Chill is taking hold in metro Denver market

Drop in home sales among signs that buyers are pulling back

The number of homes on the market surged, the number of sales dropped, and price reductions were abundant last month, all signs that buyers are pulling back in metro Denver, according to the latest market trends report from the Denver Metro Association of Realtors.

The inventory of singlefamily homes and condos available for sale at the end of August rose to 8,228, an increase of 7.65 percent from July and 11.8 percent higher than August 2017. Normally, the inventory barely drops between the two months, and the change set a record.

“Over the past four years, we’ve experi enced the strongest sellers market in recorded history,” Steve Danyliw, chairman of the DMAR Market Trends Committee and local Realtor, said in the report. “This past month, we saw available homes for sale increase to the highest level in four years, giving buyers more homes to choose from.”

Singlefamily home sales in August dropped 7.46 percent from July, and are down 9.75 percent from the same month a year ago. Condo sales dropped 5 percent for the month and are down 15.6 percent from August 2017.

About 30 percent of sellers lowered their listing price in August to entice buyers, Danyliw said. That has created downward pressure in the market.

The median price of a singlefamily home sold in August was $445,000, down 1.1 percent from July and up 8.54 percent from a year ago. The median condo price was $299,000, up 0.89 percent from July and 9.05 percent from August 2017.

The number of days it took to sell a condo rose to 20 in August, up from 18 in July, while the number of days a singlefamily home took to sell rose to 23 from 21. While higher, both still reflect a fast pace of sales.

Danyliw pointed to several signs that buyers are pushing back more — fewer multiple offers on properties, fewer inspection allowances and fewer appraisal guarantees. That said, homes that are priced correctly and movein ready still sell quickly.