As home sales stall, sellers’ fix-it punch list budget is 50% higher, data shows

  • Home sellers fix-it budget has increased by 51% as buyers are no longer waiving contingencies.
  • The average work order for repairs was $3,831 in September, compared to $2,537 in September 2021..
  • Fix-it repair requests are up more than 100% compared to same time a year ago, said PunchListUS

As more houses remain on the market longer in the U.S., the fix-it budget for home sellers has seen a more than 50% spike in price in the past year, according to new data.

The average work order for repairs was around $3,831 in September, compared with $2,537 at the same time a year ago, said Punchlistusa , a Charleston, South Carolina-based property-tech inspection and repair company that operates in 14 major cities, including Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Phoenix and Washington.  

PunchListUSA’s findings come from work orders generated from more than 26,000 estimates through its platform. Additionally, repair requests from home buyers are more than 100% higher compared with a year ago, the company said. That’s because many buyers once willing to waive such contingencies including certain home inspections as the demand for housing soared in uber-competitive markets, PunchListUSA Chief Financial Officer Mark Kearns told USA TODAY.

“Owners making repairs to their homes at the buyer’s request  is almost becoming a requirement again,” Kearns said. “We’re witnessing the industry reversing course from a seller’s market to a buyer’s market.”

PunchListUSA’s fix-it figures also come as the nations once hot housing market continues to cool. Existing-home sales fell 0.4% in August, a seventh straight month of decline, falling 20% from the same month a year ago, according to the National Association of Realtors’ latest figures. Year-over-year sales dropped to 4.8 million in August, from 5.99 million in August 2021, the NAR also reported.

In addition, about 60,000 home-purchase agreements fell through in June, according to real estate broker Redfin, totaling about 14.9% of homes under contract that month. That was the highest percentage on record, excluding March and April 2020, when the housing market came to a standstill because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“The market has softened and buyers can walk away if the repairs are not being done,” said Lora Helt, PunchListUSA’s chief growth officer. “A lot of contracts are being null and voided.”

Repair-work order price increasing

PunchlistUSA also said it had seen a 37% increase in average repair work order size year-over-year, rising to $3,729 in September compared with  $2,727 in September 2021. The most requested repairs included electrical wiring, heating, ventilation and air conditioning; upgrades to kitchens 15 years and older; and roof repairs, including leaks.   

That finding also comes as homes in the U.S. spent an average of 50 days on the market last month, an increase from a record low of 31 days in May, according to the St. Louis Federal Reserve and Realtor.com.  

PunchListUSA’s Helt said there is slightly more housing supply on the market than there was just six months ago. The supply of homes for sale was up 27% in September compared with the same time a year ago, Realtor.com said.  

“More availability means (buyers) don’t have to take that house,” said Helt, noting that while home prices are down. The median home price of $389,500 in August was still nearly 8% higher than a year ago, according to  NAR.

Housing market mortgage rates

Soaring mortgage rates are also a factor, Helt added. The average rate on the popular 30-year fixed mortgage, which accounts for more than 90% of all mortgage applications, is now slightly more than 7%, according to Mortgage News Daily.

A home is a big investment, so it pays to have a good grasp of what you’re getting into as a buyer.

That’s more than double the mortgage rate of around 3% at the start of 2022, forcing more would-be home buyers to really take stock, Helt said.

“Buyers now want fewer fixer-uppers and more move-in ready homes,” Helt said. “They want more transparency for the price they’re paying.”

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