Real Estate Market Showing Signs Of New Life

The Coastal Association of Realtors released its first
quarter market report and the gist is sales are picking up throughout the
county.

Here’s a look at some of its findings:

— In all of Worcester County, single-family inventory was
reported to have increased 23 percent over the past year. The sales picture has
improved overall and is reportedly 14 percent down from last March’s sales
volume, with an increased absorption rate of 8 percent. In what is one of the
more telling statistics, homes are staying on the market about 100 days on
average and selling at 94 percent of list price.

— As far as condos go in Worcester County, sales in March
were up over March 2006’s rate by 2 percent. Condos were reportedly selling at
90 percent of their listing price and on average taking about nine months to
sell.

— In Ocean City alone, there are 1,709 units on the
market in Ocean City, representing an 18-percent increase comparing
year-to-date 2006 to 2007. Sales are up 2 percent over last March. It’s taking
about five months on average to sell an Ocean City condo, and the final
settlement price average is 96 percent of listing price at $393,983.

— There’s more good news on the single-family home front
in Ocean City. The glut of inventory has dropped to only 7 percent above where
it was last March. That inventory figure had reached over 50 percent in recent
quarters. As far as sales go, they are up 20 percent year-to-date and 40
percent in March compared to March 2006. The average sales price of a
single-family home in Ocean City is $310,000, which represents about 91 percent
of its listing price.

Statistics can be manipulated a number of different ways,
but this report in its entirety comes as good news. The main conclusion we come
to with this report is properties are being priced better than before,
confirming what some veteran realtors have said all along.

The
market is still sound, but it’s just not what it was one year ago when many
properties were flying off the market. Most in the industry knew that sizzling
market was not going to stay around forever, but it’s welcome news to see the
market is beginning to rebound as spring begins in earnest for the Ocean City
area market. 

About The Author: Steven Green

Alternative Text

The writer has been with The Dispatch in various capacities since 1995, including serving as editor and publisher since 2004. His previous titles were managing editor, staff writer, sports editor, sales account manager and copy editor. Growing up in Salisbury before moving to Berlin, Green graduated from Worcester Preparatory School in 1993 and graduated from Loyola University Baltimore in 1997 with degrees in Communications (journalism concentration) and Political Science.