August.

According to the National Association of Realtors®, home resales split as follows:

• First-time buyers : 32 percent of all buyers
• Repeat home buyers : 50 percent of all buyers
• Investors : 18 percent of all buyers

By contrast, in November 2009, first-timers accounted for more than half of all resales.

For Lincoln Park home buyers, September’s Existing Home Sales report foreshadows a more competitive housing market through the New Year. In addition to rising sales volume, home supplies are down by nearly 2 months from July.

At the current pace of sales, the complete housing stock would be depleted in 10.7 months.

Sales of existing homes in recovered in August, perhaps the result of a post-tax credit normalization.

As compared to July, Existing Home Sales rose 8 percent in August, buoyed by falling interest rates and slow-to-rise home prices. There’s lot of “good deals” out there and home buyers in Chicago are taking advantage.

The housing gains are relative, however. August’s total units sold barely crossed 4 million and still trails the average figures of the last few years by close to 1 million units.

Despite that, the August Existing Home Sales report can be considered a strong one. This is for several reasons:

1. Sales volume increased in August without tax credit or government intervention
2. Sales growth is not limited by geography. All 4 regions — Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, and West — showed improvement last month.
3. Repeat buyers are driving the market, representing 48 percent of sales, up from forty-three percent in July.

And, perhaps most important to the housing market market, the number of available home resales dropped by almost one full month last month.  At the current sales pace, the national inventory would be depleted in 11.6 months.

For home buyers, the data presents an interesting opportunity. With average mortgage rates rising from their best levels ever and home affordability cresting in places like Wicker Park , this autumn may represent the turn-around point for the housing market nationwide.

If you’re planning to move in early-2011, consider moving up your time frame.

Yesterday’s post addressed the fact that home loan approvals are getting easier.   (Full Article:  Home Loan Approvals Getting Easier ) Mortgage rates are at their lowest levels in history.  Home prices, while recovering, still sit well below their April 2007 highs.

Now, soft home sales data just strengthened the buyer’s negotiating power a little further.  The National Association of Realtors®’ Existing Home Sales report showed that the number of resales plunged by 1.4 million units in July.

The national data is a 27% drop from last month and now puts single-family home resales at their lowest levels since May 1999.  Nationally, the drop in sales means that the inventory has increased.   At the current pace, it would take 12.5 months for the inventory to be absorbed.

Compare that to just 8.9 months of inventory as of last month.

Of course, real estate is always local.   Real estate will vary from Wrigleyville to Andersonville, from Wicker Park to Lincoln Park.  Seller sentiment; however, isn’t as hyper-local.  It’s more CNN-based than reality-based.

Sellers were happy a few months ago.  The first half of this year saw stimulus-driven buyers all trying to identify and close properties at the same time.  Sellers had it made the day before the first time home buyer tax credit expired.   What we’re seeing now is a natural slow down.  So many buyers accelerated their purchases into spring that the tax credit had a short-term effect of increasing home values by the $8,000 tax credit.

In the broad sense, home values will influence how much you pay for your home.  In reality, when a buyer and seller are $5,000 apart, the prevailing news determines who blinks first at the negotiating table.  It looks like the sellers are under more pressure than the buyers right now.

The main reason to buy today is not home prices, but it is a nice plus.  Rates are down .75% since April.  Every .125% in mortgage rate has the same financial impact as roughly a 1.5% change in home price.  While home prices have risen modestly, rates are lower to the tune of six of those .125%’s—in terms of home affordability, that’s the equivalent of roughly a 9% change in home prices.