Los Angeles Real Estate Blog

The Manhattan Beach Real Estate Market Authority

From the desk of Greg M. Ingerson, Attorney At Law

During the Spring season, Manhattan Beach home sellers should begin to see a gradual decrease in the number of showings and inquiries for their home over the next few weeks.

Last month, the MLS summary showed that there were 179 homes for sale in Manhattan Beach and 22 sold. Translation, under current market conditions, in any given month, you have about a 1 in 8 chance of selling your home.

In other words, when pricing your home, the practice of adding a "Pad" or "Cushion" to make room for negotiating is not advisable in this market.

As an informed Home Seller, you should understand that with an increase in inventory “supply” there is a corresponding decrease in demand.

Home Sellers should pay close attention to “Current Buyers.” Similar homes that have recently “Sold” tell us what people are willing to pay for this kind of home, in this area, at this time.

Information about similar homes “Currently for Sale” tells us what we are competing against. Buyers considering your home are also inspecting these homes.

Moreover, “Expired” listings tell us what people are not willing to pay for this kind of home, in this area, at this time.

Home Sellers in this market should realize that buyers in today's market will not overpay for a home and even if they would, the bank will not loan more than the home is worth when it doesn’t appraise.

So what can we expect? Demand should decrease a little over the coming weeks at least until the “sub-prime” mortgage meltdown crisis is figured out.

The Numbers Don’t Lie, Here Is What's Happening:
On April 1, 2008, there were 179 active listings for sale in the Manhattan Beach Market (Area 142-147): 147 Houses; 30 Townhouses; and 2 Condominiums.

In the past year, there were 373 homes sold in Manhattan Beach (between 4.01.07 and 3.31.08): 285 Houses; 87 Townhouses; and 1 Condominiums.

What this means is that on a yearly average, the inventory is currently turning over at a rate of approximately 2.1 times per year.

Broken down even further by specific property type, we find that given the current absorption rates, we can expect Houses to be on the market an average of 186 days, Townhouses will be on the market an average of 124 days, and Condominiums should be on the market an average of 720 days.

Market Recap for the Month of March 2008
When one compares the March results with the yearly result, we find that there is an approximately 8.1 month inventory of homes for sale in Manhattan Beach.

Broken down by specific property type, we find that there is a 7.7 month inventory of Houses, a 10 month inventory of Townhouses, and a 0 month inventory of Condominiums on the market in Manhattan Beach. (Based on current absorption rates).

How should a Seller approach the market? The key in today's market is proper pricing. If you are thinking of selling, now may be the best time to put your Home on the market for the foreseeable future before any additional interest rate increases are implemented.

How should a Buyer approach the market? For buyers, this is a good time to be in the market while sellers are willing to negotiate price and while interest rates are still low. For those hoping that the market will cool, any advantage obtained by waiting for prices to decrease may be offset by higher interest rates.

For more information regarding the Manhattan Beach and/or greater Los Angeles Real Estate Markets, please visit our website at http://www.LAHomeSearch.com for FREE information or give our office a call at 310.908.2172 for Free Recorded Information 24 Hours a Day.

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Manhattan Beach Home Sales by the Numbers
22 sold in March 2008
58 sold in March 2007

179 Current Active Listings
147 Houses
30 Townhouses
2 Condos

22 Sold in March 2008
19 Houses
3 Townhouses
0 Condos

12 Expired in March 2008
11 Houses
1 Townhouses
0 Condos

48 Contingent & Pending in March 2007
41 Houses
7 Townhouses
0 Condos

58 Sold in March 2007
49 Houses
9 Townhouses
0 Condos

73 Sold in March 2006
55 Houses
18 Townhouses
0 Condos

50 Sold in March 2005
36 Houses
12 Townhouses
2 Condos

56 Sold in March 2004
40 Houses
16 Townhouses
0 Condos

63 Sold in March 2003
51 Houses
12 Townhouses
0 Condos

54 Sold in March 2002
39 Houses
14 Townhouses
1 Condos

66 Sold in March 2001
52 Houses
14 Townhouses
1 Condos

74 Sold in March 2000
53 Houses
19 Townhouses
2 Condos

2 Expired in March 2007
2 Houses
0 Townhouses
0 Condos

16 Expired in March 2006
12 Houses
4 Townhouses
0 Condos

3 Expired in March 2005
3 Houses
0 Townhouses
0 Condos

1 Expired in March 2004
1 Houses
0 Townhouses
0 Condos

3 Expired in March 2003
3 Houses
0 Townhouses
0 Condos

6 Expired in March 2002
4 Houses
2 Townhouses
0 Condos

12 Expired in March 2001
9 Houses
2 Townhouses
1 Condos

9 Expired in March 2000
8 Houses
1 Townhouses
0 Condos

To search for bank owned properties on the market go to http://www.LAHomeSearch.com

To search for Southern California Real Estate including real estate in Beverly Hills, Brentwood, santa Monica, and Malibu go to http://www.LAHomeSearch.com

For Los Angeles Real Estate go to http://www.LAHomeSearch.com

To search for "For Sale By Owner" properties in the Los Angeles Real Estate Market visit http://www.FSBO.LAHomeSearch.com

Thinking of Selling? To get the most Money, Fastest Sale, and the Fewest Problems, visit http://www.LAHomeSearch.com

About the Author
Greg M. Ingerson, Attorney At Law & Real Estate Broker, is a real estate Broker with LA Home Search in Los Angeles, California. To learn more about the Los Angeles Real Estate Market, please visit http://www.LAHomeSearch.com