July Contracts: Plugging Along

Contracts negotiated on single-family homes this July fell from the previous month’s total as buyers took their traditional summer break. Transactions for the year continue to track the 2009 data reasonably well, though at a slightly lower activity level.

2011 Hartford County Single-Family Contracts by Month

Buyers have a nice opportunity in the market right now. Inventory is at a slightly elevated level, providing a good selection. Competition from other buyers is relatively low, so immediate bids are usually not needed for the “best” properties. Prices have been trending downwards, and financing terms remain very attractive.

Last month we were concerned about the pace of new listings. Fortunately, homes seem to be coming onto the market at a sustainable pace, as inventory levels have held steady at about 8.7 months since the beginning of the spring market.

It’s good that inventory is not ballooning, because that would put even more pressure on prices to move lower as sellers competed against each other to “win” a buyer. Unfortunately, it’s also a reasonable assumption that there are even more home owners out there who would like to sell their properties. Some would-be sellers have not yet listed because they’re hoping to wait for a more favorable environment, while others are properties caught up in a distressed situation.

Inventory by town is spread throughout a very broad range, with Newington and West Hartford showing the lowest inventory levels…

July 2011 Hartford County Single-Family Contracts by Town