Redfin Reports 5% of Home Sellers Dropped Their Price in Recent Weeks

Rhea-AI Summary

According to a Redfin report dated August 18, 2021, the share of homes experiencing price drops has surpassed 5%, the highest since late 2019. Despite this, home prices continue to rise, with the median sale price reaching $361,973—a 17% increase year over year. Homebuying demand remains robust, with pending sales increasing 10% year over year. However, homes are taking slightly longer to sell, indicating a gradual shift toward a more balanced market as the summer season winds down.

Positive

• Median home-sale price increased 17% year over year to $361,973.
• Pending home sales rose 10% year over year.
• New listings of homes for sale increased by 3% from a year earlier.

Negative

• The share of homes with price drops has passed 5%, indicating potential market concerns.
• Active listings fell 24% from 2020, suggesting reduced inventory.

SEATTLE, Aug. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- (NASDAQ: RDFN) —The share of homes with price drops has now passed the 5% mark, according to a new report from Redfin (redfin.com), the technology-powered real estate brokerage. This is the highest level this measure has reached since late 2019 and it is still climbing during a time of the year that is usually relatively flat.

That said, home prices are still rising and homes are selling very quickly, just slightly slower than before. Homebuying demand remains strong and the market is tipped heavily in sellers' favor. However, home sellers can still overprice their homes, and those that do are quickly getting the memo—a week or two on the market without any bids—and adjusting their asking prices accordingly.

"The housing market is less hectic than it was in early spring, but it's still far from typical. The move to a less imbalanced market is happening slowly," said Redfin Chief Economist Daryl Fairweather. "As we approach the beginning of back-to-school season, home prices typically cool, supply winds down, and homes take longer to sell. All that's happening, just very slowly. I don't think the housing market will return to a fully typical state anytime soon, but we are starting to trend in that direction."

Key housing market takeaways for 400+ U.S. metro areas:
Unless otherwise noted, this data covers the four-week period ending August 15. Redfin's housing market data goes back through 2012.

• The median home-sale price increased 17% year over year to $361,973, a record high.
• Asking prices of newly listed homes were up 10% from the same time a year ago to a median of $353,347, the lowest level since mid-April. This is down 2.2% from the all-time high set during the four-week period ending June 27.
• Pending home sales were up 10% year over year, the smallest increase since the four-week period ending June 28, 2020. Pending sales were down 7% from their 2021 peak during the four-week period ending May 30.
• New listings of homes for sale were up 3% from a year earlier. The number of homes being listed is in a typical seasonal decline, down 7% from the 2021 peak during the four-week period ending June 27, compared to a 13% decline over the same period in 2019.
• Active listings (the number of homes listed for sale at any point during the period) fell 24% from 2020—the smallest decline since the four-week period ending October 25, 2020—and have climbed 15% since their 2021 low during the four week period ending March 7.
• 50% of homes that went under contract had an accepted offer within the first two weeks on the market, well above the 44% rate during the same period a year ago, but down 7 percentage points from the high point of the year, set during the four-week period ending March 28.
• 36% of homes that went under contract had an accepted offer within one week of hitting the market, up from 32% during the same period a year earlier, but down 7 percentage points from the high point of the year, set during the four-week period ending March 28.
• Homes that sold were on the market for a median of 18 days, up from the all-time low of 15 days that had held for four weeks in late June and July, and down from 35 days a year earlier.
• 52% of homes sold above list price, up from 30% a year earlier. This measure has been falling since the four-week period ending July 11 when it peaked at 55%.
• The average sale-to-list price ratio, which measures how close homes are selling to their asking prices, decreased to 101.8%. In other words, the average home sold for 1.8% above its asking price. This measure is down 0.5 percentage points from its peak during the four-week period ending July 11, and up 2.7 percentage points from a year earlier.

Other other leading indicators of homebuying activity:

• Mortgage purchase applications decreased 1% week over week (seasonally adjusted) during the week ending August 13. For the week ending August 12, 30-year mortgage rates rose to 2.87%, the highest level in four weeks.
• From January 1 to August 15, home tours went up 14%, compared to a 43% increase over the same period last year according to home tour technology company ShowingTime.
• During the week ending August 15, the seasonally adjusted Redfin Homebuyer Demand Index edged up slightly from the previous week to its highest point since the week ending April 11, and was up 15% from a year earlier.

To view the full report, including charts and methodology, please visit:
https://www.redfin.com/news/housing-market-update-price-drops-pass-5-pct/

About Redfin
Redfin (www.redfin.com) is a technology-powered real estate company. We help people find a place to live with brokerage, instant home-buying (iBuying), rentals, lending, title insurance, and renovations services. We sell homes for more money and charge half the fee. We also run the country's #1 real-estate brokerage site. Our home-buying customers see homes first with on-demand tours, and our lending and title services help them close quickly. Customers selling a home can take an instant cash offer from Redfin or have our renovations crew fix up their home to sell for top dollar. Our rentals business empowers millions nationwide to find apartments and houses for rent. Since launching in 2006, we've saved customers more than $1 billion in commissions. We serve more than 100 markets across the U.S. and Canada and employ over 6,000 people.

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 does the recent Redfin report say about home prices on August 18, 2021?

The report indicates that median home-sale prices have increased by 17% year over year, reaching $361,973.

How has the home market changed according to Redfin in August 2021?

The report shows a rise in homes with price drops exceeding 5% while also noting strong demand with pending sales up 10% year over year.

What is the significance of the 5% price drop in homes?

The 5% mark for price drops is the highest level since late 2019, indicating potential shifts in market dynamics.

What does the increase in new listings mean for the housing market in August 2021?

An increase of 3% in new listings suggests that sellers are responding to market conditions, although the overall active listings have decreased.

What were the trends in home sales and listings during the week ending August 15, 2021?

During this week, the median days on the market for homes rose to 18 days, and 52% of homes sold above the list price.