“Net result: We were at 38 or 40 sellers per buyer most of the summer. Last week it dropped to 34, and this week it’s at 33. This is starting to look like it might be a trend, and when the ratio of sellers to buyers drops enough, prices are going to stabilize, the period of best deals will be over, and people are going to rush back into the market.”
In previous years the number of listings dropped dramatically from November to January. Sometimes as much as 50% from the summer peak. The reason is not sales, sellers remove the listings during the holidays. In fact, this year the number of listings, as a percentage, has decreased less than last year.
