Northern Virginia Real Estate Statistics - June 2008

June's Northern Virginia (Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Fairfax City, and Falls Church) inventory and home sales proved to be an interesting story: Despite the spring timing, inventory dropped (slightly) for the first time since December 2007...



While sales simultaneously rose for the 5th consecutive month.



For the second month in a row, inventory has dropped below the "balanced" level of 6 months. Is this just a seasonal bump? Whether yes or no, a drop in inventory means fewer choices for buyers, and I can tell you from first hand experience that a lot of the inventory out there is junk that most people would never consider buying. So the market may present fewer choices than you think if you're serious about finding a home.

With the Fall right around the corner (though it's 90 degrees out as I write this), we can expect lower prices, but we can also expect even fewer choices. So you might get a great deal, but on a home that's already been picked over by all the Spring buyers.

There's a 'sweet spot' in the early Fall though, where there are homes on the market with sellers who are getting increasingly anxious about the end of the season -- I believe buyers will have a lot of opportunity and leverage in the August October timeframe. Contact me to discuss whether this is the right time for you to begin your search, and whether the neighborhoods you're interested in have rising or falling inventory.