Home sales down 10% on Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay

It sure seems like it if you watch the national news.

  You have your subprime mortgage meltdown. Your housing market meltdown. Your global market meltdown.

  So what's it like on the Eastern Shore?

  The number of homes sold since the first of 2007 is down 10% compared with the first nine months of 2006. And the first nine months of 2006 were down 20% over the same period in 2005. (But don't forget that ‘05 and ‘06 were energetic years for our Eastern Shore market as hurricane-wary buyers looked to inland areas of the coast.)

  Average sales price crept up 2% during the first nine months of this year to $292,932. In the third quarter, it was up about 1.5% to $292,433, compared to the third quarter of 2006.

  The number of homes sold between July 1 and Sept. 30 fell 10% compared to the same time last year.

  And some 350 homes failed to sell with their listings expiring since the first of this year. Sellers are getting with the program though, as around 140 made price adjustments in September alone.

  The number of houses on the market, particularly in Fairhope, continues to be cause for concern. Overall on the Eastern Shore, there are 1,114 homes for sale.

  Foreclosures continue to rise as many owners didn't fully take into account their financial risks and the changes that life brings. (See my accompanying story.)

  Mortgage lenders are so much more cautious in approving loans that they are nit-picking a buyer's financial background to death. All of this leads to some nail-biters when waiting for the "clear to close," as it's called.

  And some Realtors who got into the profession during the high times are getting out.

  But remember this: It's also getting to be a good time to buy because you have low mortgage rates and lots to choose from.

  So here are the stats:

►Fairhope: 105 homes sold here, virtually unchanged from the 109 in the 3rd quarter of 2006. Average sales price was $351,337, up from $317,305. The average time it took to sell stretched to 166 days vs. 134 days last year. The list to sale percentage was 95%, the weakest of any Eastern Shore area. There are 547 homes on the market here.

►Daphne/Montrose: 113 homes sold, compared to 133 homes this time last year. Average sales price was $298,274, up from $274,111. Average days on market: 158 this quarter compared to 117 during the 3rd quarter of 2006. List to sale percentage: 97.63%. There are 341 homes on the market.

►Lake Forest: 38 homes sold, up from 35 this time last year. Average sales price dropped from $180,860 to $175,556. List to sale percentage: 97.49%. Market time increased from 70 days to 125 days. There are 116 homes on the market.

►Spanish Fort: 35 homes sold, down from 49 in the 3rd quarter of 2006. Average sales price dropped from $292,580 to $284,986. List to sale percentage: 95.58. It took 105 days to sell this quarter, down from 114 days this time last year. There are 110 homes on the market.

Janet English, RE/Max By the Bay