Monday Market Snapshot 2010/05/10

If something keeps changing in the same direction for a long time, when does it stop being change? The market makeup in Clark County, Washington keeps shrinking in inventory so it is indeed changing. This week we have 3609 homes actively for sale in the MLS. It was 3604 last week. For the Vancouver area, there are 2566 homes available compared to 2569 last week. The make up of short sale and bank owned remains pretty steady at 33% of the total available and about 35% of what sold recently. The numbers still show that more of what actually completes for sales is more of the bank owned than the short sales. Specifically, bank owned are usually 3 - 5% of the available properties and about 12 - 15% of the sold properties.

Ten days beyond the April 30th deadline for getting homes under contract in order to qualify for the federal tax incentives and it doesn't seem to be showing up in a difference in pending-listed ratios. That is probably a good sign.

Recently, an article in our local paper, The Columbian ran an article about improved sales in the luxury price range. Good to know. As for the rest of the market, although only about 56% of the homes available in MLS are at $250,000 or below, about 67% of the homes under contract (pending) are at $250,000 or below. This may be part of the first-time homebuyer program. It may be a reflection of short-sales and bank-owned. We'll see what happens in the coming weeks.

If you're ready to sell a home, or buy a home, in any price range, it's still a good time to call me. I can help you with all sorts of real estate in Southwest Washington. And if I can't help you, I'll find someone who can.

Whether you're looking for your first home, or possibly your last, or selling either of them, I have the patience and experience to help you make the best choice in Vancouver Washington. The Natural Choice in real estate is working with a professional real estate agent (me!) at Krogseng Real Estate who listens to your needs and works as a trusted advisor to get the best solution to your housing needs. We will give you a new attitude about real estate. If you are concerned about living a more sustainable lifestyle, Vancouver Washington may be the city for you. I specialize in knowing the neighborhoods in Vancouver Washington that have great walkscore ratings. Whether you want the low-maintenance condo lifestyle, a home that gets you off the grid, or a home that is something in between in Clark County, the natural choice in real estate will be someone that can help you find just the right home and neighborhood. If you're looking for homes that have been certified as green, you'll want to know I keep informed of the newly constructed homes and their various green certifications. Visit Krogseng Real Estate for more information.