Home Sales Continue to Soften this Month

By Helen Adams Realty - September 15, 2022

Home Sales Continue to Soften
Reprinted from August 2022 CRRA Monthly Indicators

Summer 2022 has been a season of change for the U.S. real estate market. With housing affordability at a 33-year low, existing-home sales have continued to soften nationwide, falling 5.9% month-to-month and 20.9% year-over-year as of last measure, according to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). Pending home sales have also continued to decline, while new listings have steadily increased, with unsold inventory reaching 3.3 months’ supply at the start of August. The pullback in demand has been particularly hard on homebuilders, causing new-home sales and construction to slow.

New Listings were down in the Charlotte region by 15.2 percent to 5,175. Pending Sales decreased 18.0 percent to 4,607. Inventory grew 25.8 percent to 6,738.

Prices moved higher as Median Sales Price was up 16.7 percent to $388,505. Months Supply of Homes for Sale was up 36.4 percent to 1.5., indicating that supply increased relative to demand.

Inflation, higher interest rates, and fears of a potential recession have taken a toll on buyers and sellers this summer, leading many people to stay on the sidelines to see what will happen with the market. But some experts, including NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun, believe the worst of inflation may be over. Although sales prices remain up from this time last year, price growth is expected to moderate in the months ahead as the market continues to shift in a more buyer-friendly direction.

A Closer Look