The Salt Lake housing market is hot — real hot. As the capital city in one of the fastest-growing states in the nation, the shortage of housing inventory and rising home prices is making it increasingly difficult for prospective home buyers to get a foot in the door.
Salt Lake City, along with San Jose, Seattle, Omaha and Minneapolis are among the toughest (but most sought after) areas in the country especially for prospective millennial home buyers, due to a combination of low housing inventory, escalating real estate prices and increasing demand.
But change is on the horizon. With new-home construction on the rise, Salt Lake City is currently ranking #2 in the nation in year-over-year inventory increases.
Utah’s largest metropolitan city as one of the nation’s ‘hot markets’ can be attributed to the state’s strong (and sustained) economic growth. “Especially in the last year, you look at the economy growing at about two times the pace of the U.S. average,” says Javier Vivas, director of economic research for realtor.com. “The other part is the city itself is becoming a place where people actually want to put down roots. That’s where we’re seeing some of that millennial demand build up in the last 18 months.”
According to a recent report by Trulia.com, thirty of the nation’s 100 largest metros posted annual inventory increases for the second quarter, of which 25 rebounded from inventory decreases last year. Salt Lake City was second only to Nashville, Tennessee, with a 48.6% second-quarter inventory increase, rebounded from a 16.0% decrease last year.
Here’s a list of the top 10 metros with the largest inventory growth, according to Trulia:
1. Nashville, TN
2. Salt Lake City, UT
3. Fort Worth, TX
4. Dallas, TX
5. Greensboro, NC
6. San Diego, CA
7. Washington, D.C.
8. Portland, OR
9. Silver Spring, MD
10. Little Rock, AR
More properties may be on the market, but the upward creep of home prices is putting homes in these metros in tougher competition. An increase in new inventory will help cool off the bidding wars in these areas, and with a strong economic outlook for the next year or two, Salt Lake housing inventory will likely continue on a path of growth.
Questions about the Salt Lake housing market? Reach out to a real estate professional for market updates and home buying advice!