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Dan Green
Dan Green (NMLS 227607) is a licensed mortgage professional who has helped millions of people achieve their American Dream of homeownership. Dan has developed dozens of tools, written thousands of mortgage articles, and recorded hundreds of educational videos. Read more about Dan Green.
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Updated: September 22, 2024
Existing Home Inventory refers to the count of previously owned homes available for sale at a given time.
Existing Home Inventory is the number of pre-owned residential properties listed for sale at a given moment. This inventory is calculated on a national level and includes all residential property types: detached homes, condos, co-ops, townhomes, and multi-unit properties, including 2-unit, 3-unit, and 4-unit homes.
Homes with more than four units are excluded from the home inventory count because properties with 5 units or more are considered commercial properties. Additionally, new home sales are excluded from this count.
The home inventory data is compiled and published monthly by the National Association of REALTORS®. It is part of the more extensive Existing Home Sales report, which provides insights into the overall health and activity of the residential real estate market.
Existing Home Inventory is calculated by counting the number of pre-owned residential properties listed for sale through the Multiple Listing Service at the end of a specific month. The count includes listings across all residential property types. It does not include new construction homes that have never been occupied.
Assuming consistent demand from active home buyers, a reduced inventory of homes for sale tends to lead to higher home prices due to increased competition. The reverse is also true: an increase in supply with steady demand usually results in lower home prices.
The national home inventory is counted and published monthly as part of the broader Existing Home Sales report from the National Association of REALTORS®.
The availability of homes for sale can provide insights into buyer and seller behavior, but home inventory levels alone do not predict future market trends.
Historically, home buyers experience larger inventories in the spring and summer months, with lower inventories during the fall and winter. However, this pattern may vary in certain years.
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Existing Home Inventory is the total number of previously owned homes available for sale at a given time.
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