Sales: According to the ValleyMLS.com, Morgan County residential sales totaled 137 units during September, up 12.3 percent from 122 sales in the same month a year earlier. September sales decreased from 183 sales in August. Results were 15.9 percent above the five-year September average of 122 sales. Two more resources to review: Quarterly Report and the Annual Report.

For all Morgan County home sales data, click here.

Inventory: Homes listed for sale in Morgan County in September totaled 461 units, a decrease of 31.6 percent from September 2017’s 674 units, and a decrease of 1.9 percent from August 2018’s 470 units. The September months of supply totaled 3.4 months, a decrease of 39.1 percent from September 2017’s 5.5 months of supply. September’s months of supply increased 31 percent from August’s 2.6 months of supply.

Pricing: The Morgan County median sales price in September was $142,900, an increase of 5.3 percent from one year ago and a decrease of 10.7 percent from the prior month. This direction is inconsistent with historical data (2013-17) indicating that the September median sales price on average increases from August by 2.3 percent. The differing sample size (number of residential sales of comparative months) can contribute to statistical volatility, including pricing. ACRE recommends consulting with a local real estate professional to discuss pricing, as it will vary from neighborhood to neighborhood. The average number of days on the market (DOM) for the homes sold during September was 64 days, a decrease of 21 percent from 81 days in September 2017 and a decrease of 4.5 percent from 67 days in August.

Forecast: September sales were 11 units, or 8.7 percent, above the Alabama Center for Real Estate’s (ACRE) monthly forecast. ACRE projected 126 sales for the month, while actual sales were 137 units. ACRE forecast a total of 1,111 residential sales in Morgan County year-to-date, while there were 1,295 actual sales through September.

ACRE’s statewide perspective: Residential sales in Alabama continued to grow during the late summer of 2018. Total residential sales during August increased 3.5 percent year-over-year from 5,664 to 5,862 closed transactions. Year-to-date through August, statewide residential sales are up 6.6 percent from 39,594 one year ago to 42,209. Home price appreciation in the state also continues its upward trajectory. The median sales price in August increased 2.9 percent from $158,059 to $162,711, while the year-to-date median sales price is up 4.9 percent from 2017. Although nationwide inventory levels are starting to stabilize, Alabama’s residential inventory decreased 11.4 percent from one year ago. Low inventory levels were a major factor contributing to rising sales prices during August. With low inventory levels, it is not surprising to see homes selling more quickly than in previous years. Homes selling in Alabama during August spent an average of 95 days on the market, an improvement of 22 days from 2017.

NAR’s national perspective: During August, nationwide sales volume for existing homes increased 0.7 percent year-over-year from 535,000 to 539,000 closed transactions. According to Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, “Strong gains in the Northeast and a moderate uptick in the Midwest helped to balance out any losses in the South and West, halting months of downward momentum. With inventory stabilizing and modestly rising, buyers appear ready to step back into the market.”

Click here to view the entire monthly report.

The Morgan County Residential Monthly Report is developed in conjunction with the Morgan County Association of Realtors to better serve area consumers.