Whether you're a Real Estate Professional or an interested consumer, you've likely noted that the condo market is glutted and has more potential deals than the larger total housing market.
Looking at condominiums that are located in the two Howell, MI zip codes (48843 and 48855) we can see how badly condos are faring in the current economy.
In calendar year 2007, there were 55 condominium sales recorded in the RealComp MLS. They showed an average sales price of $127,756, a median sales price of $120,000, and a total sales volume (total sales dollars for all 55 sales) of $7,026,554.
In 2008 (through 12/14/08), there were 48 sales with an average sales price of $85,543, a median sales price of $82,950 and a total sales volume of $4,106,053.
These are tremendous one-year drops in value by any standard. The average sales price is down 33%, the median is down almost 31% and the sales volume has dropped over 41%! To make it worse, with 214 units available in these areas right now, there is over a 53 month supply of condominiums (214 available divided by 48 sales this year for 12 months, or an average of 4 sales/mo).
Foreclosed unit sales in this area have tripled, from 6 in 2007 to 18 in 2008.
New construction has essentially stopped, and some builders/developers have either lost unsold units to foreclosure, gone bankrupt, or both. Homeowners in some condo associations are having a myriad of issues to handle, too.
If the development has not had enough units sold to invest the residents as Association Board members, the developer retains control. Some Associations are finding that while they've paid their monthly dues, services are not being performed (snow plowing, landscaping) because there's not enough money in the fund.
Developers often base the starting dues on a certain number of sales per year and a maximum build out time. They may even stipend some of the early costs to get new sales in their communities. When the sales stop and there are many units left to build, it's bad for everyone.
Built-out, established communities are also grappling with the loss of monthly dues due to bank-owned properties. When a condo goes into foreclosure, those dues stop (often dues are one of the first payment to be deferred when owners get into financial trouble, even before foreclosure). If your association is working on a tight budget and the number of foreclosed properties keeps climbing, it can really hurt the whole community. Banks do pay these back dues at closing, but it certainly creates a short-term budget crunch for the association.
There are definite deals out there in the condo market, but remember to do your homework before you commit yourself. If you're considering a unit in a development that has a lot of empty sites, be extra careful. Once you analyze the Association budget, it may still be worth pursuing, but make sure you've got as much information as possible on which to base your decision.
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