Home Prices Up, But Sales Drop Dramatically In RivCo

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Home prices rose 4.1 percent in Riverside County in December, compared to the same month a year ago, while home sales dropped by 14.6 percent, a real estate information service announced Wednesday.

According to CoreLogic, the median price of a Riverside County home was $380,000 last month, up from $365,000 in December 2017. A total of 2,938 homes were sold in the county, down from 3,441 during the same month the previous year.

A total of 15,781 new and resale houses and condos changed hands in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, Ventura, San Bernardino and Orange counties last month, according to CoreLogic. That was down 8.2 percent from 17,192 in November, and down 20.3 percent from 19,800 in December 2017.

The median price of a Southern California home was $515,000 in December, down 1.5 percent from $523,000 in November and up 1.1 percent from $509,500 in December 2017.

"Last month's sharp drop in home sales stands out in several ways," said Andrew LePage, research analyst with CoreLogic. "The number of homes sold was the lowest for any December in 11 years, since the onset of the last housing downturn in 2007. Sales fell about 8 percent between last November and December, whereas they normally rise significantly between those months.

"Additionally, the 20 percent annual decline in December sales was the largest for any month in more than eight years. This drop in activity reflects a variety of factors. Mortgage rates hit a 2018 high in November, affecting December closings, and stock-market volatility created an additional headwind in high-end markets. Meanwhile, some would-be buyers remain priced out or unwilling to buy amid concerns that prices have overshot a sustainable level."

— By City News Service / Image via Shutterstock