A Nerd's Eye View

December Housing Supply and Demand



Existing home sales continued to languish in December, down 3.5 percent from November and 36.6 percent from a year prior.

Resale inventory was down 6.6 percent for the month, following the typical seasonal pattern, but remained 16.9 percent above year-ago levels.

Putting the two figures together, there were about 12 months' worth of resale inventory sitting on the market. This level of inventory, as the accompanying graph shows, is about the same as in recent months but is substantially worse than it was earlier in the year or for that matter at any time during the bust to date.

A rule of thumb I've heard many times, most recently on the always insightful Calculated Risk blog, is that 6 months of inventory is about normal and that anything above 8 months will put downward pressure on home prices. The rule doesn't address what happens at 12 months of inventory.

-- RICH TOSCANO



A Nerd's Eye View

Rich Toscano is a financial advisor with Pacific Capital Associates*;
he also writes about San Diego real estate at Piggington's Econo-Almanac.
Contact him at rtoscano@pcasd.com.

The Chaparralian:

 

High Country News digs into activist's views on fire, shrubs.

Friday, February 1 -- 3:40 pm

Why Forcing High-Tech (Usually) Doesn't Work:

 

Digitizing the classroom is better done by example than mandate, experts say.

Friday, February 1 -- 3:27 pm

Another Tax Rebel:

 

Wesley Snipes is acquitted of his most serious tax felony charges.

Friday, February 1 -- 3:25 pm


Sponsored By

MOST POPULAR STORIES:

SURVIVAL IN SAN DIEGO

What Is a Recession, San Diego-Style? :

 

Isn't a recession just a recession? Alan Gin adds to his definition.

Friday, February 1 -- 10:34 am

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Limitations :

 

We are capable of producing an infinite number of people, but we cannot produce an infinite amount of water.

Thursday, January 31 -- 6:33 pm

CAFÉ SAN DIEGO

Worst of '07 in Rights :

 

And now, ladies and gentlemen, for the bad news.

Friday, February 1 -- 1:45 pm

COMMENTARY: SLOP

Keep Working 10th Ave., Don't Mind the Stadium:

 

The developer of a landfill in North County has a big plan for Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal and a team in place to get it done.

Friday, February 1 -- 4:57 pm

COMMENTARY: RICH TOSCANO

Yet More Foreclosures in the Pipeline :

 

A local real estate broker digs through the mortgage data to find that plentiful foreclosures will be with us throughout 2008.

Saturday, February 2 -- 3:14 pm

Sponsored by

Big Financial Brains Needed, Fast:

 

So far, only three people have applied for the audit committee. The city needs at least six volunteers.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008 -- 3:49 pm

CCDC Delaying City Hall Proposal:

 

Another possible conflict flagged in the wake of the Graham scandal.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008 -- 3:38 pm

Sanders Addresses Privatization Problems:

 

The main man sees more than six months of negotiations down the tubes.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008 -- 5:01 pm

Sponsored By

SURVIVAL IN SAN DIEGO

Significant Stats:

 

A local think tank says a closer look at the numbers indicates that the county's incomes and poverty rates have stagnated.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008 -- 6:04 pm

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

What Have You Done with my Old Town?:

 

Making sense of Plaza del Pasado.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008 -- 8:16 pm

CAFÉ SAN DIEGO

Propositionally Speaking:

 

'We shouldn't let perfect be the enemy of the good.'

Tuesday, August 26, 2008 -- 4:09 pm

COMMENTARY: SLOP

Chargers Stadium Feedback:

 

The jaw-dropping price tag estimates are bringing in some good feedback.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008 -- 10:13 am

COMMENTARY: RICH TOSCANO

A Spring Rally! Kind Of!:

 

High-priced homes mustered a mild price bounce in June, but mid- and low-priced homes continued their decline.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008 -- 5:34 pm

MOST POPULAR STORIES:

Sponsored by


Home About Us Contact Us Copyright Privacy Policy Site Sponsorship
Copyright © 2008 voiceofsandiego.org. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use Privacy Statement