Sales: According to the ValleyMLS.com, Marshall County residential sales totaled 78 units during November, up 34.5 percent from 58 sales in the same month a year earlier. November sales were constant with 78 sales in October. Two more resources to review: Quarterly Report and the Annual Report.
For all Marshall County home sales data, click here.
Inventory: Homes listed for sale in Marshall County in November totaled 321 units, a decrease of 28.2 percent from November 2017’s 447 units, and a decrease of 7.5 percent from October 2018’s 347 units. The November months of supply totaled 4.1 months, a decrease of 46.6 percent from November 2017’s 7.7 months of supply. November’s months of supply also decreased 7.5 percent from October’s 4.4 months of supply.
Pricing: The Marshall County median sales price in November was $138,500, an increase of 3 percent from one year ago and a decrease of 8.9 percent from the prior month. This direction is inconsistent with historical data (2013-17) indicating that the November median sales price on average increases from October by 2 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 November was 76 days, a decrease of 39.7 percent from 126 days in November 2017, and a decrease of 26.9 percent from 104 days in October.
Forecast: November sales were 16 units, or 25.8 percent, above the Alabama Center for Real Estate’s (ACRE) monthly forecast. ACRE projected 62 sales for the month, and actual sales were 78 units. ACRE forecast a total of 774 residential sales in Marshall County year-to-date, while there were 856 actual sales through November.
ACRE’s statewide perspective: While nationwide sales declined 4.5 percent during November, residential sales in Alabama continued to grow. Total residential sales in Alabama increased 6.9 percent year-over-year from 4,311 to 4,606 closed transactions. Year-to-date through November, statewide residential sales are up 7 percent from 53,056 one year ago to 56,769 currently. Home price appreciation in the state continued to climb as the median sales price in November increased 3.2 percent year-over-year from $151,667 to $156,587. The year-to-date median sales price is up 4.7 percent from 2017. Although nationwide inventory levels increased 4.2 percent in November, Alabama’s residential inventory decreased 8.8 percent from one year ago. Low inventory levels were a major factor contributing to rising sales prices throughout 2018. With low inventory, it is not surprising to see homes selling more quickly than in previous years. Homes selling in Alabama during November spent an average of 93 days on the market, an improvement of 24 days from 2017.
NAR’s national perspective: During November, nationwide inventory for existing homes increased 4.2 percent year-over-year from 1.67 million to 1.74 million residential listings. According to Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, “the market conditions in November were mixed, with good signs of stabilizing home sales compared to recent months, though down significantly from one year ago. Rising inventory is clearly taming home price appreciation.”
Click here to view the entire monthly report.
The Marshall County Residential Monthly Report is developed in conjunction with the Marshall County Board of Realtors to better serve area consumers.