Inevitably, most housing markets tend to wind down at the end of each year. There are gifts to purchase, holiday travels to plan and kids to care for during winter break. This isn’t the case for all buyers and sellers, of course, but there are enough who follow this traditional path to create a trend view that shows creatures not stirring. Be prepared for at least two weeks of lessened activity before things pick up again in January.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending December 28:

• New Listings decreased 14.5% to 307
• Pending Sales decreased 7.8% to 400
• Inventory decreased 9.1% to 12,707

For the month of November:

• Median Sales Price increased 13.4% to $195,000
• Days on Market decreased 26.5% to 75
• Percent of Original List Price Received increased 1.3% to 95.4%
• Months Supply of Inventory decreased 10.8% to 3.3

All comparisons are to 2013

Click here for the full Weekly Market Activity Report.From The Skinny.

Gains in construction activity and job growth have made the Fed confident that moderate bond tapering won’t rock the resilient real estate market. Holiday happenings have bolstered an already healthy economy. And though winter vacation jubilee may accentuate seasonally lazy home sales, most local markets should show cozy year-over-year comparisons.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending December 21:

• New Listings decreased 15.3% to 558
• Pending Sales decreased 11.0% to 689
• Inventory decreased 7.3% to 13,283

For the month of November:

• Median Sales Price increased 13.4% to $195,000
• Days on Market decreased 26.5% to 75
• Percent of Original List Price Received increased 1.3% to 95.4%
Months Supply of Inventory decreased 11.1% to 3.2

All comparisons are to 2012

Click here for the full Weekly Market Activity Report.From The Skinny.

A plethora of economic data was recently released, and it shows that exports rose
to their highest level ever while job growth numbers have surpassed even the most hopeful Wall Street expectations. But good news isn’t always good news, since this means that the Fed is going to begin tapering its historic bond-buying activity as the economy heals. Stocks may take a dip. But, with some luck, the demand-side effect of the impending rate increase could be offset by stronger economic fundamentals that should keep the housing market humming along.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending December 14:

• New Listings decreased 1.9% to 759
• Pending Sales decreased 11.1% to 656
• Inventory decreased 6.5% to 13,728

For the month of November:

• Median Sales Price increased 13.4% to $195,000
• Days on Market decreased 26.5% to 75
• Percent of Original List Price Received increased 1.3% to 95.4%
• Months Supply of Inventory decreased 11.1% to 3.2

All comparisons are to 2012

Click here for the full Weekly Market Activity Report.From The Skinny.

The first week in December this year was filled with Black Friday and Cyber
Monday deals – this means more people were clamoring in line at 2:00 a.m.
waiting for a Suzie-Talks-A-Lot than were attending open houses. Seasonal trends
should be evident in a slight market slowdown, but year-over-year comparisons
will still brighten any burgeoning bah-humbuggers.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending December 7:

• New Listings decreased 5.7% to 887
• Pending Sales increased 0.9% to 751
• Inventory decreased 5.6% to 14,043

For the month of November:

• Median Sales Price increased 13.4% to $195,000
• Days on Market decreased 26.5% to 75
• Percent of Original List Price Received increased 1.3% to 95.4%
• Months Supply of Inventory decreased 11.1% to 3.2

All comparisons are to 2012

Click here for the full Weekly Market Activity Report.From The Skinny.

The calendar can sometimes have just as profound an effect on housing data as
supply and demand. The 2013 Thanksgiving holiday was a week later than in
2012, causing some peculiar shifts in activity. This serves as a good reminder to
watch for calendar oddities just as much as you do economic indicators. Even so,
aside from family time and tryptophan, buyers and sellers had a lot to be grateful
for this Thanksgiving. Buyers still live in a time of great affordability, and sellers
should be thankful for shorter market times, higher prices and less competition.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending November 30:

• New Listings decreased 47.0% to 540
• Pending Sales decreased 38.5% to 579
• Inventory decreased 4.5% to 14,582

For the month of November:

• Median Sales Price increased 13.4% to $195,000
• Days on Market decreased 26.5% to 75
• Percent of Original List Price Received increased 1.3% to 95.4%
• Months Supply of Inventory decreased 11.1% to 3.2

All comparisons are to 2012

Click here for the full Weekly Market Activity Report.From The Skinny.

As the end of the year approaches, market futurists will either put on their overly cheery, poinsettia-colored glasses or turn into a bunch of dreary Nostradamus Nellys. The wise analyst will tune out extremes and embrace seasonally appropriate slowdowns as a sign of normal market activity while looking with anticipation to what will likely be continued moderate recovery in 2014. Watch for light gains in inventory, quieter pending sales activity and more sedate market times.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending November 23:

• New Listings increased 46.6% to 893
• Pending Sales increased 42.8% to 841
• Inventory decreased 3.6% to 15,008

For the month of October:

• Median Sales Price increased 11.4% to $194,900
• Days on Market decreased 27.2% to 75
• Percent of Original List Price Received increased 1.4% to 95.8%
• Months Supply of Inventory decreased 10.0% to 3.6

All comparisons are to 2012

Click here for the full Weekly Market Activity Report.From The Skinny.

This week, and through the end of the year, you might be watching for much-needed inventory gains that will not arrive due to traditional end-of-year lulls in the marketplace related to holidays and/or colder weather. Nobody wants to sell at the bottom. In general, inventory pools are up in year-over-year comparisons in many areas, suggestive of seller confidence with recent price gains. Overall recovery is unlikely to stall. The pace of price gains and bidding wars may ease, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Just ask any prospective home buyer.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending November 16:

• New Listings decreased 4.2% to 1,003
• Pending Sales decreased 7.3% to 758
• Inventory decreased 3.2% to 15,318

For the month of October:

• Median Sales Price increased 11.4% to $194,900
• Days on Market decreased 27.2% to 75
• Percent of Original List Price Received increased 1.4% to 95.8%
• Months Supply of Inventory decreased 12.5% to 3.5

All comparisons are to 2012

Click here for the full Weekly Market Activity Report.From The Skinny.

Fewer people are out scouting homes now that they’re scouting the perfect bird for their Thanksgiving feast. Weekly and monthly seller and buyer activity may be slowing in comparison to last reporting period, but overall markets still show signs of stable recovery. By and large, expect the end of 2013 to look just as juicy and golden as your bird is soon to be.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending November 9:

• New Listings increased 11.4% to 1,132
• Pending Sales decreased 3.1% to 819
• Inventory decreased 3.2% to 15,517

For the month of October:

• Median Sales Price increased 11.4% to $195,000
• Days on Market decreased 27.2% to 75
• Percent of Original List Price Received increased 1.4% to 95.8%
• Months Supply of Inventory decreased 12.5% to 3.5

All comparisons are to 2012

Click here for the full Weekly Market Activity Report.From The Skinny.

Most analysts agree that we are not in the midst of inflating another housing bubble. Instead, we are sometimes seeing seemingly dramatic price and sales increases, but off of artificially low baseline levels. Private equity firms and first-time buyers have bought up a lot of inventory, while some sellers await further price recovery. Credit remains available but not abundant, so lenders are avoiding the facilitation of another bubble. Default rates and foreclosure activity are at multiyear lows. As of now, the housing recovery is intact.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending November 2:

• New Listings increased 5.5% to 1,185
• Pending Sales increased 6.9% to 972
• Inventory decreased 2.6% to 16,034

For the month of October:

• Median Sales Price increased 11.4% to $195,000
• Days on Market decreased 27.2% to 75
• Percent of Original List Price Received increased 1.4% to 95.8%
• Months Supply of Inventory decreased 12.5% to 3.5

All comparisons are to 2012

Click here for the full Weekly Market Activity Report.From The Skinny.

Holiday decorations have debuted in department stores across the nation (really?), and their mere presence just might affect housing activity for those prone to a good winter hunker. Comparisons to year-ago levels will show improvement and recovery, even as general activity will likely slow through the rest of 2013. With rates seemingly in a continuous go-low zone, the thrifty buyer and willing seller will still meet for transactional tea.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending October 26:

• New Listings increased 16.4% to 1,209
• Pending Sales increased 10.4% to 974
• Inventory decreased 3.1% to 16,211

For the month of September:

• Median Sales Price increased 11.7% to $195,000
• Days on Market decreased 29.7% to 71
• Percent of Original List Price Received increased 1.7% to 96.4%
• Months Supply of Inventory decreased 14.0% to 3.7

All comparisons are to 2012

Click here for the full Weekly Market Activity Report.From The Skinny.