In 2020, despite the global pandemic, the number of home sales increased significantly and the housing market continued to boom throughout 2021. The nationwide nominal house price index is now 40% above its 2012 low-point and 4% above the peak reached in 2006.
Let’s take a closer look at the current state of the housing market in key regions.
New York and New Jersey
If you’re considering purchasing a property in the tri-state area, you’d better be ready to deal with a very competitive market. With demand rising and available properties in short supply, New York’s thriving real estate market showed no signs of slowing in the third quarter of 2021. Despite 18 months of rising property prices in New York state, prices remain lower than they were before the pandemic hit. The average rental price in Manhattan increased 8.3% between September 2020 and September 2021; in Brooklyn it dropped 5.8% and in Northwest Queens, it increased 1.7%.
Mid-Atlantic Region
Those of you considering a property investment on the East Coast may wish to look at the mid-Atlantic region, from New Jersey to Virginia. Building permits are on the rise across the region with permits for new, single-family homes increasing by 32-50% during the first half of 2021.If you’re looking to set up a rental property, it’s best to examine the area on a city-by-city basis to ensure you can tap into a market willing to pay a profitable rental rate. Philadelphia hit a record high for apartment occupancy, with August of 2021 seeing a two-decade peak of 97.6%. Virginia Beach has also seen a steady increase with August 2021 seeing occupancy rates of 98.1%.
Southwest
The housing market in the Southwest has seen property prices skyrocket with Utah and Idaho witnessing the highest price increases nationwide. Rental prices have increased significantly with high demand, yet low availability of vacant rental properties pushing rent prices up even further. More people working from home during the pandemic translated to more people looking for spacious properties in the suburbs, and 2021 saw buyers frantically purchasing property in Texas where housing prices are over 30% higher statewide than a year ago. But, according to a research economist for the Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M University, the buying frenzy is over.
Pacific
The white-hot Seattle-area housing market has started to cool with fewer properties being listed and prices dipping, though the market is still very competitive. Affordability is a big issue and The California Association of Realtors expects home prices to rise by 5.2% next year and housing affordability to drop. While national rent growth is still going up from 11% to 13%, it’s lagging considerably in California.
Overall, 2021 closed with mortgage rates at a record low, a strengthening job market on the horizon, and rents surging.
