Here are the numbers of active property listings, those under contract, and sold properties for Single Family Homes in Jacksonville Beach, FL for the month of March 2008:

• Active                 322 active listings for Single Family Homes (no condos)
• Pending                     9 pending  (inspections & financing have been done)
• Sold                    10 sold (prices ranged from $177,500 to $2,585,000)
• New Listings           53

The active listings are EXACTLY the same number from 2007 to 2008.  Our pending listings are down 57%, sold listings are down 33%, and our new listings are down 25%. The new listings decrease is a good sign: people who do not NEED to sell are not putting their homes on the market, so we are looking primarily at truly motivated sellers, not lookers.

I have heard, and seen first hand, an increase in buyer activity - my listings are being shown more, and I'm working with more buyers, so market activity is up, which is another good sign.

Here are the March 2007 numbers for comparison:

• Active                 322 active listings for Single Family Homes (no condos)
• Pending                    21 pending  (inspections/financing have been done)
• Sold                     15 sold (prices ranged from $176,900 to $768,000)
• New Listings             71

It's a great time to buy, particularly if you have a good credit history and some money to bring to the table - depending on your income and credit, you may not need 20% down.  Talk to your lender to see what options are available to you.

If you are selling, now more than ever, it's imperative to make the best possible impression from the first day.  Look at your home with a critical eye, or, you have difficulty doing that, have your Realtor or a stager look at it and help you determine how to improve.  I see homes in the Multiple Listing Service that are selling in less than 60 days.

Now is a great time to buy - if you have questions about buying now versus waiting a few more months, call me for more information.