Real estate observers look to “days on the market,” the amount of time homes have been up for sale, as a measure of a real estate market’s vigor. Average days on market (DOM) shows how long it takes a typical home to sell in a particular market.

During the housing meltdown, average DOM has grown larger and larger. In April, according to Cyberhomes data, the average DOM in two U.S. counties topped 175 days, meaning that the typical home had been up for sale there nearly six months. Both counties are in Florida.

On the other end of the spectrum, some markets are hot, or at least lukewarm. Twenty counties weighed in with average DOM of 40 days or less in April, according to Cyberhomes data. In March, there were only 12 counties with average DOM of 40 days or less.

In this gallery, Cyberhomes highlights five counties around the country where, on average, it takes under two months to sell a home. In the fastest-selling county, in South Carolina, homes are progressing from for-sale sign to under contract in just over three weeks.

  • SOUTH Aiken County, S.C.: 24 days
  • MIDWEST Stark County, Ohio: 33 days
  • WEST Kings County, Calif.: 36 days
  • EAST Essex County, N.J.: 40 days
  • NORTHWEST Snohomish County, Wash.: 42 days

The significance of DOM is discussed in greater detail in “Home Sellers Attentively Count ‘Days on Market.’” Cyberhomes’ rankings are based on monthly data supplied by MLS organizations around the country.

 

County Number of Homes for Sale
 Median Asking Price
Average DOM
Aiken, S.C.
 1,275 $197,200 24
Stark County, Ohio
 3,234 $128,161 33
St. Louis City, Mo.
 1,505 $171,700 34
Jessamine, Ky.
 751 $182,250 35
Johnson, Ks.
 2,366 $269,926 35
Fayette, Ky.
 3,288 $183,750 35
Kings, Calif.
 718 $198,412 36
Solano, Calif.
 4,138 $300,436 37
Oakland, Mich.
 17,512 $733,888 37
Ramsey, Minn.
 2,231 $264,063 38
Clay, Mo.
 1,072 $189,110 38
Lapeer, Mich.
 903 $265,625 39
Wayne, Mich.
 20,832 $682,388 39
Macomb, Mich.
 10,285 $177,825 39
El Paso, Texas
 5,143 $145,000 39
Russell, Ala.
 581 $139,900 40
Santa Clara, Calif.
 7,629 $756,278 40
Jackson, Mo.
 4,312 $165,632 40
Wyandotte, Kan.
 590 $126,528 40
Essex, N.J.
 4,579 $566,457 40
Fresno, Calif.
 6,324 $183,493 41
Waukesha, Wis.
 2,104 $317,900 41
Lorain, Ohio
 2,505 $125,810 41
Summit, Ohio
 5,493 $108,285 41
Cuyahoga, Ohio
 13,657 $109,701 41
Marion, Ohio
 692 $82,500 41
Portage, Ohio
 1,235 $154,874 41
Livingston, Mich.
 2,448 $189,000 41
Henrico, Va.
 1,604 $318,825 41
Snohomish, Wash.
 2,577 $373,593 42
Source: Cyberhomes
Average Days on Market in April 2009