by Calculated Risk on 10/06/2016 04:22:00 PM

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

Inventory was up 3.4% year-over-year in September.  This is the seventh 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 September were up 6.3% year-over-year.

2) Cash Sales (frequently investors) were down to 20.2% of total sales.

3) Active inventory is now up 3.4% 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.    Prices in Phoenix are up 2.2% through July (about a 3.7% annual rate) - slower than in 2015.

September Residential Sales and Inventory, Greater Phoenix Area, ARMLS
	Sales	YoY Change Sales	Cash Sales	Percent Cash	Active Inventory	YoY Change Inventory
Sept-08	6,179	---	1,041	16.8%	54,4271	---
Sept-09	7,907	28.0%	2,776	35.1%	38,340	-29.6%
Sept-10	6,762	-14.5%	2,904	42.9%	45,202	17.9%
Sept-11	7,892	16.7%	3,470	44.0%	26,950	-40.4%
Sept-12	6,478	-17.9%	2,849	44.0%	21,703	-19.5%
Sept-13	6,313	-2.5%	2,106	33.4%	23,405	7.8%
Sept-14	6,252	-1.0%	1,609	25.7%	26,492	13.2%
Sept-15	6,980	11.6%	1,573	22.5%	23,396	-11.7%
Sept-16	7,421	6.3%	1,499	20.2%	24,195	3.4%
1 September 2008 probably includes pending listings