Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Monday, March 9, 2015

March 2015 Newsletter


March 9, 2015

Spring is only 13 days away…at least that is what the calendar tells us.  Snow has covered the island now for 41 days and all I can say is “I will really enjoy summer this year!”  My calculation is that the island has experienced over 50 inches of snow this year which is about ½ of what other areas of the state received.  Personally, I like snow and cold so you will get no complaining from me.

I apologize for not providing you with a market update in February as I was traveling for a couple of weeks and once back on island, I was consumed with playing “catch-up”.

The statistics for the first part of the year are “hopefully” a harbinger of things to come!  There were 64 closings in the first 2 months of 2015 with an average price of $1.7M and a median price of $674K.  The increase in prices was partly due to a $22M sale and $10M sale.  Looking back to the first 2 months of 2014, there were 67 closings with an average price of #1.1M and a median price of $525k.  So, the number of sales in 2015 is consistent compared to a year ago but prices are trending upwards.

The amount of snow across New England is not only playing havoc with town budgets and peoples patience, it is having a negative effect on the real estate market.   This is evidenced with a decrease in the number of property showings, the number of properties currently for sale (300 currently listed; the height of the season we will see over 500 for sale) and the number of homes currently under contract (only 41).  The 41 “under contract” properties have an average price of $1.2 M and a median price of $730K.  Again, this supports an upward trend in sales prices. 

My prediction is that once the snow melts and there is some sign of spring, our market will get very busy.  Interest rates continue to stay at historic lows (at or below 4%) and “experts” predict that rates will remain stable throughout the year.  Put all this together and the real estate market on MV looks to be good in 2015.

Please let me know any questions and thanks for your patience in what I do.

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Happy New Year! 2015!



January 8, 2014


Happy New Year! 2015…unbelievable! A New Year is a time for new starts, a fresh beginning and endless opportunities. I wish you all the best and hope this is a "ridiculously" good year for you.

While December was a "good" month in the island real estate industry, we did not see the "typical" surge of "high dollar" closings in the last few days of the year. Many times we see a flurry of late year activity as buyers try to close before January 1. As you can see in the chart below, Dec. 2014 saw 40 sales (compared to 33 sales in November), the average price was down ($823K) but the median price was up ($649K). The YTD numbers continue to be a "reality check" of the monthly news. The YTD news indicates we are still in a steady market with the number of sales slightly below last year and prices basically the same. The average "days on market", however, is down by 14%!
Month/Year        Dec/2014      Nov/2014       Dec/2013      2014(YTD)      2013(YTD)  # Residential
 Sales                        40                  33                     39                400                  408

Average Price       $823K          $1.44M            $1.15M          $1.01M            $1.01M

Median Price         $649K           $550K              $750K            $600K             $625K

Avg. Days on
 Market                    242               224                    249                 224                 260

Sales of building lots were strong in 2014 with 73 sales, up 10% from the past 2 years and prices up about 18%. This is real good news since land sales mean people are building and this helps drive one of the islands main industries…the building trades.

All indications tell me that 2015 will be another good year for real estate sales. I believe interest rates will remain below 5% (right now they are 4%) and prices will be steady to slightly increasing.

As always, I appreciate your patience in what I do and look forward to helping you reach your goal.

All the best…

Doug Reece
Accredited Buyers Agent®
Certified Residential Specialist®,
Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist®