The summer season is upon us, and we have enjoyed seeing so many of you enjoying Bear Trap Dunes over the last few weeks! During the month of May, just 1 property went under contract in Bear Trap. This compares to 1 at the same time last year and 2 in May of 2022. While there is vulnerability in the market, the continuation of low inventory in Bear Trap has kept values elevated (currently there are no properties for sale in the community).
Happy Spring! Last month, we shared with you that after many years of deficient inventory, we were starting to see properties coming on the market more frequently. While inventory in Bear Trap is stable, as we start the month of May, there are 83 properties for sale in Ocean View. This is up 20% when compared to the same time last year.
In the community of Bear Trap, the real estate market remains strong. As the chart illustrates, sales activity through April matched 2023 with 12 properties going under contract so far this year. Sales volume is up 8% and the median sale price is up 37% year-over-year. Properties are selling more quickly with 12 days as the median days-to-contract so far this year vs. 39 days last year.
As always, if we can
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March has arrived and we are looking forward to longer light filled days ahead! Bear Trap has had a slow start to the year for real estate activity. While it is not the frenzy that we experienced in 2021 and 2022, to-date, sales are up considerably when compared to last year in other areas at the beach, but extremely low inventory has suppressed sales in your community.
As the chart illustrates, through the first two months, new contracts were down 33% compared to the same time last year. Properties that are priced appropriately continue to sell quickly and the median sale price of properties settled in January and February was up 26% when compared to the same months in 2023.
As we head into what is typically a strong selling season for beach property, this is a time we like to calculate absorption rates to determine whether we are trending in the direction of a buyer’s or seller’s market. We compare the pace of sales over the previous 12 months to determine how many Months Supply of Inventory is for sale. Generally, a balanced market would have between 6 to 7 months of inventory. At this time, Bear Trap Dunes and Ocean View both have less than 3 months of inventory. We are clearly still in a strong seller’s market due to inventory shortages, but as the chart illustrates, the trend has changed direction when compared to the same time last year.
This shift is a good representation of what we are currently experiencing in
…The kick-off to summer has arrived and we have enjoyed summer-like temperatures and many bright sunny days over the last few weeks! Through May, sales were slower for real estate as 18 properties went under contract in Bear Trap compared to 26 during the same time last year.
While we are certainly experiencing a slow down in market activity, real estate remains a strong investment with appreciation over time. If you have any questions related to real estate, we are here for you. Please call Bear Trap Expert, Gail Phelan: (302) 233-4909.