Price Reductions up 71% on Listings $200K-$250K: Sellers: Get Competitive, It’s “Buyer Season”

For Buyers:

Good news for buyers over the past few weeks, interest rates came down a few notches. That combined with the increased loan limit for conventional financing gave buyers a little boost. The new loan limit for conventional financing in Maricopa County is $484,350 as of a few months ago and the new limit for FHA financing is $314,827. Just 3 years ago, the limits were $417,000 and $271,050 respectively. The FHA limit increase hasn’t had as much impact on buyer demand as the conventional increase thus far. While the overall market is down 8.7% in sales this month, the biggest winner has been the $500K-$600K price range which is up 15%.

For Sellers:

“Buyer Season” in Greater Phoenix typically lasts from February to May with a peak in April. Sellers who decide to list their home in March should be aware that they have just 8-10 more weeks of peak buyer activity before the summer slowdown. This is a very competitive time for sellers. Price reductions are at their seasonal peak in the luxury price ranges, however it’s most noticeable in the battleground price range of $200K-$400K. The number of weekly price reductions on listings between $200K-$250K are up a whopping 71% where competing supply is 32% higher than last year and price reductions are up 42% between $250K-$400K where supply is 26% higher. It’s a good idea to be competitive in both price and condition right out of the gate as buyer demand remains below normal overall in Greater Phoenix.