The following is a summary of the Outer Banks market as a whole, reported by the Outer Banks Association of REALTORS and reprinted with permission.

• Total Existing-Home Sales: Existing home unit sales are up 19% compared to 2016.
• Under-contract – With 473 units in an under-contract status, sales in May should rise dramatically.
• New Construction: New Construction building permits are down 31% compared to last year and total building permit value is down 20%.
• Days on the Market: For all residential properties listed in the MLS, the average Days on the Market was 162 days; however, when looking at only the residential properties listed on the MLS since January 1, 2017 (1157 units), the average days on the market was 50 days.
• All-cash Sales: Nationally, 23% of all home sales are for cash. Locally, we are also selling at the national average.
• Distressed Sales: Bank Owned properties and short sales made up 7% of all residential property sales in in April. So far, this year, short sales are down by 25% and bank owned sales are up 19%.
• Inventories: Housing inventory was down by 15% in April.

What are the clear bright spots in this report?  Inventory is down, which is desperately needed.  And, those sellers willing to price the home in today’s market are rewarded with a fast sale.

Remember, most buyers will spend 12 to 18 months looking around before purchasing a second home.  So they know what a good value is.  When it hits the market, they are ready to move!  They are also ready to pay close to the asking price.

So what does this mean for your home’s value?  The areas of Corolla and Duck are still quite a mess.  Southern Shores is doing somewhat better.

The data below that indicates for each price range the following:

• How many homes are for sale in that range
• How many have sold this year
• Divided by 5.5 months = how many buyers are available in that range each month
• Divided by the number for sale = the months of remaining inventory for that price range
• How many homes are under contract, scheduled to close
• The median days on market for homes sold in that price range

Corolla                                                            

$200,000 – $400,000                                       $401,000 – $600,000

41 for sale                                                              81 for sale

30 sold YTD                                                          28 sold YTD

5.5 buyers each month                                        5 buyers each month

7.5 months of inventory                                      16 months of inventory

10 U/C currently                                                   19 U/C currently

234 Days on Market                                             229 Days on Market

 

$601,000 – $800,000                                       $801,000 – $1,000,000

60 for sale                                                             29 for sale

10 sold YTD                                                           4 sold YTD

1.8 buyers each month                                        .7 buyers each month

33 months of inventory                                       41 months of inventory

8 U/C currently                                                     3 U/C currently

90 Days on Market                                               166 Days on Market

 

$1,000,000 – up

75 for sale

9 sold YTD

1.6 buyers each month

47 months of inventory

8 U/C Currently

113 Days on Market

 

Duck

$200,000 – $400,000                                       $401,000 – $600,000

8 for sale                                                               36 for sale

8 sold YTD                                                            19 sold YTD

1.5 buyers per month                                          3.5 buyers per month

5 months of inventory                                        10 months of inventory

2 U/C currently                                                    4 U/C Currently

155 Days on Market                                             109 Days on Market

 

$601,000 – $800,000                                       $801,000 – $1,000,000

30 for sale                                                             21 for sale

6 sold YTD                                                            8 sold

1 buyer each month                                             1.5 buyers each month

30 months of inventory                                      14 months of inventory

3 U/C Currently                                                    1 U/C currently

87 Days on Market                                               149 Days on Market

 

$1,000,000 – up

32 for sale

3 sold YTD

.5 buyers per month

64 months of inventory

3 U/C currently

178 Days on Market

 

Southern Shores

$200,000 – $400,000                                       $401,000 – $600,000

14 for sale                                                              32 for sale

10 sold YTD                                                          11 sold YTD

1.8 buyers each month                                        2 buyers each month

7.7 months of inventory                                      16 months of inventory

7 U/C currently                                                     5 U/C currently

105 Days on Market                                             99 Days on Market

 

$601,000 – $800,000                                       $801,000 – $1,000,000

12 Active                                                                6 Active

3 sold YTD                                                            2 sold YTD

.5 buyers each month                                         .36 buyers each month

24 months of inventory                                      16 months of inventory

1 U/C currently                                                     1 U/C currently

254 Days on Market                                            115 Days on Market

 

$1,000,000 – up

12 Active

1 sold YTD

0 U/C currently

547 Days on Market

 

There are 3 main things to pay attention in the real estate market right now.

• We saw another rate drop today, bringing us to a new low in the last 3 months.
• Residential home sales (actual closed deals) are up 22% over this same time last year.
• The number of homes going under contract are also up by 22%.  The market is SUPER active right now.

The homes in the best condition with the right price are even getting multiple offers.  We are also seeing a lot of homes selling in less than a month with that same strategy.  If you’re thinking of buying or selling a home this year, contact me for a consultation.

It’s exciting to have some good news to report!  While the number of homes closed in January 2017 was identical to 2016, the number of homes going under contract is up considerably.

Closed sales for January, reflects homes that went under contract in November or December of 2016.  There were 111 sold in 2016 and 112 in 2017.   Not bad for a resort area.

However, in January this year we saw 231 properties go under contract.  The last time the number for January was this high was in 2006 at 263.   Something happened in the last 30 days to create some amazing consumer confidence.  I’m super thrilled for this year’s activity!!!

Two morals of this story:

• If you are interested in selling your home, there’s NO REASON to wait until March or April. The market is here NOW.
• If your home is already on the market and not selling, chances are you are priced too high. It’s difficult to accept today’s prices, no doubt.  Inventory levels are still too high to see appreciation.  It’s unclear how long it will take to recover, since we are still in the midst of the cycle.

If you’d like to find out what your home could sell for now, click here and I’ll get you a free analysis!

If you’re interested in making an investment on the Outer Banks, click here to find out what you need to know before buying in the area.

What can you expect from the fall real estate market on the Outer Banks?  One thing is for sure…activity!  So far this year, the number of properties going under contract for the area is up by 7%.  That means we have buyers!

While inventory levels still continue to drop, we do have over a year of inventory still plaguing us (13.5 months).  So, even with the number of sales up and number of listings down, it would still take over one year to sell off all the property currently on the market.

So, why list your home this fall?  Because it can sell!  Yes, it means you have to price it right to compete in today’s market.  The truth is, with more buyers than last year, if the property hasn’t sold, it’s likely over priced.  In a market full of options for buyers, only two things really matter…price and condition.

We’ve noticed that buyers today don’t want to put up the large down payment, and then immediately dump a bunch of money into the home to bring it into the 21^st century.  If your home still screams 80’s or 90’s, it will go to the bottom of the list, unless the price is super attractive.  I’ve personally seen buyers bypass a home with better location that hasn’t been updated, to go further back to a home that has.  Please don’t shoot the messenger!  I don’t make the rules, I just report them.

Here’s what can be expected between now and the end of the year:

• Buyers want a discount because the rental income is basically over.
• The number of sales will increase over summer by about 18% to 20%.
• Many buyers will need to buy something before the end of the year.
• Listing inventory will go up about 12% to 15%, so your home will have a bit more competition. Price it right, so you sell first.
• Buyers who got the itch to buy this summer will be back to take a closer look now that homes are available to show.
• Many buyers like to take the time between now and next spring to make changes to the home and personalize it.

If you’re thinking about selling your Outer Banks home, give me a call to discuss it.  I will do a free market analysis for you.  If you’ll likely be here in the next 60 days, let’s meet!

Dare County’s preliminary flood maps were officially released on Thursday, June 30^th and info on the maps can be found on Dare County’s website at www.darenc.com or directly through the FRIS website.

A presentation on the preliminary maps was given by Steve Garrett from the NC Floodplain Mapping office at the last Dare Board of Commissioners meeting. Base flood elevations throughout Dare County are going down in most areas. Some base flood elevations are going down in areas like Wanchese by as much as 5 feet and many properties currently in an AE zone are now mapped into an X zone.

Mr. Garrett’s presentation can be found at around the 33 minute mark. Mr. Garrett presents information on how to access the web site and shows you how to find the current effective map information as well as the preliminary map data. The base flood elevation changes will impact flood insurance rates and building requirements when the preliminary maps become effective in 18 to 24 months. Properties showing reduced base flood elevations and /or a change to a lesser risk flood zone may find that garages that are not covered by insurance under current maps will be covered under the updated maps; bathrooms and other rooms that are not allowed now due to an area being below base flood elevation will be allowed under the updated maps.

For example, Mr. Garrett showed 12,875 properties in unincorporated Dare County currently in an AE zone. Under the revised preliminary maps, only 8,493 properties are in an AE zone. That number drops dramatically in Kill Devil Hills too, with 4,389 properties currently in an AE zone but under the revised maps, only 182 properties will be in an AE zone. The same scenario holds true for Dare County’s five other towns.

When going to the fris.gov site, select the state of NC; click OK when the Welcome box appears. Then select Dare County from the map or from the drop down menu. You can click on a particular structure by searching by address; however, if you do not enter the address exactly the way appears in the system, then the address will be invalid. All Southern Shores addresses are entered as Kitty Hawk. The box in the right top corner will show “Effective” or current map info. Once a property is clicked on then you can see the current elevation and zone. Click on the top right corner box and change “Effective” to “Preliminary” to see the revised map information. Click on the “Flood Information” box to see the new base flood information and zone information. There are two new zones – “AH” and “AO” which represent shallow flooding areas. AH zone applies strictly to Kitty Hawk. AO represents areas of shallow flooding of 1 to 3 feet.

The preliminary maps were developed by the NC Floodplain Mapping office using grant funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and were developed over a period of years using the latest GPS and Lidar technology as well as historical storm data up to Hurricanes Dennis and Floyd.

While the new maps may show a lower base flood elevation or a change to a lesser risk flood zone, it is important to maintain coverage and discuss flood insurance coverage options with your insurance agent. After all, the Outer Banks is surrounded by water! Also, while a property may be coming out the Special Flood Hazard Area altogether(X zone) and not be required to maintain flood insurance therefore eligible for Preferred Risk coverage when new maps become effective; the premium may actually be higher than what a policyholder is currently paying. Since it is going to take some time before new maps become effective, we will be keeping you updated and informed on the progress!