Mercer Island Real Estate

An upturn in sales marked the start of the spring buying season. RE/MAX reported that home sales increased by double-digits in March from February in all but one of the 54 U.S. metropolitan areas it covers (New York). This represents a complete reversal from January, when none of the 54 cities saw even single-digit monthly sales increases.

The National Association of Realtors corroborated RE/MAX’s bullish report with one of its own. The NAR’s data show that March was a decent month for existing home sales, with sales up 3.7 percent to an annualized rate of 5.1 million units.  More homes were on the market, 3.55 million, but the solid rise in sales dropped the supply to 8.4 months.

The beleaguered homebuilders can see an improved selling market as we head into the late spring/early summer months. Housing starts in March rebounded 7.2 percent following a monthly 18.5-percent drop in February. The March annualized pace of 549,000 units came in significantly higher than analysts’ estimate for 510,000 units. The improvement was led by a monthly 7.7 percent boost in single-family starts. More encouraging, housing permits gained 11.2 percent after decreasing 5.2 percent in February.

Over the past six months, the monthly housing data have shown improvements, or at least stabilization, in pricing and sales. Of course, real estate is seasonal and year-over-year comparisons are usually the focus. On that front, the data are generally lower. However, it is not an apples-to-apples comparison. This time last year, we were still operating in a more subsided market, thanks to the federal tax credits, so it’s really meaningless to compare the normalized market of today to the tax-credit-supported market of yesterday.

The 2010 results are in and once again, RE/MAX agents outsold all other competitors in the nation by a considerable margin.

It wasn’t even close.

RE/MAX led all national franchises in total transaction sides (754,333) and transaction sides per agent (13.1). That per-agent productivity easily surpassed Coldwell Banker (7.1 sides per agent), ERA (6.3), and Prudential (6.2), and was more than double that of Century 21 (5.4) and Keller Williams (5.1).

This is the 13th consecutive year that RE/MAX agents have led the U.S. industry in production.

That means when you hire a RE/MAX agent, you are getting someone with more hands-on, up-to-date experience.  So, whether you live in Seattle, on the Eastside or Mercer Island, consider looking for the big red, white and blue balloon and choosing a RE/MAX agent to give you the service you deserve when buying or selling real estate.

The Mercer Island Farmer’s Market not only offers fresh vegetables, flowers, and other delightful farm produce, it’s also an afternoon of wonderful music, snacking at your choice of food booths, and chatting with your neighbors. But the Farmer’s Market needs our help to keep those farmers coming.

It’s community gatherings like the Farmer’s Market that help make Mercer Island a great place to live. An event to celebrate this season’s opening and to help strengthen and sustain the market is scheduled for Sunday, May 12th. See details below:

WHEN: Sunday, May 12th; Silent Auction at 5:30 pm; Dinner at 6:30 pm

WHERE: Lilly’s Restaurant in the Aljoya; 2430 76th Avenue, Mercer Island

COST: $45 per person

HOW: Purchase tickets at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/?MICelebrationDinner

If you’re unable to attend, but would still like to help out, your needed donation can be given at www.mifarmersmarket.org/donate/

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