What Were The Odds of Selling Your Seattle-Eastside Home in July, 2010?

Seattle-Eastside Residential Real Estate Sales, July 2010

The odds of selling a home on the Eastside in July, 2010 ranged from a low of 11.5% to a high of 17%, with an average 14% absorption rate.(The absorption rate is the number of homes for sale in a month divided by the actual number of homes sold that month.)

July, 2010               3468  homes for sale     501 homes sold                  14% odds of selling.

June, 2010              3360 homes for sale     475 (was 503)  homes sold       14%(was 15%) odds of selling.*

May, 2010               3209 homes for sale     492 homes sold        15% odds of selling.*

July, 2009               3819 homes for sale     516 homes sold        13.5 % odds of selling.

June, 2009              3859 homes for sale     563  homes sold         15% odds of selling.

*Adjusted from previous month’s numbers to reflect the actual number of homes sold and closed. Each month some sales  fall apart and don’t close.  A lower number of home sales may be reported at a later date to show the actual number of sales that did close.

For the past few months, the absorption rate for all the Seattle-eastside areas has been in the teens, hovering around 13-15%.   May, June, and July all had similar absorption rates.  Since May of 2009, the number of homes that have sold each month has not varied all that much, with the exception of March and April of this year. March and April had higher sales because of the tax credit.

Where we see more of a difference is in the number  of homes for sale on Seattle’s eastside.  Last year  there were 3819 homes for sale in July, 2009.  This year there are 10% less homes on the market.  But even with less homes on the market, the odds of selling are about the same.

We have the lowest interest rates since 1971.  Plus, our Seattle eastside real estate market is clearly a buyers’ market again, since the absorption rate is so low.  It’s very obvious when shown on a map of the area. I’ll  post a map of the Seattle eastside showing where buyers and sellers markets are located later this week.  The reality is, however, that most of the real estate markets are buyers’ markets right now.

So why are real estate sales so sluggish? My guess is the “fear factor.”  People are still worried about the economy.  Plus, with interest rates predicted to remain low for the foreseeable future, there’s also no sense of urgency to buy.

Why do you think the Seattle eastside real estate market is slower?

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July, 2009 Seattle-Eastside real estate market compared to July, 2010:

• The average asking price of pending homes (recently sold homes) went from $558,397 to $573,617. (This does not show what the homes actually sold for.)
  
• This week, there were 14,414 King County homes (houses and condos) for sale.
  
• Two weeks ago  may have been the peak of the number of homes for sale this year when 14,639 homes were on the market.
  
• Home sales on Seattle’s Eastside:   down 13%.
  
• Number of homes for sale on Seattle’s Eastside:  down 10%
  

Best odds of selling: Carnation and Redmond, from downtown to north and east, with 17% of the homes getting accepted offers. Ironically, last month this area had the worst odds of selling at 9%.

Worst odds of selling: West Bellevue, with 11.5% of the homes getting accepted offers.

Biggest increase in sales from last year: A 5% increase in South Bellevue home sales, which is the biggest increase.

Smallest increase in sales from last year: Kirkland, with a 3% increase.  There were only two areas with an increase in the number of home sales on Seattle’s eastside.

Decline in real estate sales from last year: There was a decline in 5 out of the 7 Seattle-eastside areas with the largest decline in home sales  in West Bellevue with a 31%  decline in the number of homes sold.

The peak of homes for sale in 2008: July,  4370 homes.

The peak of homes for sale in 2009: June,  3859 homes.

The number of eastside homes for sale at the start of 2010: 2584 homes

The number of eastside homes for sale in July, 2010: 3468 homes.

Rate of home sales that failed and did not close: 6%

For a picture of King County sales, check out The Seattle Times. The headline states sales are down, but prices are up.  Keep in mind the headline may not represent each area.  Prices are up slightly in some areas, down in others, and sales are down in 5 out of 7 eastside areas.