Home Sales are up in Scottsdale for the beginning of 2011. Historical view of sales and listing activity.

1. Sales are Up in Scottsdale Is now the time to list and sell your home? Dru Bloomfield, AtHomeinScottsdale.com

2. Over the past several weeks, we have been seeing close to record homes sales in Scottsdale. Sales are significantly higher than the lows of 2008 and approaching the levels of 2004-2005. Plus, the typical January decline was not nearly as significant this year. AtHomeinScottsdale.com

3. So, to answer the question: Is now the time to list and sell your home? Looking at the past ten years of data for Active Scottsdale Listings, 2010-2011 looks fairly close to mid-range, as compared to the extremely low number of homes for sale in the 2004 and 2005 time frames, when prices were appreciating rapidly and homes were flying off the shelf. The doldrums of 2007 through mid-2009 are evident, with a high number of homes listed for sale, and not moving. AtHomeinScottsdale.com

4. Looking at a little more detail, it’s even clearer that we are normalizing, when it comes to the number of homes on the market. Below you can see the high number of Scottsdale homes listed for sale in 2008, hovering in the 4000 range, and the low inventory levels of early 2005, just before the major real estate market slowdown. By the end of 2005, the number of home on the market had doubled, and in a very short time. The number of homes for sale today, is right in the range of 2002, right before the market went crazy. AtHomeinScottsdale.com

5. Now, looking at just this past year, it’s clear that housing inventory (the number of homes for sale) is declining slightly in Scottsdale. Lender-owned properties (REO), pre-foreclosures, and short sale comprise about a third of the local listings. The remainder are homes list for sale are “normal”, traditional sales where the negotiations are with the principal, a real person, not a bank. AtHomeinScottsdale.com

6. Is now the time to list and sell your home? A normal transaction can be so much more streamlined, that some buyers prefer them to buying a bank-owned property, which must be assumed in AS-IS condition, with virtually no recourse if something major is uncovered after the sale. A normal home sale can be lightening fast, when compared to a short sale, which can take months and months. My most recent listing, a normal sale in Scottsdale, was listed and under contract in 31 days, and since it was a cash transaction, closed very quickly, 16 days after the contract was accepted. 47 days from start to finish. Spring is a prime time to list your home. If you’re thinking about it, consider moving quickly, and list your home before the hot summer months hit. Know that there are serious buyers out looking, and with a smaller pool of homes for sale, are looking and acting more quickly when a new listing hits the market. With four of my listings selling in the last two weeks, I’m ready for additional clients. If you are thinking of selling this year, and would like a complimentary market evaluation, please call or message me. My contact info is on the upper right hand corner of this page. AtHomeinScottsdale.com

7. More info about Scottsdale real estate: Short Sales in Scottsdale: A Market Update Looking for Foreclosures in Scottsdale? A Bright Note in Scottsdale Real Estate AtHomeinScottsdale.com