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Quarterly Market Trends: North King County
Q4 2017
Price growth was particularly strong in 2017! Median and average prices were up 14% over 2016. Median price in 2017 landed at $715,000 and the average at $787,000. The average amount of days it took to sell a house in 2017 was 17 days, which is 19% faster than 2016. The average list-to-sale price ratio over the last year was 104%, with the spring months as high as 107%! In 2017, inventory growth continued to be a challenge, with a 4% decrease in new listings compared to 2016. Even with inventory limitations there were a near equal amount sales! This phenomenon illustrates strong buyer demand and a need for more listings.
Demand for north King County real estate has grown due to close proximity to job centers while maintaining a neighborhood feel. Over the last year, north King County was 41% more expensive than south Snohomish County and 77% over south King County. Historically low interest rates continue to drive the market as well, they have helped offset the increase in prices. Sellers are enjoying great returns due to this phenomenon and buyers are securing mortgages with minor debt service.
This is only a snapshot of the trends in north King County; please contact us if you would like further explanation of how the latest trends relate to you.
Quarterly Market Trends: South Snohomish County
Q4 2017
Price growth was particularly strong in 2017! Median was up 14% and average price up 12% over 2016. Median price in 2017 landed at $508,000 and the average at $543,000. The average amount of days it took to sell a house in 2017 was 24 days, which is 17% faster than 2016. The average list-to-sale price ratio over the last year was 101%, with the spring months as high as 103%! In 2017, inventory growth continued to be a challenge, with a 1% decrease in new listings compared to 2016. Even with inventory limitations there were 4% more sales! This phenomenon illustrates strong buyer demand and a need for more listings.
South Snohomish County real estate has seen a steady stream of buyers come our way due to affordability, reasonable commute times to job centers and quality of life. In fact, the median price in 2017 was 41% higher in north King County. Historically low interest rates continue to drive the market as well, they have helped offset the increase in prices. Sellers are enjoying great returns due to this phenomenon and buyers are securing mortgages with minor debt service.
This is only a snapshot of the trends in south Snohomish County; please contact us if you would like further explanation of how the latest trends relate to you.
Affordability: Commute Times & Interest Rates
These graphs illustrate the brass tacks of affordability between King and Snohomish Counties, measured by the average monthly payment. Most recently in September, the average monthly payment was 35% higher in King County compared to Snohomish County. What is fascinating, though, is comparing today’s average monthly payment to peak monthly payments back in 2007! In King County, monthly payments are currently 21% less than during the peak, and in Snohomish County, 36% less. That is a lot of saved monthly overhead. Note that this has everything to do with today’s historical interest rates, as average prices are higher now than in 2007. When one buys or refinances a house, they are not only securing the property, but securing the rate for the life of the loan.
Close proximity to the work place and affordability is often near the top of a buyer’s list of preferred features. 2016 has continued to be a year when commute times to major job centers widened the price divide between key market areas in the greater Seattle area. Over the last 12 months, the average sales price for a single-family residential home in the Seattle Metro area was $696,000! In south Snohomish County (Everett to the King County line), the average sales price for a single-family residential home was $471,000 – 48% less than Seattle Metro. Further, if you jump across Lake Washington to the Eastside, the average sales price for a single-family residential home was $881,000 – 27% more than Seattle Metro!
The “drive to qualify” mentality has been proven by the pending sales rate in south Snohomish County over the last 12 months. Pending sales are up 7% complete year-over-year, whereas in Seattle Metro pending sales are down 1%, and down 2% on the Eastside. We believe this is a result of affordability, more inventory choices in south Snohomish County, new construction options, lower taxes, strong school district choices, and manageable commute times. Newer transit centers and telecommuting have also opened up doors to King County’s little brother to the north as well. If you are curious about possible commute times, you can search for properties on our website based on commutes times, which is a feature provided by INRIX Drive Time. Also, we track the market in several ways, so if the graphs here are interesting to you, any of our agents would be happy to provide additional information relative to your specific neighborhood. Please contact us anytime, as it is our goal to help keep you informed and empower you to make strong real estate decisions.
Home Price Affordability Driven by Commute Times
Close proximity to the work place is often near the top of a buyer’s list of preferred features. 2015 proved to be the year that commute times to major job centers widened the price divide between key market areas in the Greater Seattle area. Seattle proper has always been more expensive than its neighboring suburbs, but the most current prices tell a tale of two different markets. In 2015 the average sales price for a single-family residential home in the Seattle Metro area was $632,000! In South Snohomish County (Everett to the King County line) the average sales price for a single-family residential home in 2015 was $433,000 – 46% less than Seattle Metro. Further, if you jump across Lake Washington to the Eastside, the average sales price for a single-family residential home in 2015 was $787,000 – 19% more than Seattle Metro! In December, pending sales in Snohomish County were up 12% and closings were up 29%, whereas in King County pending sales were down 9% and closings were up only 4%. We believe this is a result of more inventory choices in Snohomish County, as well as lower prices, new construction, lower taxes, strong school district options and manageable commute times. Newer transit centers and telecommuting have also opened up doors to King County's little brother to the north.
If you are curious about possible commute times, you can search for properties here on our website based on commute times, which is a feature provided by INRIX Drive Time. No matter which neighborhood you are interested in learning about in either King or Snohomish County, any of our agents would be happy to provide a 2015 re-cap of that market. 2015 was an outstanding year in real estate and we are looking for that to continue in 2016. We hope to see more homes coming to market due to the market's strong price position, which should help to increase inventory levels, in turn helping temper price growth and giving buyers more options.
