Given how slow the market's been, in terms of sales over the past few months, I've been watching in somewhat shocked amazement at the steady rise in property searches on the Sullivan MLS search on my website. Yesterday, there were over 600 searches and clickthroughs to almost 6,000 individual listing views. That's the highest ever, with the exception of a day when this website gets mention in the NYTimes. Yesterday wasn't an aberration; the search count has been steadily climbing for the past month. I was chalking it up to slightly better Google position on some key terms — this site enjoyed the #1 Google search position on some key terms for about a week. But I dropped back down on those search phrases to #2 a few days ago. The number of searches didn't take a hit and kept rising.
I don't know what to read into this. One explanation is that the property search may have more return visitors, with a growing group of shoppers checking in from time to time. But the daily new account sign ups is also up, indicating that there are also more new shoppers stopping by. But whether these indications of interest will result in more sales remains to be seen.
It's like the current cash position of the Fortune 500 businesses - there is a ton of money on the sidelines itching for a place to go.
Posted by: rod | July 21, 2010 at 11:38 AM
It is so hot (and has been so hot) in the city this summer.
Posted by: Henry | July 21, 2010 at 03:24 PM
Merely window shopping folks.
It's kind of like waiting for the wife while she buys sweet corn from Heller at the farmers market... I'm just checking out the big window with all the real estate photos - AND THEIR PRICES! - in Callicoon on a hot Sunday.
Merely window shopping.
Sidney
Posted by: sidney | July 21, 2010 at 05:30 PM
Also a window shopper. I will certainly be a buyer in a few years. Though, when the prices are significantly lower.
Posted by: jd | July 21, 2010 at 10:58 PM
Sidney,
Just because you can't afford a home doesn't mean others aren't actually looking to buy one.
Enjoy the corn, though!
Posted by: d | July 22, 2010 at 08:34 AM
That's a good sign. In my case, it took about a year between the time I was an "Internet shopper" and an actual buyer. It was more a function of my personal finances than the market (in fact, the market had almost nothing to do with it), and I suspect it's the same with a lot of people.
I hope there aren't a lot of people making pricing judgments based on the postings in Callicoon's real estate office. They put all the overpriced dogs on the window.
Posted by: Bix | July 26, 2010 at 01:01 PM