No good news goes unpunished. As the economy churned out more than 320,000 private jobs in November, some say the Federal Reserve is that much more likely to stick to the plan of raising rates by mid-2015. The truth is that the U.S. is on track for the strongest yearly job growth since 1999. That means more families are in a better position to buy a home, which is of course good news for housing. Let’s take a look at the local housing market.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending November 29:

• New Listings decreased 13.5% to 468
• Pending Sales decreased 8.3% to 539
• Inventory increased 0.5% to 15,557

For the month of November:

• Median Sales Price increased 5.1% to $205,000
• Days on Market increased 5.3% to 79
• Percent of Original List Price Received decreased 0.7% to 94.7%
• Months Supply of Inventory increased 5.9% to 3.6

All comparisons are to 2013

Click here for the full Weekly Market Activity Report. From The Skinny Blog.

Amidst frantic shopping for all the things between turkey and toys, the economy has made a surprising statement, offering big gains over the last six months not seen since mid-2003. As we head into the final stretch of the fourth quarter, mortgage rates remain fairly stable, with the 30-year fixed rate mortgage still hovering below 4 percent.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending November 22:

• New Listings decreased 3.5% to 862
• Pending Sales decreased 2.7% to 802
• Inventory increased 1.6% to 16,122

For the month of October:

• Median Sales Price increased 6.7% to $208,000
• Days on Market decreased 4.0% to 72
• Percent of Original List Price Received decreased 0.6% to 95.2%
• Months Supply of Inventory increased 13.5% to 4.2

All comparisons are to 2013

Click here for the full Weekly Market Activity Report. From The Skinny Blog.

Consumers are already starting to lean toward 2015, so let’s look ahead ourselves before we hit the weekly tabulations. With virtually no inflation to speak of, interest rates should remain low for the foreseeable future but could flirt with 5.0 percent toward the end of next year. Both new and existing inventory levels should rise – which is more of a continuation than a new development for many communities. Prices are also expected to increase but not by much, which should help first-time buyers. Job growth is likely to continue, and wage growth is expected to pick up.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending November 15:

• New Listings decreased 14.5% to 857
• Pending Sales decreased 1.6% to 749
• Inventory increased 3.5% to 16,692

For the month of October:

• Median Sales Price increased 6.7% to $208,000
• Days on Market decreased 4.0% to 72
• Percent of Original List Price Received decreased 0.6% to 95.2%
• Months Supply of Inventory increased 13.5% to 4.2

All comparisons are to 2013

Click here for the full Weekly Market Activity Report. From The Skinny Blog.

As fall finally goes dim, winter emerges as the prevailing wind through the marketplace. While optimism serves as a white rose through this phase, moderate unemployment rates have given pause to overabundant optimism. All the same, the desire for homeownership remains high among those willing to absorb some risk while attracting enthusiasm.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending November 8:

• New Listings decreased 2.8% to 1,104
• Pending Sales increased 2.0% to 826
• Inventory increased 4.1% to 16,972

For the month of October:

• Median Sales Price increased 6.7% to $208,000
• Days on Market decreased 4.0% to 72
• Percent of Original List Price Received decreased 0.6% to 95.2%
• Months Supply of Inventory increased 13.5% to 4.2

All comparisons are to 2013

Click here for the full Weekly Market Activity Report. From The Skinny Blog.