Number of Homes Sold Increased in Suburban Maryland in December 2015

January 19, 2016

Market Minute LogoDecember brought an increase in the number of homes sold to the suburban Maryland real estate market, according to The Long & Foster Market Minute reports. The Maryland suburbs include Charles, Frederick, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. The Long & Foster Market Minute reports are based on data provided by Metropolitan Regional Information System and its member associations of Realtors and include residential real estate transactions within specific geographic regions, not just Long & Foster sales.

MdSuburbs MM Dec15 chart

The number of homes sold increased in the suburban Maryland region in December 2015 when compared to the same month last year, with Frederick County experiencing the largest increase of 26 percent. Charles County saw an increase of 13 percent, followed by Prince George’s County with an 11 percent increase. In Montgomery County, the number of homes sold increased by 4 percent.

Median sale prices varied in the suburban Maryland real estate market compared to the same month in 2014, with Prince George’s County experiencing a 7 percent increase and Frederick County experiencing a 4 percent increase. Charles and Montgomery counties experienced decreases of 1 percent and 3 percent, respectively.

Inventory declined throughout the suburban Maryland market in December, dropping by 26 percent in Prince George’s County, by 15 percent in Charles County and by 11 percent in Montgomery County. In Frederick County, active inventory fell by 3 percent.

Homes are continuing to sell at a solid pace throughout the region, with many selling in two and a half months or less on average. Prince George’s County experienced the shortest marketing period of 41 days on market (DOM), followed by Montgomery County at 55 days on market. Frederick County had an average DOM of 63 days, and Charles County had a days on market average of 70 days.

“In December, the recent economic trends we’ve been seeing in the United States’ economy continued as more jobs were added and wages increased. Additionally, according to the Associated Press, new home sales jumped almost 15 percent in 2015,” said Jeffrey S. Detwiler, chief operating officer of The Long & Foster Companies. “We saw additional positive trends happening within Long & Foster’s footprint, including in the suburban Maryland region where we saw an increase in homes sold. We look forward to what the 2016 market brings us.”

The Long & Foster Market Minute is an overview of market statistics based on residential real estate transactions and presented at the county level. The easy-to-read and easy-to-share reports include information about each area’s units sold, active inventory, median sale prices, months of supply, new listings, new contracts, list to sold price ratio, and days on market. Featuring reports for more than 500 local areas and neighborhoods in addition to more than 100 counties in eight states, The Long & Foster Market Minute is offered to buyers and sellers as they aim to make well-informed real estate decisions.

The Long & Foster Market Minute reports are available at www.LongandFoster.com, and you can subscribe to free updates for the reports in which you’re interested. Information included in this report is based on data supplied by MRIS, which is not responsible for its accuracy. The reports do not reflect all activity in the marketplace. Information contained in this report is deemed reliable but not guaranteed, should be independently verified, and does not constitute an opinion of MRIS or Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.