Last summer, pre-foreclosures and lender-owned properties made up 25% of the active listings in the MLS. However, about 45% of the actual sales were distressed properties. Average price per square for a normal home sale was just over $200 per square foot, $150/sf for a pre-foreclosure, and closer to $140/sf for lender owned properties.
Looking at where we are today, you can see that we have a slightly larger number of pre-foreclosures on the market and about 50% of all the properties sold in January were either pre-foreclosure (and most likely short sales) or lender-owned (REO) properties. What is very interesting is that the average price per square foot has increased for all property types, to almost $240/sf for normal sales, to about $160/sf for pre-foreclosures, and to $150/sf for foreclosures.
I expected the higher numbers of distressed listings and sales. However, the increased price per square foot was totally unexpected.
I’ve been seeing an increase in prices in the lower end of the real estate market in various cities around Phoenix, but have not seen much of that pricing behavior in Scottsdale yet. By the numbers though, it is happening. Surprised me…. what do you think?
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I think you are on to something, and that something is that the housing market hit a pricing bottom and is beginning to make a comeback.