On the first of each month I gather the numbers from the MLS for the prior month's activity. This helps me spot trends and keep up with the local real estate market. Here's what they look like for March 2006:

MLS Wide (Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties)
SINGLE FAMILY and CONDO/TH/VILLAS

Data Item	Mar '05	Mar '06	% Change
New Listings	13,414	24,575	+83%
Closed Sales	9,820	5,459	-44%

• 5,025 Listings went under contract in March
• 72,437 Listings are currently active and available For the entire MLS
• At this rate it would take more than 14 months to get contracts for current inventory.
• Supply/Demand Ratio (New Inventory to Contracts Accepted) is 4.89, up from 4.5 last month (lower is better).

City of Deerfield Beach
SINGLE FAMILY and CONDO/TH/VILLAS

Data Item	Mar '05	Mar '06	% Change
New Listings	175	433	+147%
Closed Sales	149	106	-29%

• 93 Listings went under contract in March
• 1158 Listings are currently active and available
• In Deerfield at this rate it would take more than 12 months to get contracts for current inventory.
• Supply/Demand Ratio (New Inventory to Contracts Accepted) is 4.6, down from 4.9 last month (lower is better).
  

These numbers indicate a continuing BUYERS market.  Here are the numbers for February.

69 Listings went under contract in January
1010 Listings are currently active and available
In Deerfield at this rate, It would take more than 14 months to get contracts for current inventory.

This shows a significant turn from the SELLERS market of last year. Here are the stats from last month.

Want to see what what's happening in other parts of the country?  Check out Columbus Best Blog article Real Estate is Local or Bonnie's Snippets from Minnesota.

On the first of each month I put some numbers together for the prior month's activity to help me spot trends and keep up with the market. Here's what they look like this For January 2006:

MLS Wide

(Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties)

SINGLE FAMILY and CONDO/TH/VILLAS

Data Item	Jan '05	Jan '06
New Listings	15,001	26,786
Closed Sales	7,099	3,926

4,555 Listings went under contract in January

66,132 Listings are currently active and available

For the entire MLS, at January's rate of 4,555 listings going under contract per month, it would take more than 14 months to get contracts for the current inventory level.

City of Deerfield Beach

SINGLE FAMILY and CONDO/TH/VILLAS

Data Item	Jan '05	Jan '06
New Listings	216	373
Closed Sales	111	85

90 Listings went under contract in January

797 Listings are currently active and available

In Deerfield, at January's rate of 90 listings going under contract per month, it would take more than 8 months to get contracts for the current inventory.

Also interesting: Overall the are approximately twice as many new listings, this year while there are only half as many closed sales. The numbers above certainly indicate that it's currently a buyer's market in this area.

Let me know if you would like a more detailed analysis of the market activity in your neighborhood.

My very first Blog entry ever.  How exciting.  Well, I guess it makes sense then that I should start with the most talked about real estate question I get:  "How's the market where you are?" 

Here in South Florida, in the communities of Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, Lighthouse Point,  Boca Raton, and the surrounding areas we are finally experiencing a tilt toward a BUYER'S MARKET.  And that's a recent change.  It's been white-hot seller's market for so long, that the slow down is catching many homeowners, and REALTORS® by surprise.  Although I don't have a crystal ball and there's no way to know for sure, I would expect that we have seen the end, at least for now, of the incredible double-digit price increases.  I think prices will level out and a "normal" annual appreciation rate of 3-9% will return.  Subject, of course to many different factors such as:  The economy, mortgage interest rates, property tax influences, the 1000 people a day still moving to Florida including the retiring baby boomers. 

Stay tuned to see if I'm right!  I'll keep you posted on the real estate market here in Broward County and the southern part of Palm Beach County. 

Thanks for stopping by. 

Did I do okay for my first time?