Multiple Offers Increased as the Market Becomes More Competitive

Millou would like to share this info from Oscar Wei, Senior Research Analyst at CA Association of Realtors:

To be competitive in a housing market with tight inventory and a restrictive lending environment, many buyers who wanted to have an edge over other buyers opted to make an “All Cash” offer for their home purchase.   Since an “All Cash” transaction does not have to go through lengthy lending approval process, the escrow process is faster and is less likely to fall through, making the offer more attractive and more assured.

According to results based on C.A.R.’s 2012 Annual Housing Market Survey, “All Cash” buyers has been on the rise since the mid of 2000’s, increasing from 11 percent in 2005 to 30 percent in 2012.  Almost one-third of all home buyers paid with all cash in 2012, which is more than 3 times what it was in 2001 when “All Cash” buyers were merely 8.8 percent. The share of all cash buyers in 2012 was also nearly double the long-run average of 15.1 percent since 1998.