The number of homes for sale hit an all-time low during the week ending November 28, suggesting a difficult winter is in store for homebuyers. During the four-week period, sustained demand pushed the median home price to another record high, and a third of homes sold in one week or less.
“The number of homes for sale typically declines another 15% in December,” said Redfin Chief Economist Daryl Fairweather. “That means that by the end of the year, there will likely be 100,000 fewer homes for sale than there were in February when housing supply last hit rock bottom. I think more new listings will hit the market in the new year, but there will also be a long line of buyers who are queuing up right now.”
“Meanwhile, headlines and new restrictions related to the omicron variant of the coronavirus might fuel some uncertainty and volatility in the economy,” Fairweather continued. “In the short term, global interest rates, including mortgage rates, could fall. In this extremely tight housing market, we would quickly see a proportional increase in competition and home prices.”
Unless otherwise noted, the data in this report covers the four-week period ending November 28. Redfin’s housing market data goes back through 2012. Comparing today’s market with the pre-pandemic fall market of 2019 highlights how hot the market remains, even as most measures are settling into typical seasonal patterns.
Refer to our metrics definition page for explanations of all the metrics used in this report.
