Let’s look at the Snohomish County Real Estate Market Report – January 2020. Data shown are gathered from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) and report all stats for the previous month.
The real estate market has not slowed down as it usually does this time of year. Buyers are out there, they are showing up at open houses making multiple offers on the new listings. We have a severe shortage of listings creating buyer frustration and driving up home values. Newly released figures showed that December inventory was down 31% from the same month one year ago. Last month marked 6 months of declining inventory.
December was a bit of an anomaly in King County, although appreciation has slowed considerably from the 14% or so annual appreciation increases that we experienced in the frenzy years, inventory continues to get tighter. It was one of the most active counties with an unusual amount of ready, willing, and able buyers in the Seattle market.
Out of the four-county Puget Sound region (encompassing King, Kitsap, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties), the median of closed sales was $495,000 up 10% from a year ago.
The luxury market has also seen some “unusually brisk activity” as the year wound down, with several multimillion-dollar sales coming in all-cash with less than two-week closings. Another noticeable trend he cited was foreign buyers and sellers anxious to complete buy-sell transactions before year-end.
As we progress into the first quarter of 2020, we will see increased inventory creating a better selection of homes on the market. Buyers will want to be ready to supply sellers with prequalification letters including satisfaction of major underwriting elements.
Projection moving forward, I expect we will have a very strong year. I like to follow the unemployment numbers, citing State Employment Security Department reports showing the unemployment rate in King County for November 2019 was 2.3%, the lowest rate for any month measured since January 2016 and the highest employment rate since November 2017.
A look at Housing Stats
December began with a total of Brokers adding 611 new listings to inventory during the month in Snohomish County
Currently, we have .87 months’ worth of inventory in Snohomish County. The Median price of $510,000 is an average based on the data on the following cities Bothell, Lynnwood, Everett, Snohomish, Lake Stevens, & Marysville.
The average sale price for single-family homes in the above cities for the month ending December 2019 is $558,850 Up 5.2% from a year ago.
The average days on the market for December 2019 were 41, compared to December 2018 which was 48 days on the market.
Let’s Take A Look at Bothell, Lynnwood, Everett, Snohomish, Lake Stevens, and Marysville:
Bothell- Median sales price is $670,800 down -4.6% from December of last year. The average time on the market is 43 days down -29.50% compared to last year.
Lynnwood- Median sales price is $549,950 up 5.8% from December of last year. The average time on the market is 36 days down -39.0% compared to last year.
Everett -Median sales price is $505,500 up 13.6% from December last year. The average time on the market is 34 days down -12.8% compared to last year.
Snohomish- Median sales price is $513,500 up 23.4% from December last year. The average time on the market is 55 days up 48.6% compared to last year.
Marysville- median sales price is $430,900 up 10.5% from December last year. The average time on the market is 46 days up 9.5% compared to last year.
What Does This Data Mean?
Although inventory levels continue to fall and most places currently have less than 2 months supply available, we are still very much in a seller-based market, a balanced market is said to be when we have approximately 4-6 months worth of inventory. Due to the ongoing demand for real estate in the Greater Seattle area, I would expect to see a robust real estate market going forward into Spring 2020. Prices are continuing to increase in the North Sound Region, especially along the I-5 corridor.
What Does This Mean If You Are Buying A Home in Snohomish County
If you are buying a home in Snohomish County you are going to see a sparse amount of inventory available, you must act quickly, buyers are out there and very serious, driving up prices. The average time on the market was 55 days for December in Snohomish County (this is an average including all price points). Buyers looking for single-family homes and condos are seeing increases in prices, interest rates at historic lows and holding for the time being. If you are on the fence about selling your property now is a great time to sell. Lack of inventory is driving up prices.
This is the perfect time to sign up and receive email notifications when a new home is listed in the Snohomish County real estate market. Email notifications and instant alerts give you an advantage over other buyers looking for homes. Fill out our form below so we can keep you ahead of the competition!
What Does This Mean If You Are Selling A Home In Snohomish County
If you are selling a home in Snohomish County buyers are eager and shopping. This is still a seller’s market and most sellers may get very close or over their list price.
Competition means your home needs to be priced competitively. Double-check to make sure your property is in optimum selling condition.
Check the home valuation calculator to get an estimated value on your home. Contact us to get a comprehensive report. We work closely with sellers to create a marketing strategy that gets your listing in front of buyers wanting to buy.
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