Real Estate Market Watch – August 2019

The statistics referenced here and in the attached newsletter are based on single family homes derived from the Bright Multiple Listing Service.

Active Listings/Current Inventory
As of the end of August, there were a total of 1,945 homes on the market, a decrease of 1%  from the previous month’s end inventory of 1,966.  This represents a 6-month’s supply of inventory, with a current absorption rate of 326 homes sold per month thus far in 2019.

Closed Sales
For the first eight months of 2019, sales of single-family homes in Sussex County are up by 3% over last year, with 2,608 homes sold compared to 2,538 for the first eight months of 2018.  The areas with the largest increase were the Milton/Harbeson/Broadkill Area, up 35% and the Dagsboro/Millsboro Area, up 8%.  The areas with the largest decrease are the Georgetown Area, down 17% and the Angola/Long Neck/Millsboro Area, down 4% from last year to date.

Home Prices
The average sales price of single-family homes in Sussex County are up compared to the first 8-month period of last year, $408,884 compared to $393,105, a 4% increase.  The median sales price was down slightly by less than 1% over the first 8-months of 2018, $299,999 compared to $300,000.

Pending Sales
Pending sales for the first eight months of 2019 were up by 6% over last year, with 2,703 homes going under contract through August of 2019, compared to 2,554 in 2018.

Days on Market
The average days on market for homes to go under contract has decreased by 12% for homes sold through August of this year compared to last.  In 2019, the current average days on market is 103 days, compared to 117 days through August of 2018.