Housing affordability continues to be a major roadblock for market participants, with mortgage rates more than double compared to this time last year. Buyers are delaying home purchases in hopes rates will drop, while many sellers are holding off on listing their homes due to weakening buyer demand, unwilling to trade in their current lower rates for significantly higher borrowing costs on their next property. As a result, existing home and pending home sales have continued to slow as we move into winter.

New Listings decreased 28.1 percent for single-family homes and 31.0 percent for townhouse-condo properties. Pending Sales decreased 32.2 percent for single-family homes and 27.9 percent for townhouse-condo properties.

Inventory decreased 0.9 percent for single-family homes and 29.5 percent for townhouse-condo properties. The Median Sales Price was up 5.7 percent to $438,500 for single-family homes and 19.6 percent to $330,000 for townhouse-condo properties. Days on Market decreased 37.1 percent for single-family homes but increased 14.3 percent for townhouse-condo properties. Months Supply of Inventory increased 25.0 percent for single-family homes but increased 28.6 percent for townhouse/condo properties.

With home sales down, nationwide housing inventory was at 3.3 months’ supply heading into November, up from 2.4 months from this time last year, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. Although buyers have more options to choose from, home prices remain high, and soaring borrowing costs have caused monthly payments to increase significantly, with the average homebuyer paying 77% more on their loan per month compared to the same period a year ago, according to Realtor.com.

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Existing home sales declined nationwide for the eighth consecutive month, falling 1.5% as of last measure, according to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), with sales down nearly 24% from the same period last year. Pending home sales also declined, dropping 10.9% month-to-month, exceeding economists’ expectations. Stubbornly high inflation and soaring borrowing costs have eroded buyer purchasing power and have caused the market to cool rapidly this year.

New Listings decreased 9.2 percent for single-family homes and 2.1 percent for townhouse-condo properties. Pending Sales decreased 21.0 percent for single-family homes but increased 1.9 percent for townhouse-condo properties.

Inventory decreased 9.0 percent for single-family homes and 29.2 percent for townhouse-condo properties.The Median Sales Price was up 9.8 percent to $435,000 for single-family homes and 16.3 percent to $330,000 for townhouse-condo properties. Days on Market decreased 6.7 percent for single-family homes and 45.8 percent for townhouse condo properties. Months Supply of Inventory increased 6.7 percent for single-family homes but increased 25.0 percent for townhouse-condo properties.

The US housing market is undergoing a major shift, and affordability continues to be an obstacle for buyers and sellers. Mortgage rates have doubled since March, and home prices remain elevated due to a limited supply of homes, although price gains are slowing at a quickening pace. As a result, many homeowners are waiting until market conditions improve to sell their home, while other sellers are increasingly cutting prices and offering concessions to attract a greater number of buyers.

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After two years of record-setting activity, there are signs the housing market might be cooling. High home prices and a surge in mortgage interest rates are slowing buyer activity, with home sales declining for the third consecutive month under the weight of soaring homeownership costs. The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) reports existing home sales were down 2.4% from the previous month, while pending sales fell 3.9% as of last measure, extending the trend of recent months. Economists predict sales will continue to soften in the near future, which may put downward pressure on home prices.

New Listings decreased 6.7 percent for single-family homes but increased 17.9 percent for townhouse-condo properties. Pending Sales remained flat for single-family properties but increased 20.8 percent for townhouse-condo properties. Inventory decreased 35.8 percent for single-family homes and 28.3 percent for townhouse-condo properties. The Median Sales Price was up 15.8 percent to $439,950 for single-family homes and 26.7 percent to $332,500 for townhouse-condo properties. Days on Market decreased 29.0 percent for single-family homes and 50.0 percent for townhouse-condo properties. Months Supply of Inventory decreased 28.6 percent for single-family homes and 25.0 percent for townhouse-condo properties.

The slowdown in sales has provided a much-needed lift to housing supply, with inventory up 10.8% from the previous month according to NAR, although supply remains down 10.4% compared to this time last year, with only 2.2 months’ supply of homes at the current sales pace. As the nation continues to explore ways to solve the ongoing housing shortage, estimated at 5.5 million homes, the Biden administration recently unveiled the Housing Supply Action Plan, which aims to expand housing access through a number of administrative and legislative actions and help relieve the nation’s housing crisis over the next 5 years.

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The economy is improving, unemployment is falling, and the U.S. real estate market remains strong as we head into the holiday season, a period when activity typically slows as people take time to travel, celebrate, and spend time with loved ones. Although the market is not as frenetic as was seen earlier this year, buyer demand is high, bolstered by attractive mortgage rates and a low supply of inventory.

New Listings increased 6.1 percent for single-family homes but decreased 4.5 percent for townhouse-condo properties. Pending Sales increased 11.7 percent for single-family homes but decreased 10.4 percent for townhouse-condo properties. Inventory decreased 45.6 percent for single-family homes and 44.8 percent for townhouse-condo properties.

The Median Sales Price was up 15.8 percent to $415,000 for single-family homes and 7.0 percent to $276,000 for townhouse-condo properties. Days on Market decreased 20.5 percent for single-family homes and 44.4 percent for townhouse-condo properties. Months Supply of Inventory decreased 47.4 percent for single-family homes and 40.0 percent for townhouse-condo properties.

The most recent data from the National Association of REALTORS® reports the median single-family existing home sales price rose 16% in the third quarter of this year to $363,700, with all four regions of the country experiencing double-digit price growth. In new construction, builder confidence increased in November, surpassing analyst expectations and rising to 83 on the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), the highest level since spring, despite persistent labor and supply chain challenges and a shortage of available lots.

The Northwestern Vermont Board of REALTORS® (NVBR) has released its market statistics for September 2021. The information is derived from data contained in the New England Real Estate Network and covers Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle Counties.

Nationwide, existing home sales were down slightly in August, falling 2% after two consecutive months of increases, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. The decline in existing home sales coincides with rising sales prices, which have continued to soar into fall, with the median sales price of existing homes up 14.9% compared to last year. Declining affordability has had a significant impact on homebuyers, many of whom have been priced out of the market and are choosing to wait for sales prices to ease before resuming their home search.

New Listings decreased 10.4 percent for single-family homes and 10.4 percent for townhouse-condo properties. Pending Sales increased 0.4 percent for single-family homes but decreased 11.3 percent for townhouse-condo properties. Inventory decreased 40.5 percent for single-family homes and 47.7 percent for townhouse-condo properties.

The Median Sales Price was up 15.7 percent to $395,000 for single-family homes and 0.5 percent to $284,050 for townhouse-condo properties. Days on Market decreased 35.6 percent for single-family homes and 33.3 percent for townhouse-condo properties. Months Supply of Inventory decreased 41.7 percent for single-family homes and 46.2 percent for townhouse-condo properties.

There are signs the market may be shifting, however. New listings have continued to hit the market, bucking seasonality trends commonly seen in the fall, a time when listing and sales activity typically slows as children return to school. As inventory increases, competition for homes may soften, and could even bring a moderation in sales prices, which, after 114 months of year-over-year gains, would be music to the ears of homebuyers throughout the country.

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