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Days on the market shorten as the median price rises on limited inventory

MINNEAPOLIS (November 10, 2021) — October closed sales dropped 16.2% compared to the previous October, marking a return to a more typical seasonal slow down across Minnesota. This shift was reflected in the number of homes for sale, which shrank 18.6% over last year, with just 11,696 properties on the market statewide. New listings sank 10.2% to 8,428. Overall, there was only 1.5 months of inventory available, down 21.1% from a year ago. Buyers who remained active continued to compete aggressively for homes, pushing the median sales price up 8.2% to $308,500. On average, sellers were receiving 99.7% of their asking price, an increase of 0.4% above last October.

“The extraordinary number of closed sales we saw in October 2020 was really a historic outlier. This month’s numbers are more closely aligned with expectations for the fall,” said Chris Galler, CEO of Minnesota Realtors. “Buyers who are still in the market are highly motivated to close, and willing to pay more. Interest rates remain low, so if the overall rate of inflation in the economy at large is kept in check, we will likely see resurging closed sales in the spring.”

October year-over-year summary of key market indicators: 

• Closed sales decreased 16.2% to 8,713
• Median sales price increased 8.2% to $308,500
• Average sales price increased 5.8% to $354,686
• New listings decreased 10.2% to 8,428
• Pending sales decreased 10.6% to 7,994
• Days on the market decreased 23.1% to 30 days
• Homes for sale decreased 18.6% to 11,696

Closed Home Sales Across Minnesota by Region

The Minnesota real estate market slowed in October, with closed sales down in 11 regions compared to October 2020. Two regions, Headwaters and Northwest, marked single-digit increases, while the rest of the state saw double-digit declines. In three regions, the drop in closed sales exceeded 20%: Arrowhead at -23.5; North Central at -21.3; and Upper MN Valley at -21.2%. See the chart below for more details comparing closed home sales for October 2021 to October 2020.

The seven-county Twin Cities region comprises Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott and Washington counties. The official Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington metropolitan statistical area recognized by the Census Bureau consists of 16 counties, on which MAR & SPAAR local associations report.

View full regional and county reports here.

View statewide report here.

About Minnesota Realtors®
Minnesota Realtors^® (MNR) is the membership organization supporting all 22,000 Realtors® in the state of Minnesota. MNR is dedicated to helping Realtors® succeed in providing comprehensive and informed guidance to their customers seeking to buy or sell a home. MNR provides Realtors® with a code of ethics, continuing education, real estate transaction forms, legal services and dispute resolution, as well as lobbying and advocating for homeownership rights and the real estate industry. MNR works in partnership with the National Association of Realtors®, as well as more than 15 affiliate regional associations within Minnesota. MNR is a non-profit organization founded in 1919, with headquarters in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and a branch office in St. Paul, Minnesota. Find us at  www.mnrealtor.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.