The current market favors sellers, but owners see slowing price increases and buyers being priced out of the market. Many who held off may decide it’s time to sell.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Some possible good news for buyers – more inventory could be headed to the South Florida market in the coming months, as sellers become more willing to list their homes.

A survey of 1,300 consumers by realtor.com, conducted in fall of 2021, revealed that 65% of homeowners across the country planned on selling their home within the next six months, while 26% of homeowners planned on selling their home within the next year.

“Sellers are recognizing that the markets are leaning heavily in their favor, with millions of millennials entering their 30s and seeking to buy their first home while taking advantage of low interest rates,” said George Ratiu, manager of economic research at realtor.com.

The realtor.com survey also indicated that 2021 saw an increase in listings over time. In spring, 9% of sellers said they’d already listed their home when surveyed. That number jumped to 19% in the fall. The survey was conducted on a national level, so South Florida housing market and sellers may react differently.

It’s not uncommon for sellers to list more actively in the beginning of the year, as it’s usually a high point for new listings.

“The most compelling reason I am hearing from those willing to sell … is that they want to capitalize on the higher sale prices, coupled with the fact that their homes no longer fit their needs or desires.” 

Sellers’ desire to capitalize on the market grew from the spring to the fall, too, according to the realtor.com survey. A little under 25% of sellers wanted to sell to take advantage of the current market in the spring, with the number rising to 35% in the fall. Around 13% of sellers wanted to sell because they saw news it was a seller’s market, according to the spring survey. But in fall, that number jumped to 30%.

 

 

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