Central Indiana existing-home sales rise for second straight month
Sales of existing single-family homes rose in central Indiana in August despite a huge decline in available houses and another record in prices.
Sales of existing single-family homes rose in central Indiana in August despite a huge decline in available houses and another record in prices.
The monthly sales increase was the third in a row after a three-month streak of declining sales in the market brought on by the pandemic.
“Indianapolis is one of the fastest-selling metros in the country,” said Chris Glynn, a senior economist at Zillow, a real estate website and research firm. “The typical home in Indianapolis is selling in five days or less.”
The median home price in the area reached $221,000, up 15.1% from a year ago when the median price was $192,000.
Healthy cities have multiple housing types at a variety of price points.
Completed sales in the 16-county area increased 20.6% in November on a year-over-year basis, according to the latest data from the MIBOR Realtor Association.
Completed home sales in the 16-county area rose in December for the sixth month in a row on a year-over-year basis. Area sales were up 6.4% in 2020 and the median price for a home rose 14.1%.
For all of 2020, sales rose to 5.64 million, the highest level since 2006 at the height of the housing boom. That represented a 5.6% gain from the 5.34 million previously owned homes sold in 2019.
Existing single-family homes in central Indiana remained in heavy demand as 2021 got under way, despite the ongoing escalation of prices and shrinking supply of choices.
The median price for homes sold in the 16-county area in February rose 18.9%, to $223,500, compared with $188,500 in February 2020.
With the dramatic decrease in available listings, the median price for homes sold in the 16-county area in March rose 8.4%, to $226,500, compared with $208,865 in March 2020.
Buyers of existing single-family homes in the 16-county area swooped up available properties at a rapid pace in April, often showing a willingness to pay more than the asking price to secure a purchase.
On a year-to-date basis, closed sales are up 10.9% so far this year, to 13,666, compared with 12,320 in the first five months of 2020.
The seller’s market in residential real estate grew even stronger in central Indiana in June, with existing homes selling at a faster pace and buyers spending extra to land properties.
At least 200 homeowner groups in central Indiana have modified their subdivision covenants in the past five years to limit rentals—a number that is based on the work of just one law firm.
State officials say no final decisions about a combined campus have been reached, but they are forging ahead for now with the prep work, including the search for as many as 120 acres to house the schools.
While selling a house in a hot market might seem easy, there’s actually some risk, uncertainty and often inconvenience on both sides of a transaction.
Meanwhile, inventories in the 16-county Indianapolis area remained tight and prices continued to escalate.
On a year-to-date basis, closed sales in central Indiana are up 6.6%, to 25,349, compared with 23,776 in the first eight months of 2020.
Sales in central Indiana fell for the second time in three months last month as prices continued to escalate and inventories remained low.