From Professional Builder

Homebuyers, hold onto your wallets. The gains in home prices are getting bigger as the supply of homes for sale gets leaner.

The median price of a home sold in March surged 8.9% compared with March 2017, according to Redfin, a real estate brokerage. It is the biggest annual increase in four years. Redfin tracks prices in 174 local markets and calculated the median home price at $297,000.

High prices are the result of very, very low inventory. The supply of homes for sale was down 11.9% in March, compared with a year ago. As a result, sales fell 3.7%. The number of new listings in March dropped 5.6% annually, although part of that may have been due to the Easter holiday falling early this year.

“Sellers are slow to list this year, and we aren't seeing enough new construction homes to fill the gap,” said Redfin's chief economist, Nela Richardson. “If we don't see the new listings number turn around next month, or a pickup in new housing starts, inventory will be a persistent drag on sales for the remainder of the year.”

Homebuilders are not helping much. Housing starts disappointed in March, with single-family construction falling 3.7% for the month. Building permits, an indicator of future construction, declined 5.5% for the month and are barely 2% higher compared with a year ago. In contrast, multifamily construction is increasing considerably. Builders are banking on continued, strong demand for rental apartments, as homebuyers struggle to find affordable homes.

“The change toward multifamily could be the initial signs that affordability is starting to impact the mix of construction,” noted Tendayi Kapfidze, chief economist at LendingTree. “Multifamily units are at lower price points and include significant rental units. Notably, single-family housing starts are particularly weak in the high-cost Northeast – that is also the most exposed region to the negative impacts of the tax plan.”

Buyer demand is still strong, despite higher prices. Sellers are pulling back, however, likely worried they won't be able to find anything else they like or can afford. The average home went under contract in 43 days in March, more than a week faster compared with a year ago and a March record. Nearly a quarter of the homes sold for more than their list prices.