Available Inventory has dropped while sales remain consistent. Click to enlarge.
Really, what’s the deal?
Have you been looking at homes recently only to find that the listing you saw on Trulia.com Wednesday afternoon is now under-contract?
Well, that’s been a problem for many buyers engaged in Northern Virginia real estate going into this year (2013) and it appears to be a systemic issue affecting the broader real estate market. Take a look at this five-year snapshot and note the number of “active” listings in December 2012 compared to the overall period.
If you are a current home buyer then you are probably thinking, “that’s what I am seeing”.
The factors that have been influencing consumer behavior have been:
- uncertainty about the economy and job market like most parts of the country
- the continuous downward trend in mortgage interest rates have made existing mortgages more affordable through refinancing.
- a decision to stay-put
A stronger interest in “staying-put” has become the big influencer for existing home owners that are making real estate decisions. People are taking a second look at their communities in Northern Virginia and recognizing that they live in nice areas already.
So, why move? The grass certainly doesn’t look any greener and the commute looks longer!
As a result, I have met with many home owners in Vienna, McLean and Oakton Virginia who have decided to remodel and expand their homes rather than move.
My buyer clients understand that our strategy is essential
So, if you are a home buyer then you are caught in a “squeeze play” – the home owner affordability index works in your favor but fewer people are selling their homes. Rather than a hit or miss approach, having a clear strategy from the get-go includes much more than having a pre-approval letter from a mortgage professional.
These charts will update monthly so let’s watch the trend change. (Hint: BOOKMARK this page)
Vienna Virginia Real Estate Trends
McLean Virginia Real Estate Trends
These charts can be re-engineered depending on what you are looking for from the real estate stats, so if there is something missing then let me know via email or comment below.
Related articles
- Luxury Home Builders betting on Vienna Virginia (dougfrancis.com)
About Doug Francis
A few years ago I noticed that real estate sites seem to show the same MLS listings, so I decided to create a distinct real estate blog to share my local insight - if you already live here or are relocating. There are topics based on recent client experiences, buying custom homes, and more learned over the past twenty years. Take a few minutes and read a blog post or two to see if my approach matches your goals. I am a real estate agent with RE/MAX, have lived in Oakton and McLean, and live in Vienna Virginia. My goal is to provide you with intel into today's market, candor, practical advice, ideas to get you moving, some humor, geeky stats, the best coffee shop, some video, and a cool way to search for homes. Helping you understanding the process of making an offer, the sales contract and more will come when we meet. Yes, I live here. It is easy to reach me: 
It seems as though inventory is down all around the country. In Arizona we are down nearly 80% from a year ago.