Buyers Market? Sellers Market? Mixed Market!

Almost regardless of the stage in a real estate cycle, someone benefits. Buyers benefit in a buyers market with more home to choose from at lower prices. Sellers benefit in a sellers market with higher prices and shorter days on the market. The type of market is determined by various statistics and data usually trending in a direction that favors either home buyers or home sellers. When these statistics don't trend in a direction where only one party benefits, as evidenced in the San Antonio data below, this could be seen as a Mixed Market where anyone stands to benefit.

Monthly Supply: At the current August sales pace it would take a little over 6 months to deplete the current single family home inventory. The National Association of REALTORS describes a balanced market as one with between 5 and 7 months inventory. Both home sellers and home buyers stand to benefit in a balanced market.

Active Listing Inventory: With fewer houses on the market, sellers have fewer homes to compete against when listing their home. With fewer choices for buyers, a home may sell faster and closer to its original asking price. Home sellers stand to benefit when listing inventories are lower.

Average Sales Price: A decreasing average sales price gives purchasing power for home buyers and makes buying a home more affordable. Lower sales prices may incentivize someone to "move-up" to a more expensive home or even put someone in the market who originally had no intentions to purchase a home. Homes buyers stand to benefit from decreasing homes prices

All Data from the San Antonio Board of REALTORS