The calendar can sometimes have just as profound an effect on housing data as
supply and demand. The 2013 Thanksgiving holiday was a week later than in
2012, causing some peculiar shifts in activity. This serves as a good reminder to
watch for calendar oddities just as much as you do economic indicators. Even so,
aside from family time and tryptophan, buyers and sellers had a lot to be grateful
for this Thanksgiving. Buyers still live in a time of great affordability, and sellers
should be thankful for shorter market times, higher prices and less competition.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending November 30:

• New Listings decreased 47.0% to 540
• Pending Sales decreased 38.5% to 579
• Inventory decreased 4.5% to 14,582

For the month of November:

• Median Sales Price increased 13.4% to $195,000
• Days on Market decreased 26.5% to 75
• Percent of Original List Price Received increased 1.3% to 95.4%
• Months Supply of Inventory decreased 11.1% to 3.2

All comparisons are to 2012

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

As the end of the year approaches, market futurists will either put on their overly cheery, poinsettia-colored glasses or turn into a bunch of dreary Nostradamus Nellys. The wise analyst will tune out extremes and embrace seasonally appropriate slowdowns as a sign of normal market activity while looking with anticipation to what will likely be continued moderate recovery in 2014. Watch for light gains in inventory, quieter pending sales activity and more sedate market times.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending November 23:

• New Listings increased 46.6% to 893
• Pending Sales increased 42.8% to 841
• Inventory decreased 3.6% to 15,008

For the month of October:

• Median Sales Price increased 11.4% to $194,900
• Days on Market decreased 27.2% to 75
• Percent of Original List Price Received increased 1.4% to 95.8%
• Months Supply of Inventory decreased 10.0% to 3.6

All comparisons are to 2012

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

This week, and through the end of the year, you might be watching for much-needed inventory gains that will not arrive due to traditional end-of-year lulls in the marketplace related to holidays and/or colder weather. Nobody wants to sell at the bottom. In general, inventory pools are up in year-over-year comparisons in many areas, suggestive of seller confidence with recent price gains. Overall recovery is unlikely to stall. The pace of price gains and bidding wars may ease, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Just ask any prospective home buyer.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending November 16:

• New Listings decreased 4.2% to 1,003
• Pending Sales decreased 7.3% to 758
• Inventory decreased 3.2% to 15,318

For the month of October:

• Median Sales Price increased 11.4% to $194,900
• Days on Market decreased 27.2% to 75
• Percent of Original List Price Received increased 1.4% to 95.8%
• Months Supply of Inventory decreased 12.5% to 3.5

All comparisons are to 2012

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

Fewer people are out scouting homes now that they’re scouting the perfect bird for their Thanksgiving feast. Weekly and monthly seller and buyer activity may be slowing in comparison to last reporting period, but overall markets still show signs of stable recovery. By and large, expect the end of 2013 to look just as juicy and golden as your bird is soon to be.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending November 9:

• New Listings increased 11.4% to 1,132
• Pending Sales decreased 3.1% to 819
• Inventory decreased 3.2% to 15,517

For the month of October:

• Median Sales Price increased 11.4% to $195,000
• Days on Market decreased 27.2% to 75
• Percent of Original List Price Received increased 1.4% to 95.8%
• Months Supply of Inventory decreased 12.5% to 3.5

All comparisons are to 2012

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