January 2008 Real-Time National Housing Report

Last month we started publishing the Real-Time National Housing Market Report with Steve at Real IQ. The January 2008 edition was published yesterday. You can download the full report here.

The report was picked up today morning by the Dallas Morning News. Dallas is notable because we've watched demand stay at less-bad-than-most.

Here's the press release that accompanied this months report.

HOUSING PRICES CONTINUED TO DECLINE IN DECEMBER

Time-on-Market Increased as Housing Market Demand Falls Faster than Supply

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA – January 9, 2008 – Prices of properties listed for-sale fell in 16 of 20 major markets according to the Real-Time Housing Market Report, jointly published by Altos Research, the premier source for real-time real-estate market research, and market analysis consultancy Real IQ™.

Prices fell at the fastest rate in San Francisco, down 4.6% during the 4th quarter. Prices also fell by more than three percent in the Las Vegas, San Diego, Los Angeles and Detroit markets during the most recent three month period.

Data in the Real-Time National Housing Market Report is based on analysis of over one million properties currently listed for-sale in 20 metropolitan markets across the country. The report is the most timelysource of housing market data on current market activity.

The report also found that the time-on-market increased in virtually all markets. Miami experienced the longest time-on-market span with an average days-on-market of 143 in December. Minneapolis and Detroit both had the second highest average days-on-market at 136.

“Sellers continue to adjust their price expectations downward but not quickly enough to keep pace with declining demand,” said Stephen Bedikian, partner and research director for Real IQ. “Until we see
declines in both inventory levels and days-on-market, we won’t have any confidence that supply and demand are balancing out.”

For-sale listed property inventories declined in most markets during the past three months except in the Florida markets of Tampa and Miami which posted inventory increases of 10.5% and 4.0% respectively.

Inventories declined dramatically in Boston with a decrease of 21.7%. Inventory also fell more than 15% in Minneapolis, Denver and Seattle. “Declining inventory levels are essential to a recovery in the housing market,” said Michael Simonsen CEO and co-founder of Altos Research. “However, if the economy continues to slow or enters a recession, we may see inventories balloon again in the Spring and downward pricing pressure on sellers will intensify.”

The report examines housing pricing, inventory levels and market conditions in 20 major U.S. metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs): Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Phoenix, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa, and Washington, DC. The first report was published December 7, 2007 and will be released every month.