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Realtor.com: Inventories are Returning to Normal | Cross River Real Estate

While June inventories continue to be down on year-over-year basis, they rose for the sixth consecutive month and are steadily returning to more normal levels. The number of homes listed for sale increased by 4.3 percent in June to 1.9 million homes, the highest level in the last year, according to monthly data released Monday by realtor.com.

Inventories on realtor.com reached their highest level in more than a year, suggesting that market fundamentals continue to be strong and that housing supply in many markets is gradually catching up with housing demand. At same time, the median age of the inventory increased by just one day in June, suggesting that housing sales are generally keeping pace with new property listings.

Both year-over-year list prices and inventories rose simultaneously. While the median list price has stabilized somewhat, it remains 5.27 percent higher than it was one year ago. Rising inventories appear to be having a moderating effect on median list prices, although on a year-over-year basis, median list prices were up by 1 percent or more in 98 of the 146 MSAs covered by realtor.com, compared to 103 markets in June, while the number of markets with a list price decline of at least 1 percent rose from 23 to 25.

Key Market Indicators for June 2013

	*June 2013*	*Year-over-Year % Change*	*Month-over-Month % Change*
*Number of Listings*	1,931,713	-7.29%	4.26%
*Median Age of Inventory*	80	-15.79%	1.27%
*Median List Price*	$199,900	5.27%	0.45%

Despite six consecutive months of steady growth, inventories continue to be down by 7.29 percent on a year-over-year basis, although they are now approaching more normal levels. The median age of the inventory rose to 80 days in June, up by one day (1.27 percent) over the month but down by 15.79 percent on a year-over-year basis.

The geography of low inventories changed during June. The top ten markets reporting year-over-year inventory declines are no longer dominated by California markets but now include Boston, Lansing, Grand Rapids and Monmouth NJ. Their potential shortfalls in supply are likely to support robust house price appreciation going forward. Inventories remain depressed in markets where prices have not improved significantly or where negative equity is greater than elsewhere, making it difficult or owners to sell