Rand Country Blog July 24, 2018

Real Estate Market Report: 2nd Quarter 2018 – Morris County, NJ

The Morris housing market flattened out a bit in the second quarter, with sales down and prices basically flat. Quarterly sales were down for only the second time in about four years, falling over 4% and now down about 1% for the rolling year. But demand remains strong, driving prices up slightly for the quarter and between 2‑3% for the rolling year. Sales might pick up in the third quarter, since we’re starting to see inventory levels rise just a bit after severe declines for most of the past few years. Going forward, we expect that the market will remain strong, with sales and prices generally rising through the end of the year.

To learn more about Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Rand Realty, visit their website and Facebook page, and make sure to “Like” their page. You can also follow them on Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Rand Country Blog July 24, 2018

Real Estate Market Report: 2nd Quarter 2018 – Passaic County, NJ

The Passaic housing market surged again in the second quarter, with both sales and prices up in what is now a robust seller’s market. Falling inventory had been holding back sales in the first quarter, but we’re starting to see more homes come onto the market as sellers see prices going up. As a result, sales were up almost 3% for the quarter, and are now at a level we haven’t seen since the height of the seller’s market 15 years ago. Moreover, we’re seeing sustained appreciation in pricing, with prices rising 6% on average and 5% at the median, and now up about 5% and 7%, respectively, for the rolling year. Going forward, we expect these trends to continue, with both sales and prices rising in a robust summer and fall market.

To learn more about Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Rand Realty, visit their website and Facebook page, and make sure to “Like” their page. You can also follow them on Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Rand Country Blog July 24, 2018

Real Estate Market Report: 2nd Quarter 2018 – Bergen County, NJ

The Bergen housing market cruised through the second quarter, as low levels of inventory continued to stifle growth even while driving prices up. Sales were mixed: single‑family home sales were up about 3% from last year’s second quarter, but condo sales fell about 2%. For the year, sales in both houses and condos are down slightly, the result of inventory that’s fallen below the six‑month level that signals a seller’s market. But low supply and high demand is having its expected impact on pricing, with prices up for both property types for the quarter – rising about 4% at the median. Going forward, we believe that inventory is starting to stabilize, but robust demand will continue to drive both sales and prices up above last year’s levels in a strong summer and fall market.

To learn more about Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Rand Realty, visit their website and Facebook page, and make sure to “Like” their page. You can also follow them on Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Rand Country Blog July 24, 2018

Real Estate Market Report: 2nd Quarter 2018 – Northern New Jersey

The housing market in the Northern New Jersey suburbs of New York City continued to develop as a fully‑realized seller’s market, with low levels of housing supply shackling sales growth but generally driving price appreciation throughout the region.

The regional market continues to suffer from a lack of supply. The number of homes available has settled at levels that generally signal a seller’s market, with about six months of inventory in most of the Northern New Jersey markets. The lack of inventory has been stifling sales growth, since the market lacks “fuel for the fire” to meet the existing buyer demand, even while driving meaningful price appreciation throughout the region.

Because of the lack of inventory, sales were mostly flat. For the region, sales were up just 0.3% in the quarter, and they were mixed in the individual counties: Bergen houses up 3%, Bergen condos down 2%, Hudson down 3%, Passaic up 3%, Morris down 4%, Essex up 1%, and only Sussex bucking the trend by rising about 11%. That said, sales are now at levels we haven’t seen since the seller’s market of the mid‑2000s, and almost double in many places from the bottom of the market following the correction of 2008‑09.

But even as low inventory stifles sales growth, it drives meaningful price appreciation. Prices rose about 2% regionally, with dramatic spikes in Hudson (8%), Passaic (6%), and Sussex (7%). Those types of increases are not sustainable, but the longer‑term trends are still meaningful, with regional average prices up about 2% for the rolling year.

Inventory, however, might be stabilizing. Textbook economics tells us that limited supply, coupled with high demand, drives prices up, which is what we’ve seen in the past several years. But that same textbook also teaches us that rising prices eventually attract more sellers into the market, which fuels sales and stabilizes pricing. And that seems to be what we’re seeing now ‒ after several years of sharply declining supply, inventory either flattened out or even rose in some markets.

Going forward, we expect the seller’s market to continue. Stabilizing inventory might drive more sales growth, but we still believe that demand is strong enough to soak up that added supply and still drive meaningful price appreciation. Accordingly, with good economic conditions, low interest rates, and attractive pricing, we expect that the Northern New Jersey market will see rising sales and prices through a robust summer and fall market.

To learn more about Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Rand Realty, visit their website and Facebook page, and make sure to “Like” their page. You can also follow them on Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Rand Country Blog April 11, 2018

Real Estate Market Report: 1st Quarter 2018 – Hudson County, NJ

Hudson County’s lack of inventory had its expected impact, driving sales down sharply but prices up dramatically in a strong first quarter. Although overall sales for all property types were up 1.6% from the prior rolling year, they were down 9% from last year’s first quarter, dropping for the first time in over three years. They were down for all property types, falling about 7% for single‑family and multi‑family homes, and over 10% for condos, simply because we don’t have enough inventory to meet demand. But lots of buyers chasing fewer homes had its expected impact on average prices, which spiked across the board: rising over 16% for single‑family, over 21% for multi‑family, and over 11% for condos. That kind of price appreciation is not sustainable, but even the yearlong trends are pretty impressive: up 5% for single-family, 15% for multi-family, and 5% for condos. The Hudson market, bolstered by demand emanating out of Manhattan, is simply on fire, and we expect that to continue for a torrid spring.

To learn more about Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Rand Realty, visit their website and Facebook page, and make sure to “Like” their page. You can also follow them on Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Rand Country Blog April 11, 2018

Real Estate Market Report: 1st Quarter 2018 – Sussex County, NJ

Sales in the Sussex market continued to surge in the first quarter, rising almost 7% and marking over three straight years of increasing transactions. This demand continues to winnow down the inventory, which was down almost 22% and is now getting close to the six‑month level that usually denotes the beginning of a seller’s market. But Sussex homeowners are still waiting for some meaningful appreciation, with prices flat for the quarter and still down for the year. We continue to believe that these high levels of demand coupled with declining inventory will eventually drive some meaningful price appreciation, perhaps even as soon as this spring market.

To learn more about Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Rand Realty, visit their website and Facebook page, and make sure to “Like” their page. You can also follow them on Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Rand Country Blog April 11, 2018

Real Estate Market Report: 1st Quarter 2018 – Essex County, NJ

Growth in the Essex market was stifled by a lack of inventory, which was down over 17% from last year and kept sales relatively flat. But increasing demand chasing fewer homes for sale drove prices up, with the average and median both rising about 2%. We’re now seeing sustained appreciation in Essex, with the yearlong prices up almost 2% on average and over 4% at the median. These rising prices will eventually attract more homeowners into selling their homes, but probably not in time for the spring market.  So we expect that the next quarter will continue to see low inventory suppress sales while driving prices higher.

To learn more about Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Rand Realty, visit their website and Facebook page, and make sure to “Like” their page. You can also follow them on Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Rand Country Blog April 11, 2018

Real Estate Market Report: 1st Quarter 2018 – Morris County, NJ

The Morris market cruised through the first quarter, with increases in both sales and prices. Even an almost 20% drop in inventory did not hold sales back, with closings up over 4% from last year. But that lack of inventory did have its expected impact on pricing, which was up over 3% for both the average and the median. We’re now seeing sustained appreciation, with yearlong pricing up over 3% on average and almost 4% at the median. These rising prices will eventually attract more sellers into the market, but probably not in time for the spring market. So we expect that the next quarter will continue to see low inventory suppress sales while driving prices higher.

To learn more about Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Rand Realty, visit their website and Facebook page, and make sure to “Like” their page. You can also follow them on Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Rand Country Blog April 11, 2018

Real Estate Market Report: 1st Quarter 2018 – Passaic County, NJ

Passaic sales growth was stifled by a lack of available homes for sale, which fell over 21% and is now down to 5.3 months of inventory. That lack of inventory drove sales down almost 4%, but also had a dramatic impact on pricing, which was up almost 6% on average and 7% at the median. We’re now seeing a sustainable appreciation trend, with yearlong prices up almost 4% on average and 5% at the median. These rising prices will eventually attract more homeowners into selling their homes,  but probably not in time for the spring market.  So we expect that the next quarter will continue to see low inventory suppress sales while driving prices higher.

To learn more about Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Rand Realty, visit their website and Facebook page, and make sure to “Like” their page. You can also follow them on Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Rand Country Blog April 11, 2018

Real Estate Market Report: 1st Quarter 2018 – Bergen County, NJ

Growth in the Bergen market was stifled by a lack of inventory, which suppressed sales even while it drove meaningful price appreciation. Sales were down for both property types, falling 5% for single-family homes and over 13% in condos. This was not due to a lack of demand, but a lack of supply, as inventory fell again and is now well under the six-month level that usually signals a seller’s market. That drove significant appreciation, with single-family homes now up almost 3% on average and 4% at the median for the rolling year. This appreciation might start attracting more sellers into the market, which would ease the inventory shortage. But that will not happen in time for a spring market, which will be marked by low inventory, stifled sales, and rising prices.

To learn more about Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Rand Realty, visit their website and Facebook page, and make sure to “Like” their page. You can also follow them on Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.