February NEWSLETTER 2013

Sales for January 2013 got off to a slower start at 18 ( SF-8, Con-7, Dup-0 & Lot-3) compared to January 2012 at 28 ( SF-13, Con-11, Dup-2 & Lot-2) . Sales for the last 12 months were 420 ( SF-239, Con-122, Dup-25 & Lot-34) up 19% over the previous 12 months at 352 ( SF-179, Con-131, Dup-17 & Lot-25). Of the sales for the last 12 months distressed properties were only 11% of the sales at 46 ( SF-23, Con-19, Dup-4 & Lot-0) compared to the previous 12 months where 17% or 60 ( SF-19, Con-32, Dup-6 & Lot-3) were distressed. Currently there are only 9 distressed properties or 2% of the inventory of 366 (SF-177, Con-108, Dup-35 & Lot-46). Pended properties (properties under contract) continue to be strong at 51 (SF-28, Con-13, Dup-9 & Lot-1) up from 38 last month and well above the average. Inventory on the island has ticked up a little this month to 366 ( SF-177, Con-108, Dup-35 & Lot-46) but for the last six months has been in the mid to low 300’s.
Another one of Frank, Larry & Al’s Great Buy’s went under contract since the last newsletter. The single family property at 309 64th St. listed at $699,900 went under contract and is scheduled to close on March 26, 2013. There are again a couple very strong investment buys with 2916 Avenue E leading the pack. This property is ideal for someone who wants a property in a great location (four houses to the beach) and that pays for itself with 30% down and wants to hold it for 5-10 years and then move down here permanently. At that point there are a set of plans available by Emily Smith to tear down the house and build a new home there. Check out the rest of the Great Buy’s attached.
To summarize the island market, although we only have sales for one month of 2013, it looks like the strong sales activity we have had over the last couple years will continue. The amount of people who are looking at property is as strong as I’ve seen it in the last 20 years. That’s the prime reason that the inventory has been at the low levels they have been this year. Another reason is, for example, in 2012 there were 381 condos and single families sold while there were only 300 new single family and condo properties listed on the market. January sales tend to start off slow. If you look at January 2013 sales at 18 compared to January 2012 sales of 28 it looks like a slow start but if you look at January sales over the last nine years (2005-2013) there are only two January’s where sales have been higher than the January 2013 number of 18. Single family sales continue to remain the highest in the last 30 years with 239 single families sold in the last 12 months compared to 179 for the previous 12 months. Single family and condo sales historically make up 2/3rds of the total sales on the island with sales of each being about even and duplex’s and lots make up the other third. Over the last 12 months single family and condo sales accounted for 85% of the total sales and single families were 57% of the total and condos 29% of the total. As far as sales prices go in the last 12 months, 80% of single family sales were under $700K, 93% were under $1 Million and 7% were over 1 Million. Of condo sales on the island in the last 12 months, 77% were under 400K, 93% were under 500K and there was only one sale over a Million dollars. This gives you an idea of where the sweet spot of the market is on the island.
I’ve added a new chart this month which shows what’s happening in the National Housing Market which comes from Standard & Poors. It shows the National home prices, 10-City Composite and 20 City Composite from 1988 to 2012. You can see that home prices nationally are starting to rise and approaching 2003 prices. This again confirms that prices are starting to approach the pre-bubble level and with interest rates at over a 100 year low now is the time to buy.

Call me, Realtor ALAN GALLETTO  941.232.2216 of Island Real Estate. www.Alangalletto.com