Condo Prices Climb 5.4% in August, Lagging 11.9% Growth for Single-Family Homes

Rhea-AI Summary

In August 2020, condominium sale prices in the U.S. rose by 5.4% year over year, reaching a median of $266,000, while single-family homes surged 11.9% to $343,000. The gap between price growth for the two property types is the largest since 2014. Approximately 21.9% of condos sold above their listing price, an increase from 19.2% in August 2019, whereas 33.6% of single-family homes sold above list price. Condo supply increased by 3.6%, while single-family home supply decreased by 26%. New condo listings surged 18.4% compared to 1.8% for single-family homes.

Positive

• Condo sales increased by 11.8% in August, surpassing pre-COVID growth rates for the first time.
• Median days on market for condos improved to 36 days, four days faster than last year.

Negative

• Condo prices grew slower than single-family homes, indicating a market lag.
• Only 21.9% of condos sold above list price versus 33.6% for single-family homes.
• Condo market competition remains low, with 41.3% facing bidding wars compared to 56.6% for single-family homes.

10/02/2020 - 12:00 PM

SEATTLE, Oct. 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- (NASDAQ: RDFN) — Condo sale prices in the U.S. increased 5.4% year over year to a median of $266,000 in August, trailing growth in single-family home prices, which surged 11.9% to $343,000, according to a new report from Redfin (redfin.com), the technology-powered real estate brokerage. That's the largest price-growth gap between the two property types since 2014.

About one in five condos (21.9%) sold for above the price at which it was listed, up slightly from 19.2% in August 2019. That compares with one of every three single-family homes (33.6%), up from 24.3% a year earlier and the highest share on record.

"Home prices have been growing across all property types, as record-low mortgage rates have suddenly equipped Americans with more buying power. But condos have experienced relatively modest price growth because the coronavirus pandemic has motivated many homebuyers to instead bid on single-family homes, which typically offer more space and privacy," said Redfin lead economist Taylor Marr. "But if prices of single-family homes continue to surge to unsustainable levels, condos may make a comeback, as they could become the only type of home that buyers in some areas can afford while also avoiding intense bidding wars."

Interest in single-family homes has already started to decline slightly; about a third (34%) of saved searches created by Redfin.com users filtered exclusively for single-family homes in September, down from a peak of 37% in July, indicating that living in a single-family home is becoming less of a priority for house hunters.

Market Summary, August 2020

	Condos	Single-family homes
Median sale price	$266,000	$343,000
Median sale price, YoY change	5.4%	11.9%
Total homes for sale (AKA active listings), YoY change, seasonally adjusted	3.6%	-26%
New listings, YoY change, seasonally adjusted	18.4%	1.8%
Homes sold, YoY change, seasonally adjusted	11.8%	10.8%
Median days on market	36	30
Share of homes that sold above list price	21.9%	33.6%
Share of homes with price drop	14.5%	12.8%

Condo Supply Climbs, Single-Family Home Supply Plunges

Condos have seen relatively sluggish price growth, in part because they're not as desirable among homebuyers during a pandemic, but also because the number of condos buyers have to choose from has been on the rise. The supply of condos for sale in the U.S. climbed 3.6% in August on a seasonally adjusted basis, while the number of single-family homes plummeted 26%.

New listings of condos surged 18.4% year over year in August on a seasonally adjusted basis, the second-consecutive month of double-digit gains. That compares with an increase of just 1.8% in new listings of single-family homes, explaining the large gap in supply growth between the two property types in the chart above.

"Many Americans are putting their condos up for sale because they're realizing that owning a single-family home is now possible for the first time, thanks to record-low mortgage rates and remote work," Marr said. "Landlords have also been selling condos that they previously rented out because the rental market has been showing signs of weakness due to the coronavirus."

Condo Sales Are on the Rise, But Single-Family Homes Still Sell Faster and Attract More Bidding Wars

Condo sales climbed 11.8% in August on a seasonally adjusted basis, outpacing the 10.8% increase in sales of single-family homes and surpassing the pre-coronavirus (February) growth rate for the first time. One might expect to see stronger home sales in the single-family market given robust homebuyer demand, but the supply shortage has put a lid on how far single-family home sales can grow, according to Marr.

The typical condo was on the market for 36 days before going under contract in August, four days faster than a year earlier. Still, that trails the pace of the typical single-family home, which spent just 30 days on the market before going under contract—nine days faster than the prior year.

Nationwide, 40% condos went off the market within two weeks in August, up from 33.3% a year earlier. But single-family homes saw much higher growth, with 50.1% of properties going off the market within two weeks, up from 35.2% in August 2019.

These measures indicate that condos aren't attracting as much competition as single-family homes; just 41.3% of condos faced bidding wars in August, compared with 56.6% of single-family homes.

"There's high inventory, not much competition, and minimal buyer demand for condos right now," said Seattle Redfin real estate agent Jessie Culbert Boucher. "Sellers are getting more flexible in terms of prices and realistic expectations, but it can take them a number of months to be willing to let things go for lower than they expected."

To view the full report, including charts and methodology, please visit: https://www.redfin.com/blog/condo-real-estate-prices-increase-august/

About Redfin

Redfin (www.redfin.com) is a technology-powered residential real estate company, redefining real estate in the consumer's favor in a commission-driven industry. We do this by integrating every step of the home buying and selling process and pairing our own agents with our own technology, creating a service that is faster, better and costs less. We offer brokerage, iBuying, mortgage, and title services, and we also run the country's #1 real estate brokerage search site, offering a host of online tools to consumers, including the Redfin Estimate. We represent people buying and selling homes in over 90 markets in the United States and Canada. Since our launch in 2006, we have saved our customers over $800 million and we've helped them buy or sell more than 235,000 homes worth more than $115 billion.

For more information or to contact a local Redfin real estate agent, visit www.redfin.com. To learn about housing market trends and download data, visit the Redfin Data Center. To be added to Redfin's press release distribution list, email press@redfin.com. To view Redfin's press center, click here.

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SOURCE Redfin

FAQ

What was the median condo sale price in August 2020 for RDFN?

The median condo sale price in August 2020 was $266,000, an increase of 5.4% year over year.

How do 2020 condo sales compare to single-family home sales?

Condo sales increased 11.8% in August 2020, while single-family home sales increased 10.8%.

What percentage of condos sold above list price in August 2020?

About 21.9% of condos sold for above the listed price in August 2020.

What trend has been observed in the supply of condos versus single-family homes?

Condo supply increased by 3.6%, while single-family home supply decreased by 26%.