Betty Poore: What's New on the Charleston Coast Blog

Great news in the real estate world. According to NAR, pending home sales are up in the 4 regions they track. Here is the article for your review.

Pending Homes Sales

(October 1, 2009 Release)

Highlights

• The pending home sales index rose 6.4 percent in August to 103.8, compared to 97.6 in July.
• The pending home sales index rose 12.3 percent from a year ago.
• All four regions reported increases: the West, Northeast, Midwest and South posted increases of 16.0 percent, 8.3 percent, 3.1 percent and 0.8 percent, respectively.

Pending Home Sales Index
	Aug 09	July 09	3 mo Avg	1 year ago
United States	103.8	97.6	98.7	92.4
% change	6.4	3.2		12.3
Northeast	85.3	78.8	80.3	75.3
% change	8.3	-3.0		13.3
Midwest	90.8	88.1	89.1	81.5
% change	3.1	-2.0		11.4
South	104.6	103.8	99.5	92.6
% change	0.8	3.1		13.0
West	130.5	112.5	103.5	93.8
% change	16.0	12.1		39.1

Source: National Association of Realtors; index is seasonally adjusted

Analysis

The index of pending home sales reported by the National Association of Realtors, climbed 6.4 percent in August compared to the previous month. The surge in sales contracts on existing homes in August was the highest monthly pace of contracts this year; and also was the seventh consecutive monthly gain in the index. The pending sales index is now 12.4 percent above the index registered in August 2008. The large jump in the index exceeded economists’ expectations as represented by a panel of analysts surveyed by Briefing.com that had a forecast of a 1 percent rise in the index.

Pending home sales are contract signings, not closings, and thus considered a leading indicator of existing home sales which are closings. The ramp up in home sales contracts over the past several months can be partially attributed to the $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit which is set to expire November 30. It is likely that a meaningful number of first-time buyers are hurrying to sign contract to purchase homes before the $8,000 tax credit expires at the end of next month.

Last week, the NAR reported in another report that existing home sales in August fell 2.7 percent from the previous month which brings into question the accuracy of the pending home sales index as a reliable indicator of future home sales. Many economists agree that the fallout rate-the rate at which contract signings never reach the closing stage-has increased markedly in recent months and probably explains the discrepancy between contracts and closings. Some of the households that sign a sales contract may not be able to obtain a mortgage to close the deal due to stricter credit underwriting standards. The NAR also cites that there continues to be problems in the new appraisal rules which are making it difficult for some deals to satisfy the loan-to-value ratios required by underwriters.

Nevertheless, the surge in pending sales contract volume in recent months indicates that buyers are coming back to the home buying marketplace. They are signing contracts, but not all of them actually close. The favorable news in the pending home sales report bodes well for future existing home sales activity. Combined with other recent favorable housing reports over the past several months, strengthens the notion that the housing sector is firmly on a recovery trajectory, at least from a sales perspective.

Labels: Charleston, coast, real estate, south

This past Thursday the Post and Courier ran a story on Charleston Home sales. The gist of the story is what we all know and folks are experiencing throughout the country. Homes sales are down, along with home prices. But, there is a silver lining in the article that is slowly emerging. As the prices drop, real estate becomes relatively more affordable, which translates in to more sales. To read the article, just click here.

Labels: affordable, Charleston, coast, home prices, real estate

Greetings!

Well, summer may just be behind us. Mark and I have shut down the AC today, opened up the windows and have a strong breeze blowing through the house. It is wonderful and hopefully here to stay.

However, the stong northeast wind has not been kind to our beach. As many of you know, the north end of the island has been experiencing erosion that has affected some of the condominimum neighborhoods at Wild Dunes and the 18th fairway of the Links course. There has been a lot of discussion and information...and as it happens hearing something 3rd or 4th hand, some misinformation. With that in mind, I am including this link to the best information I have seen recently. Please give me a call if you have any questions after you read through it.

Labels: beach, Charleston, coast, erosion, Isle of Palms