Q2 2023 Southern California Real Estate Market Update

The following analysis of select counties of the Southern California real estate market is provided by Windermere Real Estate Chief Economist Matthew Gardner. We hope that this information may assist you with making better-informed real estate decisions. For further information about the housing market in your area, please don’t hesitate to contact your Windermere Real Estate agent.

 

Regional Economic Overview

The Southern California market areas contained in this report added 222,700 jobs over the past 12 months, representing a decent growth rate of 2.4%. Although layoffs in the tech sector and the writers’ strike have been dominating headlines, payrolls in Southern California continue to expand. The Los Angeles market has added over 60,000 jobs through the first five months of this year. This was followed by Orange County, which added 19,000 jobs. San Diego County added 16,600 jobs, and employment grew by 6,700 jobs in Riverside County. The region has seen the pace of employment growth slow, but this appears to be more an issue of labor supply rather than a lack of demand. The region’s unemployment rate in May was 4.3%, up from 3.7% in the same quarter of 2022. The lowest jobless rates were in Orange County (3.2%) and San Diego County (3.5%). The highest rate was in Los Angeles County, where 4.8% of the workforce was without a job.

Southern California Home Sales

❱ In the second quarter of 2023, 35,381 homes sold, which was 25.9% lower than in the second quarter of 2022 but up an impressive 27.7% compared to the first quarter of 2023.

❱ Pending home sales, an indicator of future closings, were 13.9% higher than in the first quarter, suggesting that sales activity has room to rise further as we move into the second half of the year.

❱ Compared to the same quarter in 2022, sales fell across the board. However, the market heated up in the second quarter compared to the first quarter of 2023: sales were up 36% in Orange County, 29.6% in Los Angeles County, 28.4% in San Bernardino County, 24.3% in Riverside County, and 20.5% in San Diego County.

❱ The growth in sales was even more impressive given significantly rising financing costs in the second quarter.

A graph showing the annual change in home sales by county for Southern California from Q2 2022 to Q2 2023. Orange had the least drastic change at -23.4%, while San Diego had the most largest change at -28.9%.

Southern California Home Prices

❱ Compared to the second quarter of 2022, home sale prices were 5.5% lower. However, they were 2.1% higher than in the first quarter of 2023.

❱ Affordability continues to be a significant constraint in the region. With median list prices rising 21% in San Diego County and 20% in Los Angeles County compared to the first quarter, it appears that sellers’ confidence levels continue to rise, which will further impact housing affordability.

❱ Year over year, prices pulled back across the region, with a significant drop in Los Angeles County. Compared to the first quarter of 2023, Los Angeles prices fell 4.1%. Closed sale prices rose in the rest of the market areas.

❱ The region has demonstrated significantly more resilience to higher financing costs than expected. As we move through the balance of 2023, I expect prices to rise further, but at a very modest pace.

AA map showing the real estate home prices percentage changes for various counties in Southern California. Different colors correspond to different tiers of percentage change. Los Angeles County has a percentage change in the -10% to -8.1% range. San Bernardino County is in the -6% to -4.1% change range. Orange County is in the -4% to -2.1% change range and Riverside and San Diego counties are in the -2%+ change range.

A bar graph showing the annual change in home sale prices by county in Southern California from Q2 2022 to Q2 2023. Riverside County tops the list at -1.7%, while Los Angeles County had the greatest decline at -9.3%.

Mortgage Rates

Although they were less erratic than the first quarter, mortgage rates unfortunately trended higher and ended the quarter above 7%. This was due to the short debt ceiling impasse, as well as several economic datasets that suggested the U.S. economy was not slowing at the speed required by the Federal Reserve.

While the June employment report showed fewer jobs created than earlier in the year, as well as downward revisions to prior gains, inflation has not sufficiently slowed. Until it does, rates cannot start to trend consistently lower. With the economy not slowing as fast as expected, I have adjusted my forecast: Rates will hold at current levels in third quarter and then start to trend lower through the fall. Although there are sure to be occasional spikes, my model now shows the 30-year fixed rate breaking below 6% next spring.

A bar graph showing the mortgage rates from Q2 2021 to the present, as well as Matthew Gardner's forecasted mortgage rates through Q2 2024. After the 6.79% figure in Q4 2022, 6.35% in Q1 2023, and 6.51% in Q2 2023, he forecasts mortgage rates going to 6.55% in Q3 2023, 6.31% in Q4 2023, 6.03% in Q1 2024, and 5.72% in Q2 2024.A bar graph showing the mortgage rates from Q2 2021 to the present, as well as Matthew Gardner's forecasted mortgage rates through Q2 2024. After the 6.79% figure in Q4 2022, 6.35% in Q1 2023, and 6.51% in Q2 2023, he forecasts mortgage rates going to 6.55% in Q3 2023, 6.31% in Q4 2023, 6.03% in Q1 2024, and 5.72% in Q2 2024.

Southern California Days on Market

❱ In the second quarter of 2023, the average time it took to sell a home in the region was 32 days, which was 16 more than in the second quarter of 2022 but 13 fewer days than in the first quarter of 2023.

❱ Compared to the first quarter of 2023, market time fell in all counties covered by this report.

❱ Homes in San Diego County continue to sell at a faster rate than other markets in the region, but all counties saw market time increase from a year ago.

❱ Home buyers appear to be resigned to the fact that supply levels are unlikely to improve any time soon and believe that prices are not going to fall further. This is leading them to pursue buying a home even if mortgage rates remain very high, with the hope they will be able to refinance when rates eventually fall.

A bar graph showing the days on market by county for homes in Southern California in Q2 2023. San Diego County had the lowest DOM at 20, while Riverside had the highest at 44.

Conclusions

This speedometer reflects the state of the region’s real estate market using housing inventory, price gains, home sales, interest rates, and larger economic factors.

Home prices have stabilized and are starting to trend higher again. This is counterintuitive, especially given that mortgage rates are higher than the market has seen in over 15 years. However, the reason for this is straightforward: a lack of supply is bolstering home values. It will only be when supply levels rise to match demand that we will start to move toward a more balanced market. The issue, though, is that 85.7% of California homeowners with a mortgage have an average interest rate below 5%, and 30% have rates at or below 3%. I find it highly unlikely that homeowners will give up their current rate unless they absolutely have to, which is holding back supply.

A speedometer graph indicating a seller's market leaning toward a balanced market in Southern California for Q2 2023.

Homeowners who do decide to sell are aware of this and are increasingly confident in their ability to sell their homes regardless of mortgage rates. Given these factors, I have moved the needle into the seller’s sector of the speedometer.

About Matthew Gardner

Matthew Gardner - Chief Economist for Windermere Real Estate

As Chief Economist for Windermere Real Estate, Matthew Gardner is responsible for analyzing and interpreting economic data and its impact on the real estate market on both a local and national level. Matthew has over 30 years of professional experience both in the U.S. and U.K.

In addition to his day-to-day responsibilities, Matthew sits on the Washington State Governors Council of Economic Advisors; chairs the Board of Trustees at the Washington Center for Real Estate Research at the University of Washington; and is an Advisory Board Member at the Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies at the University of Washington where he also lectures in real estate economics.


Q1 2023 Southern California Real Estate Market Update

The following analysis of select counties of the Southern California real estate market is provided by Windermere Real Estate Chief Economist Matthew Gardner. We hope that this information may assist you with making better-informed real estate decisions. For further information about the housing market in your area, please don’t hesitate to contact your Windermere Real Estate agent.

 

Regional Economic Overview

Following annual revisions to the data, the Southern California market added only 194,000 jobs in 2022, which was far fewer than the over 676,000 added in 2021. The first two months of data for 2023 showed a net loss of 14,800 jobs. Because the data is not adjusted for seasonality, I am not overly concerned by this decline, but I will be watching as we move through the spring to see if declining job growth is becoming pervasive. Total employment in the counties covered by this report is still 266,400 jobs shy of the pre-pandemic peak. Los Angeles County continues to have the largest shortfall of jobs (-260,000), followed by Orange County (-37,100). Job levels in San Diego County match their pre-pandemic peak, while employment levels in the Riverside and San Bernardino markets are each higher by more than 15,000 jobs. The region’s unemployment rate in February was 4.6%, down from 5% at the same time in 2022. The lowest jobless rates were in Orange County (3.4%) and San Diego County (3.7%). The highest was in Los Angeles County, where 5.3% of the workforce was without a job.

Southern California Home Sales

❱ In the first quarter of 2023, 27,577 homes sold, which is down 34.8% from the first quarter of 2022 and is 5.2% lower than in the final quarter of 2022.

❱ Pending home sales, which are an indicator of future closings, were 25.4% higher than in the fourth quarter, suggesting that sales activity in the second quarter of this year may pick up.

❱ On a percentage basis, sales fell the most in San Bernardino County, but all markets pulled back significantly. Compared to the fourth quarter, sales were higher in Riverside County (+7.1%) but fell across the balance of the market.

❱ The drop in sales can mainly be attributed to a lack of inventory: the number of homes for sale was down 27.6% from the final quarter of 2022. Additionally, mortgage rates rose by more than a full percentage point in February, which likely also impacted sales.

A bar graph showing the annual change in home sales for various counties in Southern California from Q1 2022 to Q1 2023. All counties have a negative percentage year-over-year change. Here are the totals: San Diego at -31.5%, Orange at -32.7%, Los Angeles -34.9%, Riverside -35.4%, and San Bernardino -39.5%.

Southern California Home Prices

❱ Compared to the same period last year, home prices fell 2.5%. However, prices were 1.9% higher than in the fourth quarter of 2022.

❱ Affordability remains a significant issue, which has been exacerbated by elevated financing costs. That said, median listing prices in the quarter are up in every market other than San Bernardino, which suggests that home sellers may be starting to think that the worst of the price correction is behind them.

❱ Year over year, prices fell across the region but rose in all markets compared to the final quarter of 2022. Of note is that price growth was very solid in San Diego, Riverside, and Orange counties.

❱ While I expect mortgage rates to start stabilizing as we move toward summer, I think there will be some additional downward pressure on home prices. That said, things should start to turn around again in the second half of the year with a return to rising home prices.

A map showing the real estate home prices percentage changes for various counties in Southern California. Different colors correspond to different tiers of percentage change. Orange County has a percentage change in the -6% to -5.1% range, Riverside is in the -5% to -4.1% change range, San Diego in the -4% to -3.1% change range, and Los Angeles and San Bernardino are in the 2%+ change range.

A bar graph showing the annual change in home sale prices for various counties in Southern California from Q1 2022 to Q1 2023. All counties have a negative percentage year-over-year change. Here are the totals: San Bernardino at -0.9%, Los Angeles at -1.6%, San Diego -3.5%, Riverside -5%, and Orange -5.7%.

Mortgage Rates

Rates in the first quarter of 2023 were far less volatile than last year, even with the brief but significant impact of early March’s banking crisis. It appears that buyers are jumping in when rates dip, which was the case in mid-January and again in early February.

Even with the March Consumer Price Index report showing inflation slowing, I still expect the Federal Reserve to raise short-term rates one more time following their May meeting before pausing rate increases. This should be the catalyst that allows mortgage rates to start trending lower at a more consistent pace than we have seen so far this year. My current forecast is that rates will continue to move lower with occasional spikes, and that they will hold below 6% in the second half of this year.

A bar graph showing the mortgage rates from Q1 2021 to the present, as well as Matthew Gardner's forecasted mortgage rates through Q1 2024. After the 6.79% figure in Q4 2022 and 6.37% in Q1 2023, he forecasts mortgage rates dipping to 6.26% in Q2 2023, 5.78% in Q3 2023, 5.43% in Q4 2023, and 5.28% in Q1 2024.

Southern California Days on Market

❱ In the first quarter of 2023, the average time it took to sell a home in the region was 45 days, which is 24 more than in the first quarter of 2022 and 9 more days than in the fourth quarter of last year.

❱ Market time also rose in all counties covered by this report compared to the fourth quarter of 2022.

❱ Homes in San Diego County continue to sell at a faster rate than other markets in the region, but all counties saw market time increase from a year ago.

❱ Higher mortgage rates and lower affordability still have some buyers sidelined. I expect to see increased activity once buyers become confident that mortgage rates have stabilized and that housing values have found a bottom.

A bar graph showing the average days on market for homes in various counties in Southern California for Q1 2023. San Diego County has the lowest DOM at 34, followed by Orange at 42, Los Angeles at 43, and San Bernardino and Riverside at 54.

Conclusions

This speedometer reflects the state of the region’s real estate market using housing inventory, price gains, home sales, interest rates, and larger economic factors.

The Southern California housing market is still trying to find its footing. Mortgage rates are not only still at elevated levels, but they are also moving erratically depending on events in the broader economy (e.g. inflation, bank failures, etc.) Although sellers seem to be more confident, buyers are remaining cautious, which suggests that the market recovery will take more time.

A speedometer graph indicating a balanced market in Southern California in Q1 2023.

Lower inventory levels, higher pending sales, higher listing and sale prices, and an improving absorption rate all favor sellers. However, the market is not completely in their favor. As such, I have left the needle in the “balanced” section of the speedometer. I have tilted it slightly toward home sellers though as there continues to be strong demand for appropriately priced, well-located, and well-appointed homes.

About Matthew Gardner

Matthew Gardner - Chief Economist for Windermere Real Estate

As Chief Economist for Windermere Real Estate, Matthew Gardner is responsible for analyzing and interpreting economic data and its impact on the real estate market on both a local and national level. Matthew has over 30 years of professional experience both in the U.S. and U.K.

In addition to his day-to-day responsibilities, Matthew sits on the Washington State Governors Council of Economic Advisors; chairs the Board of Trustees at the Washington Center for Real Estate Research at the University of Washington; and is an Advisory Board Member at the Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies at the University of Washington where he also lectures in real estate economics.


Q3 2021 Southern California Real Estate Market Update

The following analysis of the Southern California real estate market is provided by Windermere Real Estate Chief Economist Matthew Gardner. We hope that this information may assist you with making better-informed real estate decisions. For further information about the housing market in your area, please don’t hesitate to contact your Windermere Real Estate agent.

REGIONAL ECONOMIC OVERVIEW

The job recovery in Southern California continues to be quite the roller-coaster, with solid monthly gains followed by significant drops. In the first quarter of the year, more than 326,000 jobs returned, but that was followed by a less-than-stellar 8,300 increase in the second quarter. The latest third quarter numbers (most recent data is from August) showed that the Southern California region has added more than 27,000 positions, but this is still underwhelming.

The COVID-19 Delta variant is impacting the job market, and a lack of available workers isn’t helping. In aggregate, the region has recovered 1.31 million of the 2.02 million jobs that were shed when the pandemic hit, but this means Southern California is still down more than 700,000 positions. The region’s unemployment rate in August was 8.2%, down significantly from 14.2% a year ago. The most recent data shows the lowest jobless rates were in Orange (6%) and San Diego (6.6%) counties. The highest rate was again in Los Angeles County, where it was 9.7%. Although the current pace of the job recovery is muted, I hope it will pick up in the not-too-distant future, but the likelihood of reaching full employment anytime soon appears to be unrealistic.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HOME SALES

❱ In the third quarter, 50,313 homes sold in Southern California, representing a 0.1% drop from the same period in 2020 and 4.7% lower than in the second quarter of this year.

❱ Pending home sales, which are an indicator of future closings, were 4.5% lower than in the second quarter of this year, suggesting that the final quarter may also be down.

❱ Year-over-year, home sales rose in Los Angeles County, but pulled back in the remaining markets covered by this report. Compared to the second quarter, sales pulled back in all markets other than San Bernardino, where sales rose 6%.

❱ The issue is not demand, rather a lack of supply is holding the market back. Listing activity is down 22.3% from a year ago, and this is impacting sales. That said, listings were 17.1% higher than in the second quarter and, with more choice starting to emerge in the market, we could see sales volumes pick back up.

A bar graph showing the annual change in home sales for various counties in Southern California during the third quarter of 2021.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HOME PRICES

A map showing the real estate market percentage changes in various counties in Southern California during the third quarter of 2021.

❱ The average price of homes sold in the region was $971,184. This was 19.1% higher than a year ago, but 1.4% lower than in the second quarter of 2021.

❱ Mortgage rates remain remarkably competitive, even if they are off the historic low of last December. Also of note is that jumbo mortgage rates are remarkably competitive—an important factor in expensive markets such as Southern California.

❱ The region saw double-digit price growth across all counties contained in this report. Year over year, prices were up more than 19%, but they were down 1.4% from the previous quarter.

❱ As stated in last quarter’s report, I believe interest rates will rise slowly, which is likely to bring out more buyers. With inventory levels starting to tick up, I am expecting the regional housing market to trend higher, but likely not until the spring.

A bar graph showing the annual change in home sale prices for various counties in Southern California during the third quarter of 2021.

DAYS ON MARKET

❱ In the third quarter of the year, the average time it took to sell a home in the region was 17 days, which is 16 fewer days than a year ago and 2 fewer days than in the second quarter of 2021.

❱ Three counties saw the time it took to sell a house drop compared to the second quarter of this year: Riverside, Los Angeles, and Orange. Market time was static in San Bernardino County and rose by one day in San Diego County.

❱ Homes in San Diego County continue to sell at a faster rate than other markets in the region. In the third quarter, it took an average of 14 days to sell a home there—9 fewer days than it took a year ago.

❱ With it taking an average of a little more than two weeks for a home to find a buyer, the market remains very tight. That said, with inventory levels rising, it is possible that days on market will start to creep higher, especially as affordability constraints potentially limit the number of qualified buyers.

A bar graph showing the average days on market for homes in various counties in Southern California during the third quarter of 2021.

CONCLUSIONS

A speedometer graph indicating a seller's market in Southern California during the third quarter of 2021.

This speedometer reflects the state of the region’s real estate market using housing inventory, price gains, home sales, interest rates, and larger economic factors.

The third quarter was quite a mixed bag, with rising inventory levels but lower sales and prices compared to the second quarter. When I look at list prices, which is a leading indicator, as opposed to sale prices, which are a lagging indicator, I notice some softening in San Bernardino, Los Angeles, and Riverside counties. Although not a cause for concern, it may suggest that the market is about to start to cool—albeit modestly.

As such, I have chosen to move the needle a little more in the direction of home buyers, although sellers still have the upper hand.

ABOUT MATTHEW GARDNER

Matthew Gardner - Chief Economist for Windermere Real Estate

As Chief Economist for Windermere Real Estate, Matthew Gardner is responsible for analyzing and interpreting economic data and its impact on the real estate market on both a local and national level. Matthew has over 30 years of professional experience both in the U.S. and U.K.

In addition to his day-to-day responsibilities, Matthew sits on the Washington State Governors Council of Economic Advisors; chairs the Board of Trustees at the Washington Center for Real Estate Research at the University of Washington; and is an Advisory Board Member at the Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies at the University of Washington where he also lectures in real estate economics.


10 Predictions for the 2021 Housing Market by Windermere’s Chief Economist

1. Economic Growth Will Pick up – But Not Until the Summer

As you are all aware, the job recovery has slowed significantly over the past few months and the December number – which saw employment levels actually drop by 140,000 jobs – was really quite appalling.

But… as bad as the numbers were last month, I am still expecting to see solid employment gains this year.

That said, I don’t see significant improvement until the vaccine starts to be distributed widely AND a majority of us choose to take it.

And when we get to that point – likely in the second half of this year – look for a lot more jobs to be added across the country, but employment levels will rise for a reason that most people aren’t thinking about, and it’s because I believe that the public – as they feel more comfortable going out – will start
to spend again.

In fact, it’s my forecast that spending will rise very significantly later this year and that will give a much-needed boost to the economy and the job market.

You see, we haven’t been spending our hard-earned dollars at normal levels for almost a year now and, quite frankly, the cash that we have been hoarding since the pandemic started is starting to burn a hole in our pockets.

So, my number 1 prediction is that we will see significant economic growth– and job gains – this year, but that most of the growth will come in the second half of 2021

 

2. The Move to the Suburbs is Real – But Don’t Get Carried Away! Looking now at the housing market, there’s been a lot of talk about a COVID-19 induced flight away from cities and into the countryside.

Well, the numbers don’t lie – there have certainly been more interest from buyers looking at markets outside of our core metros and this – obviously – is a function of the work-from-home phenomenon that I believe is not a flash in the pan, rather it is real and will be in place for a long time, if not forever.

But there is a bit of a wrinkle in this theory. In as much as we are certainly seeing suburban flight from markets like New York and San Francisco, the same can’t be said for much of the rest of the country.

In fact, according to a study recently published by Lending Tree, the percentage of owners who moved out of the top 50 largest metro areas in the country in 2020 was just 2.2% – now this is up from 1.9% in 2019 – but it’s hardly the tsunami that many had anticipated. And it’s also worth mentioning that some of the markets within Windermere’s footprint actually saw a net increase of migrating homeowners and not a drop. Examples of this include Denver which saw the number of households moving in up by 3.6% in 2020; Portland was up by 3.4%; Seattle by 3.3%; and Sacramento saw an in-migration rise by 2.9%. Although some households will move because work from home allows them to relocate to cheaper markets, it doesn’t mean that we are all headed out to the wild blue yonder.

In fact, I believe that – even though a good number of households will move – many will stay within striking distance of their workplaces, and I say this because I expect the work from home concept to be one where we work part-time from our homes, and part-time at our offices.

My number 2 forecast is that although people will move away from some of our core cities this year, many will still stay in the same region as work from home will not be a full-time situation for a majority of workers.

3. Not all Apartment Markets are Created Equal

The apartment market has been hit very hard by COVID-19 with rising vacancy rates putting significant downward pressure on rents in many large markets such as Seattle, San Francisco, Boston, and New York but guess what? We are actually seeing rents still rising in many smaller cities and these include Boise, Fresno, and Tucson, Arizona.

And this move away from expensive apartment markets is occurring for several reasons not least of which is – again – work from home, but it’s also due to an increasing number of renters turning into home buyers, and it’s also because the rent premium for being “close to the action” in major cities has faded and, because of this, I see previously overlooked suburbs and
small metros benefitting from growing demand.

2021 will be a tough year for many landlords in larger cities not just for the reasons I have already mentioned, but also because we are bringing on over 400,000 new apartment units across the country this year and many new developments are in these larger cities.

Number three forecast – Apartment owners in pricy markets will continue to suffer in 2021, but smaller markets will perform rather well and – after many years of being overlooked – I am also forecasting those apartment developers will start to turn their attention toward suburban markets and away from many of these larger cities. We haven’t seen that in over a decade.

4. The Luxury Housing Market Will Continue to Perform Very Well

One of the sectors that really performed far better than anyone – including me – had anticipated in 2020 was the luxury housing market, and I expect this sector to be very robust again this year and the reason for this, primarily, will be interest rates. Jumbo mortgage rates, which saw a spike at the start of the pandemic, have since dropped significantly and this is benefitting buyers of luxury housing.

Buyers of luxury housing will be very active this year and I see many focusing on some secondary markets – for value reasons – but I still expect that the classic luxury markets, like the Hamptons for example, will also do very well.

Other markets where the luxury sector will outperform are Miami – but this will be mainly due to tax changes in New York City driving owners to relocate – and I’m also watching Southern California and predict that luxury homes down there will also outperform this year.

One more thing I would mention is that I also expect that, as the country starts to reopen post-COVID, we will see a rebound in foreign buyers as well so keep an eye on that too.

Forecast number 4 – the luxury market will be more robust in 2021 than many had anticipated.

5. Cities will Start to Pay More Attention to Zoning (at Long Last!)

Many of you will be more than aware of my ongoing concerns regarding housing affordability. Now, we have seen some cities like Minneapolis, and even some States – and here I’m talking about Oregon – start implementing significant zoning changes to allow for more new home development in their markets which is impressive, but it certainly isn’t happening everywhere.

However, I believe that this year we will – at long last – start to see more attention from legislators when it comes to increasing the supply of land for residential construction and many will do this by adjusting current zoning policies to allow more land on which to build.

So why this new focus? Well, their attention will be driven by worries that high housing costs in their own markets may lead businesses to start to look at cheaper areas and – possibly – move away from their current locations, and other businesses that are thinking about expanding into new markets – well, they will be increasingly thoughtful about how housing costs in expansion markets will impact how much they have to pay their new employees.

You see, we know that almost every jurisdiction across the country is suffering from significant shortfalls in revenue and, because of this, legislators will have to start focusing on attracting new businesses – and retaining as many businesses as possible – in order to help replenish their coffers.

Forecast Number 5 – Although it won’t happen overnight, I am hopeful that discussions around zoning changes will start to pick up some steam this year.

6. Adaptive Reuse Will Gain More Traction

Over the past several months, many of you have asked me whether we will see office buildings converted to residential uses as there will be fewer workers occupying offices. Well, I am sticking to my belief that the cost of conversion and the layout of office buildings (primarily due to core depths, lack of plumbing penetration, and the like) just don’t lend themselves to conversion to residential uses – well, that is unless you buy them at bankruptcy prices!

That said, I am expecting to see other building types that may be better suited for conversion into either single residential use or a mix of uses, start to become attractive to developers.

And what are these other product types, you ask? Well, likely unsurprising to you is that I am looking at hotels – which are going to continue to be hard hit for, in my opinion, years… and retail malls – both strip as well as regional.

You see, we are already seeing more hotels – mainly inns and motels – be listed for sale as they are just not providing adequate cash flow and I expect
that some, but not all, may become ripe for conversion into residential uses.

As far as malls are concerned, look for more interest in the conversion of regional malls into mixed-use projects, but strip malls may get rezoned into single residential uses.

Number 6 – developers will start to pay more attention to the reuse of existing buildings in addition to ground-up construction.

 

7. What’s important in a post-COVID-19 home?

The pandemic has started to change what we are looking for in a home and it’s actually very interesting to see what is now becoming important to buyers. We know that work from home is real, but I see households moving not just because housing is relatively cheap further out, but many will look at their own homes – even if they are on the fence about moving – and realize that it’s just not set up for working remotely on a semi-permanent, or permanent, basis.

How many people do you know who have spent the past several months working from their dining room tables? I’m one!

But I also expect to see sellers who may not have an office in their homes, create dedicated spaces for an office set up to attract buyers or, where they just can’t do that, they will, at a minimum, create a dedicated Zoom space before listing their homes for sale!

I am also forecasting that you will also see new construction housing reflect these changes with builders better aligning their product with new consumer preferences and that demand for new homes will rise in 2021 as builders address these new requirements from buyers.

People want more space today because they are using their homes more and I already see builders addressing this with the average new home size rising last year following several years where new homes were actually getting smaller.

Also, when it comes to new construction, open floor plans — once a must — well they will be replaced too thanks to COVID-19 and buyers wanting more room separation.

And finally, I expect buyers who are looking to move a lot further out to become far more interested in markets that have high-speed internet access. Many of us take it for granted, but buyers will start to list this as a requirement, rather than an option – again possibly limiting moves too far out into the country.

Forecast Number 7 – Home preferences are changing – builders are already adapting, and owners of existing homes will have to do what they can to meet these new requirements.

 

8. Worries About Forbearance are Overblown.

Since last spring, a question that I have fielded probably more than any other, has revolved around the topic of forbearance.

The GSE’s have extended the forbearance program to the end of March so some of the pressure has been removed, but there are a lot of people who fear that – when forbearance expires – we will see a veritable tsunami of foreclosed homes come online and this massive increase in supply will lead to all homes seeing values drop.

Well, it won’t happen, and here’s why.

First off, the number of homes in forbearance is already down by 43% from its May peak. Even though it is true that the pace of the drop in the number of homes in the program has slowed, the trend is still headed in the right direction.

Yes, there are still 2.7 million homes in the program, but I believe that, as owners start to get back to work again, many will be able to either refinance their loans or work with their lenders to extend the term of their mortgages in order to make up missed payments and most will not end up in foreclosure.

I would also add many owners in the program – if they just can’t get back on track – will sell in order to keep the equity that they have built over the last few years and, in most areas, there will be enough buyer demand and they will be able to get out from under forbearance by selling and paying off the mortgage and missed payments that way.

Of course, we will see foreclosures rise this year, but I just don’t see the majority of owners in forbearance be forced into foreclosure and that will limit the downside risk to the housing market.

That said, I am a little more worried by condominium owners who are in forbearance as the supply of these homes is already on the rise and this is causing prices to soften relative to single-family homes.

This is not a phenomenon spread broadly across the country, but many markets are seeing condo price growth slow and some – here I am looking specifically at Queens in New York, Suffolk County in Boston, and in San Francisco County – are seeing real price declines and I do expect to see a greater share of condos end up in foreclosure, but a far smaller share of single-family housing will suffer the same fate.

And I must add that not all market areas are created equal. Today, total delinquency rates are very high in states like Mississippi, Louisiana, New York & Oklahoma, but here in the western US they are significantly lower.

Interestingly, when I looked at Windermere’s footprint, I am delighted to report that the States with the lowest rate of non-performing mortgage include Idaho, here in Washington State, Colorado, Oregon, and Montana.

So forecast number 8 – I do not anticipate a wave of foreclosures following the end of forbearance, and that the foreclosures that do occur will have a limited impact on the broader ownership housing market.

 

9. Mortgage Rates Will Rise – But Don’t Worry

Rates for 30-year conforming mortgages have broken below all-time lows 16 times since the pandemic started. Really remarkable with the average 30-year rate at the time of recording this video standing at 2.65% and rates down by over a full percentage point over the past year and that, naturally, has allowed prices to continue rising at above-average rates, but going forward I just don’t see them dropping much more, and I believe that we have, at least for now, reached a floor when it comes to rates.

Without getting too academic, the reason I say this is that mortgage rates track the interest rate on 10-year treasuries – or at least they should – but that relationship broke back in February – because of the pandemic. However, treasury yields have started to rise again, and that relationship is now back in line which tells me that rates are unlikely to drop much further – all things being equal.

Prediction number 9 – mortgage rates are unlikely to drop much more, but don’t anticipate them rising too much with this year averaging around 3.1%. Still very competitive.

 

10. US Home Sales Will Rise Significantly, but Price Growth Will Moderate

Finally, I just have to talk about home sales and prices even if I did cover this in my last forecast. Given all the factors I have already talked already, we will see more demand from buyers this year, and I also expect to see listings actually increase as people look to relocate, and this will lead sales in 2021 to rise to a level we haven’t seen since 2006!

And big players in the housing market as far as buyers are concerned will be renters turning into home buyers and I would add that we could see first-time buyers make up an even bigger share of the market if the Biden Administrations goal to introduce a new first-time buyer tax credit gets enacted – but that is certainly not a given.

Overall, existing home sales will rise by 7.7% in 2021 to around 6.2 million units.

As for prices, well I see them increasing again this year but, as I just mentioned, mortgage rates will start to move modestly higher and this will be a bit of a headwind to price growth, and affordability constraints will also start to slow appreciation in expensive housing markets. This year I am looking for average prices to rise by a relatively modest 4.1%.

My final forecast – home sales will rise significantly this year, but price growth will moderate.

 

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