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Twin Cities Home Prices Rise

The Twin Cities real estate market continues to defy the traditional assumptions of supply and demand as year-on-year home prices rise while supply also increases.

One reason for this is that so-called distressed properties, short sales and foreclosures, continue to disappear from a market they once dominated. These properties — where the mortgage balance due exceeds the home’s value — artificially depressed home prices. Now, it’s the resurgence of so-called traditional sales that is inflating prices.

St. Paul and Minneapolis Realtors’ associations reported recently that the local median sales price rose 7.2 percent, year-on-year, to $209,000 in October. Inventory rose 4.3 percent. The median was$205,000 in September.

The local trade associations also noted a decline in deal activity, with pending sales down 1.3 percent from last year. This also can result in higher inventory. New listings decreased 2.3 percent.

Traditional new listings rose 6.7 percent, while foreclosure and short-sale new listings were down 42.4 and 31.3 percent, respectively.

Months’ supply of inventory was up 10.8 percent to 4.1 months. Days on market is down 4 percent to 72 days.

Both associations counted the developments as a positive, citing greater inventory for buyers, with better prices for traditional home sellers, super low Minnesota mortgage rates, and plenty of loan programs for first time home buyers.

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