Median Price for Single-Family Homes on O‘ahu Tops $1 Million

Sustained demand for housing and significant sales volume at higher price points drive record-high median prices for single-family homes and condominiums in August

Last month, single-family homes and condos reached new record-high median prices for the second consecutive month at $1,050,000 and $500,000, respectively. The persistent competition in affordable price ranges and more closed sales at higher price points in both single-family home and condo markets are putting upwards pressure on median home prices.
 
The $1,050,000 single-family median sales price is 25.1% higher than a year ago and up 5.8% above last month’s record. This is the fourth consecutive month single-family homes have set a record median, and except for April, a new record has been set each month this year. Sales jumped 14.9% compared to last August.
 
The condo market attracted buyers at all price points, with year-over-year condo sales rising 65% last month. The $500,000 condo median sales price is up 16.3% over last August.
 
The statistics in both single-family and condo markets followed similar trends with more new listings, low median days on market and increased offers over asking.

Single-Family Homes, Condos Hit New Record-High Median Sales Prices in July

Dwindling inventory, low mortgage rates push the median price of 
a single-family home to $992,500

O’ahu single-family homes and condos set new record-high median prices in July at $992,500 and $475,000, respectively. Summer sales continue at the rapid pace the market has been experiencing the past few months, with single-family homes recording 404 total sales or an 11.9% increase in July. Condo sales continue to rise significantly year-over-year, outpacing single-family home properties with 671 total condo sales resulting in a 57.5% increase.

The new single-family home median sales price jumped up 21.8% compared to one year ago, while the condo median sales price rose 8.0% above last July’s median price. The new single-family home record ticked up slightly – 1.4% – above the previous record set just last month, while the new record price for condos was 2.9% higher than the previous record of $461,500 set in July 2019.
 
“We’re seeing these record-high median sales prices because inventory in the affordable and mid-range price brackets are dwindling,” said Shannon Heaven, president, Honolulu Board of REALTORS^®. “Mortgage rates also continue to hover near record lows, enabling buyers to secure cheaper financing that, in turn, helps them to close on properties at higher price points.”

Condo Sales Far Outpace Single-Family Home Activity in Bustling Housing Market

Metro region surges in popularity, marking substantial increases in property sales for single-family homes, condos

Closed sales of single-family homes rose 49.3%, and condo sales skyrocketed 134.0% compared to this time last year when real estate activity first began to pick up following the economic standstill brought on by the pandemic. The median sales price of a single-family home edged past last month’s record to reach $979,000, while the condo median sales price of $460,000 was just shy of the standing record of $461,500 from July 2019.

The condo market continues to bustle with activity, setting a new record low days on the market at a median of just 11 days. Single-family homes continue to move into escrow quickly, spending a median of 8 days on the market. Sellers added much-needed inventory to the market, with June marking a 23.0% increase in new single-family home listings and a 31.1% increase in condo listings.

“We are in a vastly different market now compared to this time last year, when activity was slowly starting to ramp up versus now where properties are moving into escrow in record time,” said Shannon Heaven, president, Honolulu Board of REALTORS^®. “In particular, the condo market surged in 2021 because some buyers decided not to pursue a single-family home due to the severe lack of inventory and competitive bidding wars.”

Steep Competition, High Demand Drives Record-Setting Month for O‘ahu Real Estate

Median sales price for a single-family home reaches $978,000 in May 

Closed sales of single-family homes climbed 63.3% and more than doubled for condos with 135.4% more sales compared to this time last year on O‘ahu. In stark contrast to the low activity of May 2020 amid pandemic uncertainties, May 2021 set new records with the median sales price of a single-family home rising to $978,000 – breaking the previous record of $950,000 set in March 2021 – and properties flying off the market at an unprecedented pace.
 
The median days on the market for single-family homes and condos hit new record lows of 8 and 12 days, respectively. In May, sellers added 430 new listings for single-family homes and 683 new condo listings to the market, representing 24.6% and 34.2% increases over last year. However, by the end of May, 61% of those new single-family home listings and 51% of new condo listings were already sold or in escrow.

“The market’s rapid pace is showing no signs of slowing, and buyers entering the market continue to face stiff competition, especially for homes under $800,000,” said Shannon Heaven, president, Honolulu Board of REALTORS®. “Every day REALTORS® are working with buyers to submit their strongest offer and with sellers to secure the best price for their home. As we mark Homeownership Month in June, we encourage anyone thinking about buying a home to work with a REALTOR®. No one knows the market better and is uniquely qualified to help clients work towards their homeownership goal.”

O‘ahu’s Housing Market Sales, Prices Continue to Climb to New Heights in March

Market for single-family homes shatters records with a new median sales price of $950,000

Closed sales of single-family homes and condos saw significant double-digit growth of 19.1% and 52.7%, respectively, compared to pre-pandemic activity last March. For the third consecutive month, the median price for a single-family home set a new record of $950,000, representing a 17.3% year-over-year increase and a 3.5% increase over February’s record of $917,500.

With sustained limited supply and high demand, the number of single-family homes and condos sold over the asking price nearly tripled compared to March 2020. During the first quarter of 2021, single-family homes sold over asking price made up 50% of the sales compared to just 19% in quarter one last year, while condos sold above the list price accounted for 29% of the sales compared to 10% in the previous year’s first quarter.
 
“Despite new listings, demand continues to outpace our limited housing inventory,” said Shannon Heaven, president, Honolulu Board of REALTORS®. “This lack of inventory is driving a very active and competitive market for prospective home buyers on O‘ahu.”

New listings for single-family homes and condos added much-needed inventory to O‘ahu’s housing supply. Single-family homes marked a 12.6% jump with 439 new listings as nearly all regions saw positive growth. The condo market added 715 new listings, marking a 17.2% increase in listings compared to this time last year.