November 2018 Showing Index Results – Showing Activity Drops

Dec. 21, 2018 – Buyer traffic across the U.S. declined 5.4 percent year over year in November, continuing its decline over the prior year and marking the second month in a row showing activity was down in each region and in the U.S. as a whole, according to the ShowingTime Showing Index®.

The West Region had the biggest year-over-year decline, with November showing traffic off 12.4 percent vs. November 2017. The Midwest was next with an 8.4 percent year-over-year decline, its fourth consecutive month of decreasing demand. The South Region dropped 5.0 percent, while the Northeast declined 2.0 percent.

“We are ending the year with demand going down year over year across the U.S., particularly in the West and the Midwest,” said ShowingTime Chief Analytics Officer Daniil Cherkasskiy. “It’s important to be careful when looking at showing traffic in the slow season, but the trends we observed in 2018 point to a further slowdown in demand in 2019’s busy season. That should relieve upward pressure on home prices and possibly lead to a buildup of inventory.”

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 4 million showings each month.

Released on or around the 20th each month, the Showing Index tracks the average number of appointments received on an active listing 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 showingtime.com/showingtime-showing-index/.