by Calculated Risk on 11/09/2016 10:11:00 AM

This is a key housing market to follow since Phoenix saw a large bubble / bust followed by strong investor buying.

Inventory was up 1.0% year-over-year in October.  This was the eighth consecutive month with a YoY increase in inventory, following fifteen consecutive months of YoY declines in Phoenix.

The Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service (ARMLS) reports (table below):

1) Overall sales in October were up 12.6% year-over-year.

2) Cash Sales (frequently investors) were down to 21.0% of total sales.

3) Active inventory is now up 1.0% year-over-year.  

More inventory (a theme in 2014) - and less investor buying - suggested price increases would slow sharply in 2014.  And prices increases did slow in 2014, only increasing 2.4% according to Case-Shiller.

In 2015, with falling inventory, prices increased a little faster -  Prices were up 6.3% in 2015 according to Case-Shiller.

Now inventory is increasing a little again, and - if this trend continues in Phoenix - price increases will probably slow in Phoenix.    According to Case-Shiller, prices in Phoenix are up 2.7% through August (about a 4.0% annual rate) - slower than in 2015.

October Residential Sales and Inventory, Greater Phoenix Area, ARMLS
	Sales	YoY Change Sales	Cash Sales	Percent Cash	Active Inventory	YoY Change Inventory
Oct-08	5,384	---	1,348	25.0%	55,7031	---
Oct-09	8,121	50.8%	2,688	33.1%	39,312	-29.4%
Oct-10	6,591	-18.8%	2,800	42.5%	45,252	15.1%
Oct-11	7,561	14.7%	3,336	44.1%	27,266	-39.7%
Oct-12	7,020	-7.2%	3,081	43.9%	22,702	-16.7%
Oct-13	6,038	-14.0%	1,910	31.6%	26,267	15.7%
Oct-14	6,186	2.5%	1,712	27.7%	27,760	5.7%
Oct-15	6,308	2.0%	1,570	24.9%	24,702	-11.0%
Oct-16	7,102	12.6%	1,494	21.0%	24,950	1.0%
1 October 2008 probably includes pending listings