Market Statistics

June 17, 2010

Good News For Sellers : Housing Starts Fall To 1-Year Low In May 2010

Single-family housing starts plummeted to a one-year low in May, just 30 days after soaring to a 20-month high.  It's no wonder home builders are confused.

Against a revised April figure, Housing Starts fell 97,000 units in May, a figure representing almost one-fifth of the total market size ...

March 24, 2010

Existing Home Sales Flatten And Point To A Much Better Spring

Existing Home Sales Feb 2008-Feb 2010As expected, Existing Home Sales fell in February, slipping 30,000 units versus January's numbers. It's the 4th straight month in which Existing Home Sales were lower, month-over-month.

An "existing" home is one that is previously owned and lived-in (i.e. not new construction).

Existing Home Sales peaked ...

Posted in Market Statistics
Feb. 26, 2010

The Home Price Index Shows Some Regions Up, Some Regions Down

Monthly changes in Home Price Index Since April 2007

Earlier this week, the private-sector Case-Shiller Index showed home prices slightly lower between November and December.  Thursday, the public-sector Home Price Index showed the same.

Publishing on a 2-month lag, the Federal Home Finance Agency said home prices fell by 1.6 percent nationally in December.  And that's an ...

Posted in Market Statistics
Feb. 25, 2010

Indianapolis Listed in the Top 10 Housing Markets

IndianapolisIndianapolis Real Estate seems to always be making the news. Through the bad times and the good times, we are nationally known.  When we ranked in the top ten for foreclosures, the nation knew. We are  known as having the most affordable housing market in the nation for a city ...

Feb. 19, 2010

Housing Starts Soar To 6-Month High In January... Or Do They?

Housing Starts Feb 2008-Jan 2010

Sometimes, headlines for housing can be misleading and this week gave us a terrific example.

On Wednesday, the Commerce Department released its Housing Starts data for January 2010. The data showed starts at a 6-month high.

A “Housing Start” is a privately-owned home on which construction has started.

Headlines on ...

Posted in Market Statistics
Feb. 13, 2010

Indianapolis Real Estate Market Update 2008-2009

Comparing the Indianapolis real estate market from 2008 - 2009 indicates signs of recovery on the horizon. As we track the number of home sales, the first half of 2009 was well below the number of sales of 2008. In July, the sales equaled 2009 and with the exception of December ...

Feb. 3, 2010

Pending Home Sales Predicts A Stronger Spring Market

The Pending Home Sales Index rose slightly in December, climbing 1 percent from November.

A Pending Home Sale is a home that is under contract to sell, but not yet sold. It's a figure compiled by the National Association of Realtors® using sales data from over 100 regional listing ...

Jan. 29, 2010

Home Values Rose In November 2009 By Another 0.7 Percent

Home Price Index April 2007 to November 2009

Reporting on a two-month lag, the government said home values rose 0.7 percent in November. 

National home prices are at their highest point since February 2009.

But before we look too much into the FHFA's Home Price Index, it's important that we're cognizant of its shortcomings ...

Dec. 6, 2009

Home Inventory Plummets, Pushing Prices Higher

New Home Supply October 2009The supply of newly-built homes fell to its lowest levels since 2006, offering additional proof of a housing market in recovery. You only have to take a drive through new home communities in Indianapolis to see the reduced amount of new starts.

Home supply is defined as the amount of ...

Posted in Market Statistics
Nov. 27, 2009

The Home Price Index Shows Home Values Increasing. Case-Shiller Agrees.

Home Price Index October 2009It's official -- home prices are no longer in free fall.

According to the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the Home Price Index posted its first quarterly increase since 2007 last quarter.

The news was reported Tuesday.

The Home Price Index is an interesting metric.  It's huge in its scope ...

Posted in Market Statistics