Happy March! Has spring fever 🌸 hit you yet?

I know many of you are thinking of making a move but may be hesitating due to uncertainty. Here’s what’s happening in Fairfield and Westport, Connecticut. Reach out to me for values in additional towns.

Below is a comparison chart for Fairfield and Westport showing changes that favor buyers and sellers when comparing February 2022 vs February 2023 market stats. (March numbers will be out soon.)

FEBUARY 2023 MARKET HIGHLIGHTS

New Listings & Sales Volume: DOWN In Both Towns

New listings were down 27% in Fairfield and 49% in Westport which limited the sales volume. Unit sales were down 53% in Fairfield and 42% in Westport. Average days on the market also increased in both towns.

Price Per Square Foot: UP in Both Towns

Although the Fairfield median and average sale price metrics were down this February, the average sale price per square foot was up! When you look at what sold this February, you can see that more smaller homes sold (average square foot =1,741) and only one sale was above $1M compared to last year. In February 2022 the average size home that sold had 2,215 square feet, and there were seven sales between $1M and $3M. So it appears to be more about the mix of homes that sold that resulted in the appearance of prices decreasing in Fairfield.

In Westport, prices were up any way you look at it!

Tight Inventory and Strong Buyer Demand Continued

We have seen some opportunity for buyers to have a little more time, choice, and negotiating ability depending on the demand for the particular property. However, this leverage was spotty and remained only on a a case by case basis.

Due to the tight inventory, many homes still sold very quickly and with multiple offers.

So when you are buying, you want to to be prepared with a mortgage pre-approval or proof of funds so you can make an offer quickly when you see a home you want!

On a national note, the experts predicted that prices would remain relatively stable by the end of 2023 followed by continued appreciation beginning in 2024. So buyers in the current market may enjoy equity increases in the very near future!

Reach out to me anytime with your questions about the market and to talk about your plans. Not sure about your move yet? Please refer your friends to me using the form below.

It’s February, but March is Just Around the Corner!

The January numbers are in, so where do things appear to be going at the moment? I know many of you are thinking of making a move but may be hesitating due to uncertainty (see 3rd video below). I will keep you abreast of home values in Fairfield and Westport Connecticut each month here on the blog. Reach out to me for values in additional towns.

Since we are starting a New Year, I pulled the report showing 12 months ending in January compared to the same timeframe the previous year. Below is a comparison chart for Fairfield and Westport showing changes that favor buyers and sellers.

Home values were up.

The median and average sale prices were up as well as the average sale price per square foot in both towns compared to the 12 months ending in January 2021.

Inventory and new listings were down, putting upward pressure on prices. Homes sold on average for 102% of the list price, compared to 100% in the previous year.

In favor of buyers, unit sales and contracts were down. We have seen some opportunity for buyers to have a little more time, choice, and negotiating ability depending on the demand for the particular property. This leverage is very much on a case by case basis.

Due to the tight inventory, many homes are still selling very quickly with multiple offers. So buyers should be prepared with a mortgage pre-approval or proof of funds so they can make an offer quickly if they see a home that they like.

Below are my market comments for the last week in January and second and third weeks in February. (Click each image for the 60-second videos on Instagram). We saw an increase in new listings, but the accepted offers far exceeded this count! 🤷‍♀️ So we need new listings! 🏡 🏠 🏡

On a national note, the experts anticipate prices to remain relatively stable followed by continued appreciation beginning in 2024. So buyers in the current market may enjoy equity increases in the very near future!

Reach out to me anytime with your questions about the market and to talk about your plans. Not sure about your move yet? Please refer your friends to me using the form below.

It’s January 2023 and you are wondering, are home values falling? As a potential home buyer or home seller, you want to know where the values of your Fairfield County house are now and where they are likely heading.

I will keep you abreast of Fairfield County house values in Fairfield and Westport each month here on the blog. Reach out to me for values in additional towns.

Below is a comparison chart for each town showing the year-to-date change and an estimated forecast to address the question, “are home prices falling”.

As you can see, we are still in a seller’s market. Home values are up 12-25% in Fairfield and Westport at the end of 2022 compared to 2021. Inventory and new listings are down, and market time is down year over year.

Yet, in favor of buyers, unit sales and contracts are also down. And months of supply was up in December in both towns (data not shown). So this offers some opportunity for buyers to possibly have a little more time, choice and negotiating ability in the coming year. This leverage is on a case by case basis though. Due to the tight inventory, many homes are still selling very quickly and some still with multiple offers. So buyers should be prepared with a mortgage pre-approval or proof of funds so they can make an offer quickly if they see a home that they like.

On a national note, the experts have not projected home prices falling in 2023. They expect to see prices remain relatively flat followed by continued appreciation beginning in 2024. So more equity should be there for the taking for home buyers this year!

Reach out to me anytime with your questions about the market and to talk about your plans.