Northeast Reports First Year-Over-Year Increase in Buyer Traffic Since April 2018

The U.S. as a whole reports slightly lower buyer traffic, but more stable showing activity.

Key Points:

  • Showing traffic experienced a more stable 2.3 percent year-over-year decline throughout the U.S. in May, representing the smallest such decline since August 2018.
  • The Northeast Region reported a 1.5 percent year-over-year gain in showing traffic, the first increase in the region since April 2018. Real estate agents throughout the U.S. may have to brace for a more sluggish market than anticipated based on last month’s decline in home showing activity, the ninth consecutive month of a nationwide year-over-year decrease according to the ShowingTime Showing Index®.
  • Showing traffic was slower in the West (10.6 percent), the South (4.1 percent) and the Midwest (3.4 percent) compared with the same time last year.

Real estate agents throughout the U.S. may have to brace for a more sluggish market than anticipated based on last month’s decline in home showing activity, the ninth consecutive month of a nationwide year-over-year decrease according to the ShowingTime Showing Index®.

Buyer traffic was down 6.5 percent across the U.S. compared to the same time last year. The diminished showing activity was felt in every region throughout the country, most notably in the West, where for the 13th consecutive month showings declined on a year over year basis.

“Showing activity stabilized and is holding steady, but it is still slightly off from the higher levels registered in 2018,” said ShowingTime Chief Analytics Officer Daniil Cherkasskiy. “The slowdown in showing traffic continues to be concentrated in the upper price quartiles across the U.S., with less expensive homes registering the same or slightly higher levels of showing traffic than at the same time last year.”

The ShowingTime Showing Index, the first of its kind in the residential real estate industry, is compiled using data from property showings scheduled across the country on listings using ShowingTime products and services, providing a benchmark to track buyer demand. ShowingTime facilitates more than four million showings each month.

Released monthly, the Showing Index tracks the average number of appointments received on active listings during the month. Local MLS indices are also available for select markets and are distributed to MLS and association leadership.

To view the full report, visit www.showingtime.com/index.

About ShowingTime

ShowingTime is the residential real estate industry’s leading showing management and market stats technology provider, with more than 1.2 million active listings subscribed to its services. Its showing products and services simplify the appointment scheduling process for real estate professionals, buyers and sellers, resulting in more showings, more feedback and more efficient sales. Its MarketStats division provides interactive tools and easy-to-read market reports for MLSs, associations, brokers and other real estate companies, as well as a recruiting tool for brokers. ShowingTime products are used in more than 250 MLSs representing nearly one million real estate professionals across the U.S. and Canada. For more information, contact us at research@showingtime.com.