by Calculated Risk on 5/15/2012 03:12:00 PM

CR Note: Last week I posted some distressed sales data for Sacramento. I'm following the Sacramento market to see the change in mix over time (short sales, foreclosure, conventional). Economist Tom Lawler sent me the updated table below for several other distressed areas. For all of these areas, the share of distressed sales is down from April 2011 - and for the areas that break out short sales, the share of short sales has increased and the share of foreclosure sales are down - and down significantly in some areas.

In five of the seven cities that break out short sales, there are now more short sales than foreclosure sales!

Economist Tom Lawler also wrote today: Plunge in Foreclosures Pushes Up REO Prices/Down REO Price Discounts

ForeclosureRadar released its April Foreclosure Report, which covers foreclosure activity in Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. According to the report, foreclosure starts fell sharply in April in all five states, and completed foreclosure sales declined in all five states, with sizable drops from March in all states save for Washington. And in Arizona, California, and Nevada, record high percentages (44.6%, 41,1%, and 50.7%) of completed foreclosure sales were sold to third parties, rather than becoming bank REO. In its write-up, FR lamented that “we are seeing unprecedented government intervention into the foreclosure process leaving underwater homeowners in limbo, while stealing opportunity from investors and first time buyers." In discussing the “stolen opportunities,” FR noted that “In both Arizona and Nevada winning bids on the courthouse steps on average equal the current estimated value of those properties,” and that “(i)n California the discount between market value and winning bid have on average declined to 12.3 percent” – substantially lower than a year ago. According to FR, “(t)his leaves investors who intend to resell their purchases with record low profits after eviction, repairs, and closing costs.”

An increasing number of investors, of course, are buying REO with plans to rent the properties out, which has not only intensified demand but has reduced the supply of homes offered for sale.

	Short Sales Share		Foreclosure Sales Share		Total "Distressed" Share
	12-Apr	11-Apr	12-Apr	11-Apr	12-Apr	11-Apr
Las Vegas	29.9%	23.8%	36.9%	46.3%	66.8%	70.1%
Reno	32.0%	31.0%	26.0%	38.0%	58.0%	69.0%
Phoenix	25.2%	19.7%	18.8%	44.5%	44.0%	64.2%
Sacramento	30.4%	22.2%	30.3%	44.6%	60.7%	66.8%
Minneapolis	10.9%	10.0%	32.0%	43.3%	42.9%	53.3%
Mid-Atlantic (MRIS)	12.2%	11.8%	11.0%	20.9%	23.2%	32.7%
Orlando	29.4%	25.4%	25.5%	40.2%	54.9%	65.6%
Northeast Florida					38.1%	50.3%
Hampton Roads					31.0%	35.0%