May 2020 Real Estate

Southeastern Wisconsin on the Rebound

There are always two sides to a story. We have a global pandemic on our hands, but at least summer officially began today. There is no denying COVID-19 is still impacting our real estate market, but the latest stats indicate things are looking up. “Realtor.com®’s May housing data release reveals that the U.S. housing market likely reached its low point during mid-April, with constrained new listings and minimal price growth,” according to Sabrina Speianu, Sr. Economic Research Analyst for Realtor.com.

On Tuesday, our metro-Milwaukee Multiple Listing Service released their Monthly Indicators recapping last month’s market. Here’s what they had to say:

Market Reports: May 2020
While the effects of COVID-19 in the broader economy continue, real estate activity is beginning to recover across much of the country. According to
Freddie Mac, mortgage rates have been below 3.3 percent for more than four
weeks and are hovering near all-time lows, spurring strong interest by buyers
and lifting showing activity up 4% nationally versus a year ago in the final week
of May.
[…]
Buyers have been quicker to return to the housing market in force than sellers,
who have been showing a bit more reluctance to list their homes than is typical
for this time of year. But trends are improving and as states and localities
continue to moderate their COVID-19 policies, real estate activity is expected to
continue to improve in the coming weeks.
Metro MLS. Report © 2020 ShowingTime

As far as real estate in Southeastern Wisconsin goes, we’re still doing worse this year compared to last, but we’re better than last month. April 2020 market reports showed Walworth County was down 50.2% in new listings and 30.6% in closed sales, but up 9.4% in median sales price (compared to April 2019). Follow this link to see the April 2020 Real Estate post.

For the month of May, Walworth County went down 30% in new listings, 43.2% in closed sales, and 2.9% in median sales price. The fact that we had fewer closings, is a reflection of April’s drastic decrease in new listings – there were less homes available to be sold. The decrease in median sales price for the county surprises me, as I’ve seen more cases where properties go under contract for list price or higher, as the right-hand chart above shows (i.e., a 12.5% increase in median sales price for May 2020, compared to May 2019, in the Lake Geneva – Delavan – Williams Bay area).

The story here is a gradual trend upward. We have reason to believe a recovery is underway. Adding to this positive news, showings are up in my county, despite the global pandemic and less available inventory to view. According to ShowingTime, Walworth County had a total of 2,158 showings in May (2020), compared to 2,005 total showings in May of 2019.

You might be thinking, “MORE showings? How is that possible? And, what does this mean?“

Personally, I have experienced a spike in demand from buyers in the past month and a half. I’m writing more offers, but facing more competition and not going to the closing table proportionally more often. I suppose there’s nothing like a quarantine to make people antsy and ready to move.

Able buyers: get your ducks in a row sooner rather than later. When the right home comes onto the market, you will need to act fast. In other words, call a lender, heck call two, and get your pre-approval done and out of the way. Also, be prepared for a potential bidding war. I have heard some say the COVID-19 crisis would cause home values/prices to plummet. I’m here to tell you this assumption is incorrect.

Potential sellers: do not miss this opportunity. We do not know how long the odds will stay in your favor. More showings combined with decreased inventory, means you’re statistically more likely to get an offer – and maybe more than one. Based on the principle of supply and demand, when demand is high, but supply is low, prices go up. Therefore, the current market is ideal for sellers right now more than ever.

Stay positive, stay healthy & reach out! ❤ , Annie Z.

ANNIE ZAMBITO
LICENSED REAL ESTATE AGENT
KEEFE REAL ESTATE | LAKE GENEVA, WI 53147
PHONE 262.348.3253 | 262.215.1982
EMAIL azambito@keeferealestate.com | anniezrealty@gmail.com
OFFICE 262.248.4492 | www.keeferealestate.com

Sources:

May 2020 Monthly Housing Market Trends Report: Key Housing Indicators Begin to Turn Around in May by Sabrina Speianu, Sr. Economic Research Analyst for Realtor.com

ShowingTime Showing Reports

April 2020 Real Estate Housing Market Review: In the Thick of COVID-19

April 2020 Real Estate

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Housing Market Review: In the Thick of COVID-19

The following charts are ShowingTime’s Impact of COVID-9 to Real Estate Showings in Wisconsin & in North America. They reflect the physical activity of our market compared to that of the entire United States, this year compared to last. April was a hard hit month for the whole nation. The month of May seems to be off to a good start for both, but overall Wisconsin is trending more active than the overall country,right now.

Our low-point so far in this COVID-19 pandemic, appears to be April. The Metro-Milwaukee MLS (Multiple Listing Service) just released their monthly report: Market Reports: April 2020. The numbers don’t lie. In Walwoth County, new listings were down by 50.2%, and there were 30.6% less homes sold in April of 2020 compared to last year. The median sales price went up 9.4%, and days on market went down by 6%; however, that doesn’t make up for the lack of inventory and closings. April’s inactivity is reflective of the worldwide shutdown, no doubt.

I started out with the showingtime data because it is hopeful. The Safer at Home order was reversed by our supreme court here in Wisconsin, so businesses are opening back up for the first time in months. There are a handful of precautions in effect in real estate, from COVID-19 consent forms to gloves and masks. While I feel tense and anxious, I can only concentrate on my own actions. I will continue to work safely, and follow the CDC guidelines on how to protect yourself and simply trust others do the same.

What if April 2020 is as bad as our market gets?

Stay positive, stay healthy & reach out! ❤ , Annie Z.

Sources:

ShowingTime: The Impact of COVID-19 on Real Estate Showings

CDC guidelines on how to protect yourself

Safer at Home order was reversed

Weekly Update – Walworth Co

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Real Estate Market

Mid May, 2020

In the past week, I’ve had 2 closings, wrote 3 offers (1 was accepted), and scheduled 20 showings. Spring is definitely here! Sellers are accepting offers within days of listing their property’s on the market, as per usual this time of year.

…That being said, the elephant in the room remains… There is no way to avoid the trickle-down effect of Coronavirus on the housing market. Here are how showings have been effected in Walworth County, in a side by side comparison of the last 30 days compared to the same date range (4/13 to 5/13) last year, courtesy of ShowingTime.

Here is the Market Summary from the MLS for April 2020 vs. April 2019:

Despite less showings, home sales are only down 2.7% compared to last April. What’s significant here is the drop in new listings. You know what this means? Less Competition! We are still in a “sellers’ market.” There are simply not as many homes on the market as there are ready, willing and able buyers to purchase them. This has been the case for over a decade.

POTENTIAL SELLERS: When it comes to showings & property tours, seller’s can reduce risk of covid-19 exposure by:

1) Leaving lights on so no one else has to touch switches.
2) Require all visiting parties to sign a covid-19 disclosure release form before providing access information.
3) Mandate gloves and masks to be worn by all visiting parties.

Potential Home Buyers – If this quarantine has you hating your home, and you’re ready to move: fear not! There are options:

1) Get a pre-approval FIRST! You don’t want to waste your time in a space you cannot afford.
2) Get on an automatic MLS search that sends you homes that match your criteria as SOON as they hit the market.
3) Take a Virtual Tour first, and THEN see it in person – with gloves and mask – before writing an offer. try zoom or google duo

Follow these links to see the new listings and just sold properties:

Walworth County New Listings in Last 7 Days

Sold in Walworth Co in the Last 7 Days

OTHER INFO

01. How long does coronavirus last on different surfaces? See CDC’s answer here.

02. WHAT YOU LISTEN TO MATTERS: My favorite podcast is “Afford Anything,” by Paula Pant. Her PSA Thursday episode on May 7th had an interesting synopsis of the current state of our national real estate market. Take a listen by following this link.

03. WI Business Owners: Here are the Reopen Guidelines for you!

I see recovery written all over the data coming out, what about you? Are my glasses too rose-tinted? I want to hear what YOU think! Reach out, let me know. Stay healthy… ❤ ALWAYS, Annie Z.

ANNIE ZAMBITO
LICENSED REAL ESTATE AGENT | KEEFE REAL ESTATE
PHONE 262.348.3253 | 262.215.1982
EMAIL azambito@keeferealestate.com | anniezrealty@gmail.com

Sources:

Weekly Update – Walworth County Real Estate Market

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In the last 30 days, I’ve showed 41 properties. I have 2 closings on Friday, one of which is a co-listing of mine, the other is for a buyer. I have also written 2 offers, but neither made it under contract. Currently, according to the Metro-Milwauke Multiple Listing Service, there are 700 active single family and condominium homes listed in Walworth County; 164 of them are under contract, and 54 were just listed this week. Additionally, 33 homes and condos sold in the last 7 days, as well. According to ShowingTime, there were 339 showings scheduled this week, as compared to 301 showings last week.

Follow these links to see the new listings and just sold properties:

Walworth County New Listings in Last 7 Days

Sold in Last 7 Days

There’s no doubt things are picking up, as far as showings go; the problem that remains is lack of inventory. Buyer’s are out there – more than you would think. If you’re on the fence, I’m here to tell you the time has come! If you’re concerned about your safety, be aware that there are COVID-19 consent forms available, and you can require buyers and agents to wear gloves and masks. I have even been to a showing where I was told to wipe down anything the buyer touches with a lysol wipe – not a problem! If anything were ever a way to increase buyer demand, it’s quarantine. People are getting antsy.

Here’s a graphical breakdown of our showings, as well as a preview to the past month’s market summary, with a year over year comparison:

Like I said, clearly there are just less homes on the market (which makes sense, given everything that’s going on). In Walworth County, Active Listings are down 14.1%, and New Listings are down 15.3%. However, the number of closings/homes sold is only down 2.7%. What does this mean? It indicates buyers are still buying homes, despite there being less to chose from. We’ll see what the metro-MLS says when their Monthly Indicators report comes out in a few days.

Stay healthy ❤ always, Annie Z.

ANNIE ZAMBITO
LICENSED REAL ESTATE AGENT | KEEFE REAL ESTATE
PHONE 262.348.3253 | 262.215.1982
EMAIL azambito@keeferealestate.com | anniezrealty@gmail.com

Sources:

Weekly Update

Featured

Market Check-In + Spring Maintenance Tasks

Friday, April 24th marked 30 full days under WI Governor Evers’ Safer At Home Order, where all non-essential businesses were forced to close their doors in alignment with our nation’s efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus. While real estate is considered an essential business, there’s no denying we have been impacted.

The Impact of 30 Days of “Safer at Home” in Walworth County:

From March 25th to April 24th, 2020, there have been 892 showings in Walworth County. Last year, during the same time frame, there were 1,769 showings. That’s a 50% drop in the number of property showings. Granted this number includes all types of property showings (from condos and single-family homes to commercial property and vacant land). Here’s a graphical breakdown for more clarity:

That being said, week over week, things are looking up. This past week (4/18 – 4/24) we had 242 showings, where as the previous week (4/11 – 4/17) there were 190 showings. Since a property takes anywhere between 30 to 60 days or more to close after accepting an offer, the overall effect on home sales is yet to be determined. However, so far, closings have only dropped to 92% of last years levels. Last year there were 113 single family homes sold in Walworth County from March 25th to April 24th, 2019. This year, from March 25th to April 24th, 103 single family homes have sold. Follow this link to see the listings: Sold in the Last 30 Days

On April 16th, WI Gov. Evers extended the stay-at-home order to May 26th. With that in mind, I thought it would be a great time to offer some spring maintenance tasks and projects to tackle while folks are still stuck in the house.

Springtime Home Maintenance Tasks

Clean out your gutters and downspouts
Pressure wash your siding
Inspect your roof & foundation – schedule repairs
Trim/Prune your bushes and shrubs
Schedule air conditioner cleaning
Clean your windows
Check for/repair holes in window screens
Reseal deck/porch
Paint your house – inside and out!
Switch out winter clothes for spring/summer clothes – don’t forget to make donation piles!
Spray insecticide along windows and doors, and remove bee hives!

Bonus Projects: Paint old tables, hang photos, add more greenery indoors!

Inspired by Spring Maintenance Checklist – More Than Cleaning by HomeAdvisor & Your Spring Home Maintenance Checklist by Family Handyman (houzz)

Slowly but surely, things are improving. As long as we each continue to do our part to stay healthy, we will make it out of this. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need anything – groceries, vendor contacts, or even just someone to talk to. I’m here!!

I’m here if you need anything, just let me know!

Stay healthy ❤ always, Annie Z.

ANNIE ZAMBITO
LICENSED REAL ESTATE AGENT | KEEFE REAL ESTATE
PHONE 262.348.3253 | 262.215.1982
EMAIL azambito@keeferealestate.com | anniezrealty@gmail.com

Sources:

Safer At Home Order

extended stay-at-home order

Spring Maintenance Checklist – More Than Cleaning by HomeAdvisor

Your Spring Home Maintenance Checklist by Family Handyman (houzz)

January 2020 Local Market Update

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Southeastern Wisconsin

Our Metro-Milwaukee Area Multiple Listing Service gathers real estate stats for each month; they compile data points into graphs and highlight renown voices to provide a comprehensive Local Market Update. The following is from their latest report, released Tuesday, February 10th, regarding our hyper-local, Southeastern Wisconsin area for the month of January 2020.

10 K (Local) Market Research Reports by Multiple Listing Service Data Notes:

Single Family and Condominium property types only are used in all reports.
Monthly Supply of inventory: Instead of just the most recent month, they look at the average number of monthly pending sales from the last twelve months. This removes the effects of seasonality (i.e. there are way more sales in June than there are in December) and makes it easier to compare month-to-month numbers.

In their “Monthly Indicators,” the MLS is promoting an optimistic point of view for this year…

For 2020, The National Association of REALTORS® Chief Economist Lawrence Yun sees good news for home prices. “National median home price growth is in no danger of falling due to inventory shortages and will rise by 4%,” the long term NAR economist predicts. He is also expecting the new-home construction market sales to increase 10%. Yun and others would like to see home builders bring more affordable units to market to help ease shortages and slow price gains in that segment.
…
We start off the year with continued low interest rates, low unemployment, and rising rents nationally. These factors should encourage healthy buyer demand and sets us up for a strong start to the 2020 housing market and a lot of optimism for the coming spring market.
Metro MLS Report © 2020 ShowingTime

Did you know?

2019 TOTAL SALES VOLUME INCREASED BY ~14%! (compared to 2018)*

ALSO: Walworth, Williams Bay and Genoa city saw a nearly 20% increase in median pricing; Lafayette saw a 53% increase in volume; Median Pricing and Ave Price Per Square Foot both increased, and days on market generally dropped*

Want more info?

For YOUR copy of the 2019 Market Update by Keefe Real Estate* email azambito@keeferealestate.com

January was clearly a hard month for my current area, Lake Geneva. That being said, I am positive for the year overall. If there ever was a time to sell, now is it; the seller’s market is very very strong. Don’t hesitate to reach out for a home valuation, my contact information is as follows!

Let me know if you found this helpful in the comments below, or shoot me a message on my socials!

❤ always, Annie Z.

December 2019 Southeastern WI Market Update and Year in Review

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The Mero-Milwaukee Multiple Listing Service gathers the previous month’s active and sold data on the 10th of each month. Here’s what they’ve got to say about our current market conditions, with end-of-the-year data from December 2019…

Monthly Indicators

In 2019 home prices were up again in most markets. Buyer demand continues to be strong but with tepid seller activity still in many locations, total sales are lower than they would normally be in a more balanced market. While up from their recent lows a few months ago, mortgage rates end the year close to three quarters of a percent lower than a year ago, helping to improve affordability and offset rising home prices.
[…] With low mortgage rates, low unemployment, and continued wage growth, home buyer activity is expected to remain healthy into the new year. New construction has been on the rise in 2019 and is expected to continue into 2020, but many experts note that the country is still not building enough new units to quench demand. It remains to be seen whether existing homeowners will be enticed to sell by higher home prices, which could finally bring the overall housing market into greater balance.
Metro Milwaukee MLS

Next, let’s dive a little deeper into our market’s performance this past quarter…

Year in Review & Q4

4th Quarter Breakdowns by County & Zip Code

Now, let’s see how our market has fared across all types of listings this year, compared to last.

Tri-County Area Breakdown

Walworth, Kenosha & Racine Counties – 2019 (vs. 2018)

In 2019, a total of 5,769 Single Family Homes were sold in the Tri-County Area, which is EXACTLY the same number of single family homes sold in 2018 (5,769).

Walworth County: 1,487 (2018: 1,479)
Kenosha County: 2,028 (2018: 2,020)
Racine County: 2,254 (2018: 2,297)

1,071 Condos sold in 2019 versus 1,033 Condos that sold in 2018.

Walworth County: 456 (2018: 407)
Kenosha County: 275 (2018: 270)
Racine County: 340 (2018: 356)

350 Multi-Family Homes (including Two-Family Homes) sold in 2019; 363 Multi-Family Homes were sold in 2018.

Walworth County: 30 (2018: 42)
Kenosha County: 110 (2018: 140)
Racine County: 210 (2018: 181)

523 Vacant Land Lots sold in 2019; 638 Vacant Land Lots were sold in 2018.

Walworth County: 212 (2018: 203)
Kenosha County: 167 (2018: 209)
Racine County: 144 (2018: 226)

In 2019, the number of Commercial Listings sold totaled 152. In 2018, that number was 192.

Walworth County: 60 (2018: 51)
Kenosha County: 43 (2018: 56)
Racine County: 49 (2018: 85)

Overall, homes are selling for more money in less time; this indicates we’re in an increasingly competitive, sellers’ market. In other words, there aren’t enough homes for buyers to choose from, creating an auction type atmosphere for real estate transactions.

*IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT SELLING YOUR HOME* now would be a good time to start packing. Serious sellers should strongly consider preemptively move out of your home, in order to market it as “move-in ready” (which most buyers want). Alternatively, if your home is unique, you may have to wait longer for that specific buyer or accept less than expected due to buyers’ concessions. In other words, a buyer may ask for more to be included or repaired prior to closing, if they’ve settled on your home out of necessity. Make note that new construction is still on the rise. Finally, please be aware of how long it has been a “sellers’ market,” and eventually (although, no one specifically knows when) the market will turn.

*IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT BUYING A HOME* start researching as soon as possible, be aware that you may have to wait longer than anticipated. If you aren’t not finding exactly what you’re looking for, don’t be afraid; you can always ask for certain things to be repaired (professionally) or for personal property (i.e., furniture) to be included in the asking price to sweeten the deal. Additionally, consider building a new construction home. If you’re looking for something very specific, you may need to have work done on a home you purchase in order to make it fit your needs (which, yes, may require lowering your max price point for your home search). Be aware of our (increasingly frequent) multiple-offer situation. In other words, have your pre-approval or proof of funds ready to go, sell your current home first (if you have to sell to buy), and prepare to offer your highest and best – which might be above asking price.

After reviewing these data points, I am excited for the 2020 market! I love my job, and I’d be happy to help you buy or sell this year. Please Note: I can also pull data for any combination of statistics seen above, so please do not hesitate to ask! Your home value has likely increased, if you bought a home 2 or more years ago. Simply ask, and I’ll swing by for a full market analysis; alternatively, if you are just curious, I can also give you a rough estimate of your updated home value based on market data.

I hope you found this helpful, and I’ll see you around!

❤ always, Annie Z.

Southeastern Wisconsin on the Rebound

You might be thinking, “MORE showings? How is that possible? And, what does this mean?“

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Housing Market Review: In the Thick of COVID-19

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Real Estate Market

Mid May, 2020

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Market Check-In + Spring Maintenance Tasks

The Impact of 30 Days of “Safer at Home” in Walworth County:

Springtime Home Maintenance Tasks

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Southeastern Wisconsin

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Monthly Indicators

Year in Review & Q4

Tri-County Area Breakdown

Walworth, Kenosha & Racine Counties – 2019 (vs. 2018)

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