Southland home sales dropped for the third month in a row amid renewed doubts about a market that is recovering in fits and starts. The median price moved up on a year-over-year basis for the tenth month in a row and has regained about one-fifth of its peak-to-trough loss. The effects on the market of the latest chapter in the foreclosure crisis are unclear, a real estate information service reported.
A total of 18,091 new and resale homes were sold in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, Ventura, San Bernardino and Orange counties in September. That was down 2.4 percent from 18,541 in August, and down 16.0 percent from 21,539 for September 2009, according to MDA DataQuick of San Diego.
This was the slowest September since 2007, when 12,455 homes were sold. Last month’s sales were 26.3 percent lower than the September average of 24,578. DataQuick’s statistics begin in 1988. An August-to-September drop is normal for the season: On average, sales have dipped 9.2 percent between those two months.
“Today’s market can be characterized as much by activity that’s not happening, as by the activity that is happening. We’re seeing distress-selling, bargain-hunting and entry-level buying, while the rest of the market is still largely on hold,” said John Walsh, MDA DataQuick president.
| | Sales Volume | Median Price | ||||
| All homes | Sep-09 | Sep-10 | %Chng | Sep-09 | Sep-10 | %Chng |
| Los Angeles | 7,138 | 6,070 | -15.0% | $330,000 | $340,000 | 3.00% |
| Orange | 2,828 | 2,524 | -10.7% | $429,000 | $445,000 | 3.70% |
| Riverside | 4,312 | 3,292 | -23.7% | $185,000 | $200,000 | 8.10% |
| San Bernardino | 3,023 | 2,454 | -18.8% | $150,000 | $160,000 | 6.70% |
| San Diego | 3,454 | 3,069 | -11.1% | $325,000 | $330,500 | 1.70% |
| Ventura | 784 | 682 | -13.0% | $371,750 | $370,000 | -0.50% |
| SoCal | 21,539 | 18,091 | -16.0% | $275,000 | $295,500 | 7.50% |