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That header is not a new year’s resolution, but a market condition statement, saying we “got healthy” in terms of numbers of sold homes and the ever decreasing inventory…So we are supposedly healthy now? We have made up nearly all of the ground lost over the last 10 years and it feels like we are starting over now. Consistently we are seeing home sales per month in excess of 200 units. The grand total dollar sales for the year will easily exceed 1 billion, which has not happened in over 12 years.
Everyone is talking about how low inventory is. In case it’s not clear to you what that means, it means sellers might have the confidence to wait for the right buyer knowing those buyers have fewer homes to choose from. It does not mean that the junk, the extremely dated (can you say mid-century modern?) and the horrible floor plans will all of a sudden start selling. You still have to compete with clean and tasteful product to get a home sold. It might mean more buyers will have to settle for a home they can remodel to suit their needs if they can’t find one they really like as is.
Take some time to review the year-end statistics when they are posted by yours truly about January 10th and you will see unit sales growth in excess of 12% from 2016 to 2017. You will see an increase is sales count in each and every price range (unless it’s the lowest which is held back by that same lack of inventory). You will see Absorption Rates at their lowest (average months to sell all available inventory) in many years.
It is time to send out your thank you cards and start by sending one to each of your customers and to each of your fellow professionals that helped you succeed. And then plan for an even better year next year. I am going to take a bit of time off to travel so the blog posts will be strictly updates on statistics over the next couple months (each month about the 10th) and not so much trend analysis or political musing. You can get that anywhere from almost anyone.
People say a salesperson should not take sides in a political debate so as not to offend or run off the customers that disagree with them. But I tell you a guy that is 67 that is going to remain silent about what is going on in the world today is not someone I would respect anyway. So if you want to hear what I have to say about current events, stick around. You will get more than a lump of coal.
Thank you for your support and encouragement over the years. It is certainly nice to be able to report on positive trends and increasingly healthy sales results in our special market. Who knows, we might see more pastureland turned into ranchitos and mcmansions in the future. We might see a stronger backbone for city infill by the powers that determine who gets water and sewer hookups at what price. Everyone loves open space, but if its weeds and some junk autos and blowing trash, is that the highest and best use by some definition?
Happy new year and best wishes for a prosperous 2018.
