2021 Southern California Housing Market Forecast
Despite economic hardships and stay-at-home orders, the California housing market finished 2020 on a high note with median home prices reaching record highs and homes selling at impressive speed. This momentum has carried into 2021 as home prices in Southern California continue to rise driven by low mortgage rates, increased buyer interest, and shortage of available inventory.
Throughout 2020, as families spent more time at home, many realized their current living space did not meet the changing needs of their family. This led to an influx of buyers looking to upgrade.
Fierce Competition Drives Home Prices Up in California
Low housing inventory in California has made competition extremely fierce. Homebuyers in California have shown they’re willing to pay more for what they want. In March, California home prices reached record highs with almost two-thirds of homes selling above their asking price according to the California Association of Realtors (C.A.R.).
In February, 2021, single family home sales were up 19.7 percent from the previous year. Median home price in California sat at $758,990 in March, 2021. This is 23.9 percent higher than the previous year. Despite rising prices, homes are moving almost 46% faster than they did in 2020. 8 days was the median time on the market in March, 2021.
It’s not just resale homes selling quickly in California. New construction homes are selling fast as well. In fact, home builders are having a hard time keeping up with demand. Sales concessions are becoming obsolete and bidding wars are becoming more common, driving up prices in every region of the state.
Buyer or Seller’s Market?
In addition to monitoring home prices and trends in the California housing market, C.A.R. also tracks the amount of time it will take for home buyers to purchase all available homes on the market. In March, C.A.R. listed the Unsold Inventory Index (UII) at 1.6 months. This is a sharp decline from the previous year when the UII sat at 2.7 months. Whenever available housing inventory drops under 2 months, it is considered a “Seller’s Market”.
California Remains One of the Hottest Markets in the U.S.
Rising home prices and high demand aren’t likely to change anytime soon. Price trends recorded by Zillow show that that between 2012 and 2019, the median home price in California appreciated by almost 108%. California home prices have risen 11% in the last year alone and were forecasted to increase 9% in 2021. As more homebuyers enter the market and the number of available homes go down, it’s expected that home prices will continue to rise.
Strategic Sales and Marketing offers a variety of real estate sales and marketing services. Our team has years of experience working with the real estate industry and understands the steps required to identify and connect with potential buyers. Please contact us for more information about our services.