July 2009 Intown Market Update

Springfield

Springfield had 8 closings in July. Six were renovations whose median sold price/sq ft was $54/sq ft. One was a new construction (private developer, not SRG nor ONH) that sold for $124/sq ft. The last house was a home needing renovation that sold for $10/sq ft. Although the price per sq ft of renovations has gone down, the number of homes selling has risen dramatically - indicating that there are buyers out there. It is only a matter of time before demand pushes prices back up. It is the foreclosures and short sales driving prices down. As these ease up and the number of buyers continues to increase, prices will go up again - hang in there Springfielders! These prices are probably the best deals Intown and buying in the coming months is a good idea.

17 new listings came on the market, 7 of which are in need of rehab. There is a total of 66 properties for sale now. This is a decrease from what you were seeing in the Spring - a good sign. If demand will continue to go down and buyers will continue to buy, again, it is only a matter of time before demand pushes prices back of up. Of the 66, 25% are distressed, a slight increase from the Spring. 17 properties are pending in Springifeld. The most expensive property in pending is a new construction home listed at $289K

Riverside

Riverside had 9 closings, 4 of which wree condominiums. 3 of the residential units were in need of rehab and sold for a median price/sq ft of $17. The other 2 residential units sold for $110/sq ft. This is pretty much the same that Riverside has been seeing since the Spring indicating, again, that this market has stablized and is waiting on demand to increase for its prices to increase. I think that will happen sometime toward the end of this year or next year. If you are thinking about purchasing in Riverside, the next few months are probably the lowest pricing you will see.


14 new properties went on the market, making a total of 97 properties on the market. Riverside has been pretty consistent in the amount of inventory it has carried in 2009. 28% of the inventory are distressed properties, an increase from the Spring. If this continues, then prices will drop a little more over the next few months. 8 properties are pending in Riverside now, the most expensive of which is a home listed for $199,000

Avondale

There were 12 closings in Avondale in July, about the same number from the Spring. The median sold price per sq ft is $165. 27 new properties came on the market, for a total of 147 properties for sale, this is a slight decrease in inventory from Spring. If this slight drop in inventory increase through the end of the year, this could help stablize pricing in this market and begin the road to Avondale's recovery, the last of the Intown Neighborhoods to begin recovery.

In addition, 14% of the inventory for sale is distressed, a 4% increase from Spring 2009, also an indication that prices are going to be pushed further down in this market before they bottom out. There are 12 properties in pending, the most expensive of which is listed at $479,900.

San Marco

San Marco had 5 closings in July. Prices range from $67,500 - $595,000 with the median sold price per sq ft at $153. 17 new properties went on the market, making a total of 119 properties for sale. This is a dramtic decrease in inventory, a good indication that San Marco is recovering. Like Riverside, this market is probably bottomed out in pricing and if you were thinking of buying in San Marco, now is the time.

Only 9% of its present inventory are distressed properties. 10 properties are pending, the most expensive of which is listed at $262,900.

Downtown
1 condominium sold in July for $158K or $143/sf. 3 new properties went on the market making the total 61. This is not good if Downtown doesn't begin to see an increase in sales. 79 properties are pending, most at the Berkman II.

Murray Hill

11 properties closed in July. The prices ranged from $29,900-$190,000 or $29/sf-$134. This is a slight increase in price from the Spring. IF this increase continues, that would indeicate a recovery in this market. But only time will tell.

26 new properties came on the market, for a total of 123 properties for sale, this is an dramatic decrease in invenotry from Spring. 46 of them are distressed properties. 16 are in pending, the most expensive of which is listed at $160,000.