time on market

2013 homes sales UP in Tower Crossing

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Tower Crossing is a townhome development in The Glen, Glenview Illinois.  It is composed of 154 stunning units varying in size from 3031 sq ft to 4105 sq ft.  2013 was a very successful year for real estate sales, home rentals and home prices in this development.  In this blog I will tell you about the increase in sales.

20 Tower Crossing homes sold in 2013, compared with 11 in 2012, 13 in 2011, 6 in 2010, and 7 in 2009.  I had the good fortune to list and sell nearly half of all homes sold in 2013 (9 of 20).  7 realtors combined to sell the other 11 homes.

1 Distressed property sold in 2013.  A single distressed property sale in 2013 represents an improvement as compared with 2012 (4 sales) and 2011 (3 sales).  Distressed properties (bank owned or short sales) typically sell for well under market value, and that was the case with the Omni model bank owned property that sold in 2013.

Only 1 listed Tower Crossing home failed to sell in 2013!  20 of 21 listed homes sold last year compared with 4 failures in 2012.  Given the strength of the real estate market last year, it is surprising that even one home failed to sell. This was NOT my listing.

Time-on-market was greatly improved in 2013.  Time-on-market refers to the number of days between listing a home for sale and when it goes under contract with buyers.

The 19 non-distressed Tower Crossing homes sold in 2013 were on the market for a combined 1012 days, an average of 53 days.  This compares very favorably to 75 days in 2012.  It is vastly improved over the roughly 4 months in 2011 and 7 months in 2010.  I am proud that my non-distressed Tower Crossing sales in 2013 averaged only 17 days on market.  Tower Crossing homes sold by other realtors averaged 79 days.

Margaret Ludemann, Tower Crossing homeowner and @properties Realtor, 847-401-1802

Home sales surge, prices rise, time on market falls in The Glen

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2013 was the year that Glen homeowners have been waiting for.  The Glen is an upscale residential and retail development in Glenview, Illinois in the Chicago area’s North Shore. The real estate market for its homes was exceptionally strong.  Sales were up considerably, prices rebounded nicely, and the time it took to sell homes fell.  Further, nearly every Glen home listed for sale in 2013 sold.

Broad economic factors positively influenced existing home sales in the U.S. which gained 9.3% for the year.  The U.S. economy gathered strength through 2013.  Job growth continued to climb.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the unemployment rate fell to 7% by November 2013 from 7.9% in January 2013 and from its recent high of 10% in October 2009.  Interest rates remained at historically low levels, though they inched upward during the year.  Low rates and the prospect of higher future interest rates served as incentives for many potential home buyers.  Stocks soared during the year with the S & P 500 gaining 29.6% which no doubt made potential home buyers feel more financially secure.

Years of declining values once again brought many bargain hunting investors into the U.S. housing market.  Pent up demand by trade-up buyers also fueled the increase in home sales. 

As prices rose during the year fewer homeowners found themselves “under water” (homes worth less than the mortgage balance), thereby reducing their incentive to sell.  This resulted in a decline of available housing inventory.  Over the last several years sellers far outnumbered buyers, but that was reversed in 2013 giving sellers the negotiating advantage.  The result…further improvement in home prices.

It was the best year for home sales and prices in years, and you will see that reflected in my future blogs dealing specifically with sales of Glen homes.

Margaret Ludemann

Glen homeowner and @properties Realtor

Low Inventory, Fast Sales In Southgate & Tower Crossing

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Southgate is a luxury development in The Glen, Glenview, Illinois with 239 single family homes.  Throughout 2013 there have been very few of these homes for sale at any given point in time.  In fact, last week there were none.  1 home came on the market this week.  It is likely to be under contract soon.

The lack of sellers is the primary reason for low inventory in Southgate, of course, but AVAILABLE inventory is determined not only by how many homes are offered for sale but also by how quickly they are sold.  Well, Southgate single family homes – when they do come on the market – sell so quickly that the cupboard remains bare or nearly so most of the time.  Looking at the 10 non-distressed homes (not bank owned, not short sales) that have either sold this year or are currently under contract, 5 went under contract in 9 days or less.  1 went under contract in 30 days; and the remaining 4 sold within a respectable 2 – 4 months period.  That’s fast, especially when you consider that the average price in 2013 has been over $1.1 million.

I also track the Tower Crossing development closely.  Tower Crossing in The Glen has 154 luxury town homes with 3031 to 4105 sq ft depending on model.  Home prices are typically between $650,000 and around $800,000.  As of mid-July, 17 homes have sold this year or are under contract vs. 11 sold in all of 2012.  Yet it’s been rare this year when more than 3 homes have been for sale at the same time.  Of 4 recent sales that I have made in Tower Crossing, 3 were contracted within a week; and the 4th had offers before the home was listed.

So the luxury home market is alive and well in The Glen.  If you would like to know more about homes in The Glen, please contact Margaret Ludemann, resident of The Glen, @properties Realtor.  847-401-1802.