For release:
February 19, 2014

Constrained housing inventory flattens January home sales

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 19) – A limited supply of available homes for sale continued to hamper California housing sales, which were essentially flat in January, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) reported.

"The underlying fundamentals for housing demand exists, however, constrained inventory is holding back a stronger recovery as affordability becomes an issue for current homeowners who are reluctant to move due to less attractive mortgage rates and more restrictive lending standards," said C.A.R. President Kevin Brown. "Supply conditions in the lower-priced segment were especially tight as inventory for homes priced below $300,000 fell 13.4 percent from the previous year, while inventory for homes priced $1 million and higher increased 11.1 percent from last year."

Closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes in California totaled a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 363,640 units in January, according to information collected by C.A.R. from more than 90 local REALTOR® associations and MLSs statewide. January marked the third straight month that sales were below the 400,000 level and the sixth straight decline on a year-over-year basis. Sales in January inched up 0.3 percent from a revised 362,430 in December but were down 13.8 percent from a revised 421,780 in January 2013. The statewide sales figure represents what would be the total number of homes sold during 2014 if sales maintained the January pace throughout the year. It is adjusted to account for seasonal factors that typically influence home sales.

The statewide median price of an existing, single-family detached home fell 6.2 percent from December’s revised median price of $438,090 to $410,990 in January. January’s price was 22.1 percent higher than the revised $336,650 recorded in January 2013, marking 23 consecutive months of year-over-year price increases and the 19th straight month of double-digit annual gains, as sales of higher priced homes made up a larger share of the market compared to a year ago. The median sales price is the point at which half of homes sold for more and half sold for less; it is influenced by the types of homes selling as well as a general change in values.

"The decline in the January median price was the largest in a year but is typical between December and January, with that decline averaging nearly nine percent over the last six years," said C.A.R. Vice President and Chief Economist Leslie Appleton-Young. "The statewide median price was pulled down by a change in the mix of sales, as sales in higher-priced areas such as the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, and Ventura counties fell much sharper than in lower-priced areas."

Other key facts from C.A.R.’s January 2014 resale housing report include:

• Housing inventory improved in January as home sellers geared up to sell their homes for the spring home-buying season. The available supply of existing, single-family detached homes for sale rose in January to 4.3 months, up from December’s Unsold Inventory Index of 3 months. The index was 3.5 months in January 2013. The index indicates the number of months needed to sell the supply of homes on the market at the current sales rate. A six- to seven-month supply is considered typical in a normal market.
• The median number of days it took to sell a single-family home also increased to 44.3 days in January, up from 40.2 days in December and from a revised 36.7 days in January 2013.
• Mortgage rates dipped in January, with the 30-year, fixed-mortgage interest rate averaging 4.43 percent, down from 4.46 percent in December but up from 3.41 percent in January 2013, according to Freddie Mac. Adjustable-mortgage interest rates in January averaged 2.55 percent, down from 2.56 in December and down from 2.58 percent in January 2013.

Slides:

• Unsold Inventory by price range.
• Change in sales by price range.
• Share of sales by price range.

Note: The County MLS median price and sales data in the tables are generated from a survey of more than 90 associations of REALTORS® throughout the state, and represent statistics of existing single-family detached homes only. County sales data are not adjusted to account for seasonal factors that can influence home sales. Movements in sales prices should not be interpreted as changes in the cost of a standard home. The median price is where half sold for more and half sold for less; medians are more typical than average prices, which are skewed by a relatively small share of transactions at either the lower-end or the upper-end. Median prices can be influenced by changes in cost, as well as changes in the characteristics and the size of homes sold. Due to the low sales volume in some areas, median price changes may exhibit unusual fluctuation. The change in median prices should not be construed as actual price changes in specific homes.

Leading the way?® in California real estate for more than 100 years, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (www.car.org) is one of the largest state trade organizations in the United States with 165,000 members dedicated to the advancement of professionalism in real estate. C.A.R. is headquartered in Los Angeles.

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January 2014 County Sales and Price Activity
(Regional and condo sales data not seasonally adjusted)

r = revised
NA = not available

January 2014 County Unsold Inventory and Time on Market
(Regional and condo sales data not seasonally adjusted)

r = revised
NA = not available