The inventory turn-around: New listings see biggest jump in 5 years

More homes to choose from

On the hunt for a home? You now have the most options since 2013. According to a new report, the number of new listings was up 8 percent last month — its highest uptick in more than five years.

A changing market

According to new data from Realtor.com, new listings were up significantly last month, jumping 8 percent — or 465,000 listings — over August.

Realtor.com’s Chief Economist Danielle Hale called it a “key inflection point” — and a reason for optimism among today’s buyers.

“There are still more buyers in the market than homes for sale,” Hale said. “But in some, the competition is among sellers to attract buyers.”

For more housing inventory, look to pricier markets

The jump in inventory is one of the many reasons behind slowing home price growth. Prices were up 7 percent over the year in September — down from the 10 percent jump seen last year at this time.

Though prices haven’t started decreasing just yet — and likely won’t anytime soon — Hale predicts the jump in listings “will eventually shift the market from a seller’s market to a buyer’s market.”

Major metros see a big jump in housing inventory

Where new listings rose the most

San Jose, California, saw the biggest jump in new listings in September, with a 113 percent increase year over year.

Other cities with big increases in new listings were: Miami (79 percent), Tampa (65 percent), Jacksonville (54 percent) and Orlando, Florida (50 percent); Nashville (27 percent); San Diego (24 percent); San Francisco (23 percent); and Boston (20 percent).

In total, new listings are up 6 percent across the nation’s 45 biggest metros.

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