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From the monthly archives:

July 2008

Over the last few days I’ve reported on market statistics for single family homes and condo sales for the first half of 2008.

One more piece of the puzzle that should be examined is how long it is taking properties to sell this year. It’s also important to see how the length of time to sell a property affects the price reduction that sellers end up making in order to get it sold.

Single Family Homes
DOM % Sold Sale Price/Final List Price
0-30 28.0% 97.0%
31-60 20.0% 95.6%
61-90 14.3% 94.8%
91-120 10.9% 95.0%
121+ 26.9% 93.6%
Condos
DOM % Sold Sale Price/Final List Price
0-30 20.7% 98.3%
31-60 18.4% 96.6%
61-90 14.7% 96.9%
91-120 8.7% 96.1%
121+ 37.5% 96.7%

DOM = days on market from list to pending status

NOTE: The data above includes properties listed for sale in the MLS (MARIS) in St. Louis City, St. Louis County and St. Charles County. The system does not allow me to determine the % price reduction from original list price to final sale price. The majority of properties that are on the market for over 30 days have had one or more price reductions in addition to the price drop listed in the statistics above.

Conclusions:

Even though we are in a slow housing market, 28% of homes and 20% of condos are still selling in 30 days or less. Almost 1/2 of homes and a little over 1/3 of condos are selling in 60 days or less.

If you are looking for a reason to price a property based on the current market rather than trying for a higher price for a little while, just take a look at how the sale price goes down the longer a property is on the market.

Homeowners that sell in 1 month or less average 97% off list price, and condo owners do even better at 98.3% off list price. As time goes on, condo owners do better than single family homeowners with condos averaging around 4% off list price whether it takes 2 months or 6 months to sell. In comparison, single family home sellers end up coming down more the longer they are on the market.

Don’t forget that properties that have been on the market for months normally have had multiple price reductions. The bottom line is that aggressive starting prices can actually result in a much lower price in the end.

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Compared to single family homes, the condo market is much more consistent across the 3 counties that make up the majority of the St. Louis region.

Though plenty of single family homes have been selling under $100,000, the numbers are dramatically lower for dirt cheap condos. Regardless of the county, the majority of condos are selling between $100,000 – $200,000.

Take a look below to see the 2008 condo sales for the 3 major counties that make up the St. Louis region. The charts below include closed sales from January – June 2008 that were listed in the MLS. The data is obtained through MARIS and deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

  • St. Louis City:
    • 9% of condos sold for under $100,000
    • 53% of sales were priced between $100,000 - $200,000 and 25% of sales were between $200,000 – $300,000
    • 86% were priced under $300,000
  • St. Louis County:
    • 20% of condos sold for under $100,000
    • 52% of sales were priced between $100,000 - $200,000 and 15% of sales were between $200,000 – $300,000
    • 87% were priced under $300,000
  • St. Charles County:
    • 15% of condos sold for under $100,000
    • 63% of sales were priced between $100,000 - $200,000 and 18% of sales were between $200,000 – $300,000
    • 96% were priced under $300,000

The bottom line:

There aren’t dramatic differences between the 3 counties for condo sale prices. St. Louis City does have a higher percentage selling between $300,000 to $600,000 than the other two counties, and St. Louis County does the best at condos priced over $600,000.

The most dramatic difference is not in condo sales by county, but between condo and single family home sales. With only 1309 closed condo sales across all 3 counties, there is very low demand for condos compared to single family homes (with 9027 closed sales). With only 13% of closed sales in the condo category, it’s simply much harder to sell a condo than it is a single family home.

Take a look at Part 1 for more detail on single family home sales and check back for Part 3 of this series on how long it is taking for properties to sell and the percentage off list price for closed sales.

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St. Louis Region Market Report: January – June 2008 (Part 1)

July 20, 2008

This year lower priced properties aimed at buyers making conservative spending choices and first time buyers are selling much more easily than higher priced properties.
Take a look below to see the differences in 2008 single family home sales for the 3 major counties that make up the St. Louis region. The charts below include closed sales from January [...]

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Shopping for a Low Tax Rate Can Keep Your Costs Down on Your Next Home

July 13, 2008

In today’s market, buyers are choosing to be conservative as they decide what to spend on their next home. However, buyers often forget to consider the impact that taxes can have on their final costs.
I’ve often been asked by buyers how much their taxes will be for a particular home. Unfortunately, determining how much the taxes will be [...]

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CWE Condo Market Trends for 2007-2008

July 12, 2008

A few days ago a reader asked me if I could provide some additional market information for the condo market in the Central West End. I’m a big believer in looking at as much data as you can before making a decision regarding buying or selling, so I was happy to oblige.
Overview:

Condo sales [...]

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101 Things Every St. Louisan Must Do

July 12, 2008

St. Louis Magazine recently put together a great list of 101 things that every St. Louisan should do. With gas prices so high this year, maybe it’s time to take a vacation in your own backyard.
I’ve whittled down their big list to a much shorter one to help get you started.
Top 10 Things [...]

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