Monthly Market Update

Multiple offers “the norm” for home buyers, but may ease with uptick in listings

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KIRKLAND, Washington (March 7, 2022) – Multiple offer situations are the norm for today’s home buyers, but some brokers with Northwest Multiple Listing Service suggest February’s improving inventory and a slowing pace of price increases may ease some of the competitive pressures.

Commenting on the latest statistical report from Northwest MLS, representatives of the service expressed optimism for the housing market as pandemic-related restrictions ease, but also uncertainty due to the global economic crisis around Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“In February, we saw an increase in listings, which could be an indicator that more sellers are primed and ready to go. Inflation, rising interest rates, and new financing options are bringing more sellers into the market,” said John Deely, executive vice president of operations for Coldwell Banker Bain.

Northwest MLS brokers added 7,920 new listings to inventory during February, a 6.8% improvement from a year ago, and a gain of more than 33% from January’s total of 5,927. Pent-up demand led to big month-over-month gains in pending sales and more shrinkage in overall supply.

“Buyers in King County are jumping for joy over the nearly 40% increase in new listings that we saw in February compared to January (2,901 vs. 2,083),” noted Matthew Gardner, chief economist at Windermere Real Estate. “No surprise,” he continued, “the result was a 31% increase in pending home sales month-over-month, as well.”

Sellers system-wide accepted 7,697 offers on their homes during February, about the same number (7,724) as a year ago, but a 21% jump from January’s volume of pending sales (6,350). Fourteen of the 26 counties in the MLS report had fewer pending sales than a year ago, a likely consequence of tight supply.

Closed sales also reflected 2022’s slower start compared to a year ago. Member-brokers logged 5,147 closed sales during February, a drop of 665 units (down 11.4%) from a year ago. This year’s volume of completed transactions through February is lagging year-ago totals by 12.6%.

Prices continue to trend upward. The area-wide median price for last month’s closed sales of single family homes and condominiums was $585,000, up 14.3% from a year ago, and up 5.4% from January.

Prices for single family homes (excluding condos) rose at a smaller rate, about 12.2%, increasing from $535,000 a year ago to $600,000 last month. Commenting on the increases, Gardner noted some areas were “clearly very popular” with buyers of single family homes because they had especially strong growth. He singled out West Bellevue, West Lake Sammamish, and Redmond on the Eastside, and in Seattle named Ballard, Magnolia, and Queen Anne.

Condo prices soared nearly 23% area-wide, with a YOY jump from $399,000 to $490,250.

“With median prices up in all but three counties, buyers who are sitting on the sidelines waiting for prices to come down could be waiting some time,” suggested Deely. “Seasonal trends will bring more listings, but there is a large pent-up demand as well.”

Sellers are fueling some of the demand, according to Deely. “Every seller is generally also a buyer and many placed their real estate dreams on hold during the pandemic. They are now ready to take action and explore their next chapter.”

Industry analysts believe conditions will probably continue to favor sellers.

At the end of February, there were 3,461 total active listings in the MLS database, up from January’s total of 3,092 for a gain of nearly 12%, but down about 19.5% from twelve months ago when inventory included 4,298 listings of single family homes and condominiums.

Measured by months of supply, there was about 19 days (0.67 months) at the end of February. That was the highest level since September 2021 when the MLS reported 0.75 months of supply.

“As we head into spring, it’s time for buyers to reenergize and go through a renewal of spirit as they begin or continue their home search,” stated J. Lennox Scott, chairman and CEO of John L. Scott Real Estate. “Buyers will be pleased to hear that more listings are on the way! Historically, the number of new listings bumps up in March and April, and then goes up even higher in May and June.”

Until inventory grows, Scott expects “heightened focus on each new listing coming on the market.”

“It seems even homes that wash up on the beach are getting multiple offers,” said Dick Beeson managing broker at RE/MAX Northwest Realtors, “The sound of interest rate increases is ever nearer, and when coupled with the enormous price increases for homes around Puget Sound, the wringing of buyers’ hands will surely be a sad tale of 2022. There’s no relief in sight.”

A comparison of counties around Puget Sound shows positive growth in inventory and closed sales in Kitsap County. In King, Pierce and Snohomish counties both listings and closed sales trended downward.

“Market activity is up across the board in Kitsap,” stated Frank Wilson, branch managing broker and Kitsap regional manager at John L. Scott Real Estate. “We have more new listings (up 30.6%), more total active listings (up 36%), and more pending transactions (up 10%) compared to last year’s numbers. Also, home prices continue to rise (up nearly 23%). This is concerning because we are just starting into the spring market.”

Wilson reported increases in customer calls to the office and more people at open houses, remarking, “We have not even gotten out our garden gloves for spring.” He expects the year will be “a real squeeze for home affordability in Kitsap County,” citing rising prices and projected increases in interest rates. “This will just make it harder for buyers who are already struggling to have an offer accepted.” He anticipates seeing multiple offers on homes.

Gary O’Leyar, designated broker/owner at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Signature Properties, reported a continuation of the multiple offer market in February. “There were instances when our brokers made 10 or more offers for buyers before reaching successful purchase agreements.”

O’Leyar said one recent would-be purchaser made a strong offer $250,000 over the asking price of $2 million on a new listing in the Tangletown/Wallingford neighborhood, only to be beat out by several hundred thousand dollars. “This is not uncommon,” he said, adding “The extreme dynamics of the market underscore the importance of buyers getting assistance from a knowledgeable, patient, persistent broker.”

Commenting on rising prices and low inventory, broker Dean Rebhuhn, owner of Village Homes and Properties, said multiple offers are the norm. “I’ve been asked many times if the housing market is going to have a correction.” He believes it will not, citing five factors: 

  • High job growth and high pay.
  • Remote hybrid work models.
  • Consumer willingness to drive to locations along I-90, I-5, I-405.
  • Investor interest in residential rentals, plus political pushback on short-term rentals.
  • Increasing demand for second homes located in high amenity communities within driving distance of Puget Sound, and particularly the Eastside.

Whether higher gasoline prices will have an impact on the market remains to be seen, suggested O’Leyar. “In the pre-pandemic past, increasing gas prices tended to create higher demand for shorter commute locations closer to the center of Seattle’s business district. This could cause a slight shift in the extreme demand for listings between King and Snohomish counties.”

Other unknowns are the impacts of rising mortgage rates and geopolitical tensions.

“Something on everyone’s minds is how the invasion of Ukraine might affect the housing market here at home,” said Gardner. “While these events have helped push mortgage rates lower, it doesn’t mean they are on their way back to the historic lows of a year ago. In fact, that’s almost guaranteed not to happen.”

According to Freddie Mac, the average rate on a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage was 3.76% on March 3, down from two weeks prior when it was 3.92%, the highest rate since May 2019. A year ago, the average rate was 2.81%.

The Mortgage Bankers Association forecasts average rates will be slightly above 4 percent by the end of 2022. Mortgage data provider Black Knight estimates the average borrower with a 20% down payment would pay about $100 more a month on a new mortgage than one taken out at the end of last year due to rising rates and higher home prices.

Danielle Hale, the chief economist for Realtor.com, said the pace of home price increases may slow from double-digit to single-digit percentages this year. She also expects conditions will likely continue to favor sellers.

Freddie Mac believes short-term mortgage rates will stay low but are likely to increase in the coming months. The mortgage finance giant said geopolitical tensions caused U.S. Treasury yields to recede last week as investors “moved to the safety of bonds.” Along with inflationary pressures, Freddie Mac points to “the cascading impacts of the war in Ukraine” for creating market uncertainty.


About Northwest Multiple Listing Service

As the leading resource for the region’s residential real estate industry, NWMLS provides valuable products and services, superior member support, and the most trusted, current residential property and listing information for real estate professionals. NWMLS is a member-owned, not-for-profit organization with more than 2,500 member offices and 30,000+ real estate brokers throughout Washington state. With extensive knowledge of the region, NWMLS operates 20 service centers and serves 26 counties, providing dedicated support to its members and fostering a robust, cooperative brokerage environment.

NWMLS now offers a home listing search and comprehensive broker database at https://www.nwmls.com.

 

Single Fam. Homes + Condos

LISTINGS

PENDING SALES

CLOSED SALES

MONTHS OF INVENTORY

New Listings

Total Active

# Pending Sales

# Closings

Avg. Price

Median Price

This month

Same mo., year ago

King

2,901

978

2,631

1,786

$955,497

$759,735

0.55

0.85

Snohomish

1,169

290

1,125

710

$791,893

$700,250

0.41

0.42

Pierce

1,349

451

1,399

854

$582,120

$526,000

0.53

0.54

Kitsap

409

185

405

301

$595,704

$525,000

0.61

0.54

Mason

115

67

119

66

$418,593

$376,250

1.02

0.61

Skagit

156

101

146

110

$578,648

$520,572

0.92

0.67

Grays Harbor

144

159

144

101

$338,311

$350,000

1.57

0.77

Lewis

115

89

131

87

$389,711

$385,000

1.02

1.16

Cowlitz

123

56

143

96

$429,794

$397,750

0.58

0.61

Grant

85

104

100

75

$349,566

$325,000

1.39

1.28

Thurston

422

147

416

290

$522,177

$498,875

0.51

0.48

San Juan

16

46

14

11

$1,640,818

$720,000

4.18

3.75

Island

120

67

110

82

$628,873

$527,500

0.82

0.68

Kittitas

50

43

53

43

$691,404

$553,005

1.00

0.84

Jefferson

45

36

39

25

$600,160

$525,000

1.44

1.28

Okanogan

29

67

33

38

$394,437

$290,000

1.76

2.37

Whatcom

258

162

251

175

$586,571

$550,000

0.93

1.05

Clark

90

34

87

58

$546,183

$526,500

0.59

0.73

Pacific

45

55

50

29

$356,241

$335,000

1.90

1.56

Ferry

2

19

6

5

$200,380

$192,000

3.80

2.67

Clallam

86

69

79

49

$491,817

$426,000

1.41

0.68

Chelan

70

81

76

44

$513,161

$439,500

1.84

1.26

Douglas

34

25

43

25

$458,024

$431,000

1.00

1.13

Adams

0

13

8

15

$297,007

305,000

0.87

1.17

Walla Walla

35

42

40

36

$419,428

392,500

1.17

1.12

Columbia

8

15

3

1

$152,500

152,500

15.00

3.00

Others

44

60

46

35

$399,514

$350,000

1.71

1.61

Total

7,920

3,461

7,697

5,147

$716,977

$585,000

0.67

0.74

4-county Puget Sound Region Pending Sales (SFH + Condo combined)

(totals include King, Snohomish, Pierce & Kitsap counties)

 

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

2003

4746

5290

6889

6837

7148

7202

7673

7135

6698

6552

4904

4454

2004

4521

6284

8073

7910

7888

8186

7583

7464

6984

6761

6228

5195

2005

5426

6833

8801

8420

8610

8896

8207

8784

7561

7157

6188

4837

2006

5275

6032

8174

7651

8411

8094

7121

7692

6216

6403

5292

4346

2007

4869

6239

7192

6974

7311

6876

6371

5580

4153

4447

3896

2975

2008

3291

4167

4520

4624

4526

4765

4580

4584

4445

3346

2841

2432

2009

3250

3407

4262

5372

5498

5963

5551

5764

5825

5702

3829

3440

2010

4381

5211

6821

7368

4058

4239

4306

4520

4350

4376

3938

3474

2011

4272

4767

6049

5732

5963

5868

5657

5944

5299

5384

4814

4197

2012

4921

6069

7386

7015

7295

6733

6489

6341

5871

6453

5188

4181

2013

5548

6095

7400

7462

7743

7374

7264

6916

5951

6222

5083

3957

2014

5406

5587

7099

7325

8055

7546

7169

6959

6661

6469

5220

4410

2015

5791

6541

8648

8671

8620

8608

8248

7792

7179

6977

5703

4475

2016

5420

6703

8130

8332

9153

8869

8545

8628

7729

7487

6115

4727

2017

5710

6024

7592

7621

9188

9042

8514

8637

7441

7740

6094

4460

2018

5484

5725

7373

7565

8742

8052

7612

6893

6235

6367

5328

4037

2019

5472

4910

7588

8090

8597

8231

7773

7345

6896

6797

5788

4183

2020

5352

6078

6477

5066

7297

8335

8817

9179

8606

7934

6122

4851

2021

5216

5600

8002

7716

8674

8824

8049

8586

7880

7405

6022

3943

2022

4405

5560

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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