by Calculated Risk on 7/14/2016 11:21:00 AM

During the recession, I started following the Sacramento market to look for changes in the mix of houses sold (equity, REOs, and short sales). For a few years, not much changed. But in 2012 and 2013, we saw some significant changes with a dramatic shift from distressed sales to more normal equity sales.

This data suggests healing in the Sacramento market and other distressed markets are showing similar improvement.  Note: The Sacramento Association of REALTORS® started breaking out REOs in May 2008, and short sales in June 2009.

In June, total sales were up 1.8% from June 2015, and conventional equity sales were up 6.2% compared to the same month last year.

In June, 5.0% of all resales were distressed sales. This was down from 7.0% last month, and down from 10.6% in June 2015, and the lowest level since Sacramento started tracking distressed sales.

The percentage of REOs was at 2.5% in June, and the percentage of short sales was 2.5%.

Here are the statistics.

Click on graph for larger image.

This graph shows the percent of REO sales, short sales and conventional sales.

There has been a sharp increase in conventional (equity) sales that started in 2012 (blue) as the percentage of distressed sales declined sharply.

Active Listing Inventory for single family homes decreased 12.1% year-over-year (YoY) in June.  This was the fourteenth consecutive monthly YoY decrease in inventory in Sacramento.

Cash buyers accounted for 13.9% of all sales (frequently investors).

Summary: This data suggests a more normal market with fewer distressed sales, more equity sales, and less investor buying - but limited inventory.