Sales of residential housing during the first quarter of 2018 in the lower Hudson Valley market served by the Hudson Gateway Multiple Listing Service, while still strong when compared to the last several years, were flat to somewhat lower as compared to the first quarter of 2017. Prices continued to strengthen in all four counties in the region while the days on market was down, a clear indication that the continuing erosion in inventories is negatively affecting sales activity while putting upward pressure on prices. Inventory of a single-family residence was down 7.3% in Westchester, 12% in Rockland, 21.5% in Putnam and 17.1% in Orange County as compared to the first quarter of 2017.

Putnam County, which is the least populous of the counties in the region, actually had an overall increase of 7.2% in residential sales as well as the largest percentage increase in price (9.4%) for a single-family home. This translates to a median price of $323,750 as compared to $296,000 for the first quarter of 2017. Westchester County, the most populous of the counties in the region, experienced an overall drop of 2.3% in residential sales. This seemed to be more in keeping with activity in the region at large. Co-op sales in Westchester however continue to be resilient and, in fact, increased by 1.1% for the quarter while sales of a single family residential home were 1,034 a decrease of 5.6% over the first quarter of 2017. Nonetheless the median sale price for a single-family residence in Westchester rose 2.2% to $613,250 from $600,000 in first quarter, 2017.

Rockland County experienced the largest decrease in residential sales in the region with a drop of 13.7%, the only double-digit change in the region. Median sale price of a single-family residence in Rockland rose 2.4% to $435,000, the second highest median price in the region…

…First quarter sales for the region were largely the result of transactions which were negotiated in the last quarter of 2017, a period of uncertainty given that the Federal Tax Reform bill was actively being negotiated in Congress with no clear picture as to how the bill would affect real estate. This uncertainty could be a contributing factor, along with low inventory, to the flat sales numbers in most of the region in the first quarter. Another possible dark cloud on the horizon is an increasingly volatile stock market. However, with mortgage rates remaining attractive, unemployment low, and economic development activity high in the region, the prospects for another healthy year for real estate sales in the region remain bright. Read the complete report here.