The Barrington housing market witnessed another strong month as the number of homes for sale continued an upward trend. Median home sale prices rose 7.7% year-over-year to $452,500, with traditional detached single family home sales rising 11.6%. The number of homes sold increased 21.7% compared to last year, and homes are selling faster at an average of 173 days on the market. The market remains seller-friendly with low inventory, especially for homes priced below $550,000.

1. Michael
Barrington-area Housing
Market Report
P r u d e n t i a l V i s i o n s R e a l t y
M i c h a e l K u r o w s k i
8 4 7 . 8 0 6 . 8 3 8 5
August 2013
Barrington-area real estate witnessed another strong month as
the number of homes for sale continued the positive trend which
glimmered several months ago. This was another sign of the
housing recovery as sellers are getting off the sidelines as they
see the median sale price for homes continuing month-over-
month increases. Meanwhile, mortgage rates continue to rise.

2. Prudential Visions Realty
Helping Home Owners & Home Buyers
Become Savvy Consumers
Prudential Visions Realty | Michael Kurowski | 847.806.8385 | 303 East Main Barrington
Helping home owners and home buyers become savvy consumers
August 2013
Homes for sale in the Barrington area
starts upward trend as median sale price
climbs 7.7%
Barrington-area real estate witnessed another strong month as the number of homes for sale continued the
positive trend which glimmered several months ago. This was another sign of the housing recovery as sellers
are getting off the sidelines as they see the median sale price for homes continuing month-over-month
increases. Meanwhile, mortgage rates continue to rise.
MARKET SNAPSHOT
 Median sales price rose 7.7% year over year
 The number of new listings in the predominant sale category of homes has doubled year over year
 Under contract and closed sales continue solid gains established this year
 Average mortgage rates have increased for a 30-year fixed loan from 3.4% in April to 4.5% in August
Here is the story behind the headlines:
MEDIAN SALE PRICE: The median sales price for homes in the Barrington area rose 7.7% year over year
to $452,500, though slightly down from the previous month. However, the predominant sales category is the
traditional sale (as opposed to short sales and foreclosures or REO) of detached single family homes. This
category rose 11.6% from last August to $542,000.
Traditional sales of detached
single family homes rose 11.6%
year over year. This is the
predominant sales category in
Barrington.
MEDIAN SOLD PRICE
IN BARRINGTON

3. Prudential Visions Realty
Helping Home Owners & Home Buyers
Become Savvy Consumers
Prudential Visions Realty | Michael Kurowski | 847.806.8385 | 303 East Main Barrington
Helping home owners and home buyers become savvy consumers
CLOSED SALES: Closed sales are up 21.7% to 84 for the month, continuing the strong showing in 2013. Sales
are especially strong in year-over-year comparisons in: both attached and detached sales, and in the lower
price range below $344,999 and in the higher end of $549,900 to $849,899. Distressed properties were flat for the
period, showing no increased buyer interest. In addition, there was no new construction closed during the
month.
MARKET TIME: Market time – the number of days from listing to contract date — has decreased yet again
to 173 days from 205 days in August 2012, though this reflects an increase from the fast pace of sales earlier
this summer. Attached dwellings are selling on average in 98 days. Experts view August as typically a slower
month as many families go on vacation before school begins.
PERCENT ORIGINAL LIST PRICE: As market time decreased, Percent of Original List Price came in at
a healthy 93.2%.This measure is up from 84.7% two years ago, when many sellers received low-ball offers
from buyers who assumed they were desperate to sell.
Both these measures reflect sellers who are more realistic about the value of their property and buyers who
are coping with a shrinking inventory.
While there are seasonal highs and
lows in sales, the number of closed
sales this spring and summer has
brought us into record territory.
CLOSED SALES IN
BARRINGTON

4. Prudential Visions Realty
Helping Home Owners & Home Buyers
Become Savvy Consumers
Prudential Visions Realty | Michael Kurowski | 847.806.8385 | 303 East Main Barrington
Helping home owners and home buyers become savvy consumers
 UNDER CONTRACT: Properties under contract continued the positive momentum in Barrington real
estate as 62 homes went under contract during the month. The 12-month rolling average shows strong
positive trends as positive results have now overtaken the negative showings of 2012. There are solid
gains in all price points below $849,900.
 HOMES FOR SALE: There has been a steady upward trend in the number of homes for sale since
January 2013. While home listing trends are still in negative territory compared to one year ago, we do see
a positive trend taking hold.
BARRINGTON HOMES FOR SALE
While the number of homes for sale has
been down substantially since the peak
in mid-2010, there has been a
noticeable increase this year.
MARKET TIME IN
BARRINGTON
Though August is typically a
slower sales month during the
summer, market time continued
to fall.

5. Prudential Visions Realty
Helping Home Owners & Home Buyers
Become Savvy Consumers
Prudential Visions Realty | Michael Kurowski | 847.806.8385 | 303 East Main Barrington
Helping home owners and home buyers become savvy consumers
 NEW HOME LISTINGS: The predominant category of homes sold in Barrington is the traditional sale of
detached single family homes. The number of new listings in this category has doubled year over year from
45 to 90 homes. At the same time, distressed listings are down: there were 22 closed or under contract
during the month, and only 7 new listings. In fact, 23% of the July distressed inventory was sold during the
month.
 INVENTORY: Inventory for the total Barrington-area real estate market stands at 8.1 month’s supply.
However, inventory is being rapidly depleted in two price ranges: below $344,900 (4.7 month’s supply) and
$345,000 - $549,899 (5.2 month’s supply). As we’ve reported previously here is the standard definition of a
buyer’s vs. a seller’s market: buyers are favored at 7+ months and homes continue to see downward
pressure on pricing. At 5-6 months the market is “balanced” where both buyers and sellers have equal
strength. Inventory at 4 months or less favors the home seller, as buyers scramble to purchase the few
properties that are on the market. In this scenario home prices usually appreciate.
Questions about your next move in the housing market?
Contact me to help plan out your strategy. I would love to help you become a savvy consumer.
There has been a marked increase in
listings of traditional sales of detached
single family homes in Barrington,
doubling year over year.
BARRINGTON NEW HOME
LISTINGS