Interior Design by She Designs Hawaii KALOKO FURNITURE Monday - Saturday 9:30 am - 5:30 pm Free Islandwide Delivery ,BVIPMB4USFFUJO)BMF,VAJ1MBBt LBMPLPGVSOJUVSFDPNtWJTJUVTPOGBDFCPPL supply of homes for sale, the reoccurring dilemma of strained supply causing a run-up in home prices continues to play out in several markets, leading to the last two months reflecting a slight, early summer cooldown after a very active spring,” he said. “Unfortunately for prospective buyers trying to take advantage of exceptionally low mortgage rates, housing inventory at the end of last month was down almost 6 percent from a year ago, and home prices are showing little evidence of slowing to a healthier pace that more closely mirrors wage and income growth.” Adds Yun, “Until inventory conditions markedly improve, far too many prospective buyers are likely to run into New construction or remodel we are your Kitchen & Bathroom specialists. 12 West Hawaii Real Estate | August 17, 2016 Pending home sales were mostly unmoved in June, but did creep slightly higher as supply and affordability constraints prevented a bigger boost in activity from mortgage rates that lingered near all-time lows through most of the month, according to the National Association of Realtors. Increases in the Northeast and Midwest were offset by declines in the South and West. The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, inched 0.2 percent to 111.0 in June from 110.8 in May and is now 1.0 percent higher than June 2015 (109.9). With last month’s minor improvement, the index is now at its second highest reading over the past 12 months, but is noticeably down from this year’s peak level in April (115.0). Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, says a solid bump in activity in the Northeast pulled up pending sales modestly in June. “With only the Northeast region having an adequate 329-5836 Please come and visit our showroom M-F 8:30am to 4:30pm SAT 9am to 1pm and Appointment 73-5620 Kauhola St. #3 Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 www.kitchencabinetshawaii.com kci@aloha.net YOU CAN COUNT ON US situations of either being priced out of the market or outbid on the very few properties available for sale.” One noteworthy and positive development occurring in the housing market during the first half of the year, according to Yun, is that sales to investors have subsided from a high of 18 percent in February to a low of 11 percent in June, which is the smallest share since July 2009. Yun attributes this retreat to the diminished number of distressed properties coming onto the market at any given time and the ascent in home prices, which have now risen year-over-year for 52 consecutive months. “Limited selection of homes at bargain prices is reducing the number of individual investors willing or able to buy,” adds Yun. “This will hopefully open the door for first-time buyers, who made some progress last month but are still buying homes at a subpar level even as rents increase at rates not seen since before the downturn.” In spite of the slight slowdown in contract signings from April’s peak high, existing-home sales this year are still expected to be around 5.44 million, a 3.6 percent boost from 2015 and the highest annual pace since 2006 (6.48 million). After accelerating to 6.8 percent a year ago, national median existing-home price growth is forecast to slightly moderate to around 4 percent. Pending home sales marginally rise in June “Unfortunately for prospective buyers trying to take advantage of exceptionally low mortgage rates, housing inventory at the end of last month was down almost 6 percent from a year ago, and home prices are showing little evidence of slowing to a healthier pace that more closely mirrors wage and income growth.” - Lawrence Yun, NAR Chief Economist
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