Just one year ago, in February 2020, housing inventory was dwindling and setting historic records. In reviewing the numbers from January of this year, the narrative remains the same. The final tally of homes for sale in January 2020 was 8,876 and one year later, a staggering 51.6 percent decline is apparent, with only 4,296 homes for sale in Northeast Florida.
Homeowners are still looking to navigate new realities created by the events of 2020, which may be a big reason why many are not looking to sell.
“The increased cost of buying a home has many homeowners with financial constraints looking to stay put instead,” said Missi Howell, president of Northeast Florida Association of Realtors.
According to Howell, historically low interest rates makes refinancing and renovating an attractive option for many homeowners.
“With so many people having the ability to work remotely and conduct virtual meetings instead of face-to-face meetings, it eliminates the need to be closer to a workplace or to relocate to another market,” she said.
Low inventory continues to fuel a seller’s market with strong buyer competition. All properties sold realized a significant bump in their sale price over listing price. Homes in the $200,000 to $299,999 range saw the largest bump in properties sold over list price at 43.4 percent. This increase in homes sold over listing price indicates sellers are receiving healthy competition for their properties.
“Economists who understand the housing market and especially the Florida housing market expect this under-supply and over-demand of housing trend to continue through 2021, but forecasts going into 2022 appear to be fuzzy,” said Howell.
November and December of 2020 saw two straight months of decline in new listings. January marked the first month since October where a positive increase in new listings from the previous month was apparent. It’s hard to pin down exactly why there is an uptick in new listings, but as Howell pointed out, “many people living in higher density or urban areas are wanting to have more space inside and out.”
“COVID-19 has forced everyone to reevaluate their situation, a desire for more personal space may be on top of that list,” she said. “It takes a while for a seller to go from ‘I think I might want to sell and move’ to ‘I’m ready to list.’ We won’t know if this two-month trend of increasing inventory will continue, but for the sake of the market and buyers desperate to find a home, let’s hope so.”
Looking toward the future, Howell cautions that consumers are being “inundated with solicitations” from many types of companies wanting to help them with their buying and selling needs.
“Consumers need to be diligent in their research when selecting with whom to do business. Read reviews. Does the business or agent have experience with the type of real estate they have or are seeking, and is what they are offering truly the best fit for the consumer? Fast and easy is not always best,” said Howell.
“They should seek a Realtor, which means they are not only working with a state licensee, but they are also working with an individual who is a member of the National Association of Realtors, bound to an enforceable Code of Ethics, with training that extends beyond the state licensing requirements.”
NEFAR serves as the voice for real estate in Northeast Florida and is the area’s largest professional association, comprising nearly 10,000 members working in multiple facets of the industry, including residential and commercial sales as well as property management. Learn more at NEFAR.com.
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