Triangle housing market stays hot as national sales level off

THE DRIVER WAS PRONOUNCED DECEASED AT THE SCENE. TWO OTHER PEOPLE ON THE TRACTOR- TRAILER WERE NOT INJURED. NO CHARGES ARE EXPECTED TO BE FILED. >>> BUYING A HOME CAN BE A VERY EXCITING STEP BUT LATELY IT HAS BEEN A DIFFICULT STEP DESPITE SLOWING AROUND THE COUNTRY. THE HOUSING MARKET IN THE TRIANGLE IS RED HOT WITH HOMES SELLING WAY OVER ASKING PRICE. WRAL’S MICHELLE MacKONOCHIE SPOKE WITH RESIDENTS ABOUT THEIR JOURNEY TO FINDING THERE FOR PERFECT PLACE. >> Reporter: DESPITE DATA FROM THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS THAT SET THE MARKET IS LEVELING OFF, THE HOUSING MARKET HERE IN THE TRIANGLE IS STILL HOT. >> WE KNEW THE MARKET WAS HOT BUT DIDN’T REALIZE IT WAS THIS TURBOCHARGED. >> Reporter: DANIEL AND MATTHEW HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR A NEW HOUSE FOR MONTHS. >> THE FIRST OFFER WE LOST OUT TO A CASH OFFER THAT HAD SIMILAR TERMS AND THE SECOND OFFER, THERE WERE 22 OTHER OFFICE. >> THESE ARE OFFERS ABOVE ASK MARKET PRICE. IT’S LIKE, WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO? >> Reporter: THEY DECIDED TO GO A DIFFERENT ROUTE. THEY SHIFTED TO NEW CONSTRUCTION. >> YOU GET PREAPPROVED TO BE ON THE VIP LIST. A LOT COMES UP, YOU PICK IT, WE BUILD IT AND DONE. >> Reporter: THAT WAS NOT THE CASE. LAST WEEK THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOMEBUILDERS SAID BUILDER SENTIMENT WAS SOFTENING. LOCALLY, THAT COULDN’T BE FURTHER THAN THE TRUTH. MATT HORTON WITH COLDWELL BANKER SAID THE DEMAND TO BUILD RIGHT NOW IS VERY HIGH. PRICES ARE HIGHER, BUILDING MATERIALS ARE BACKLOGGED AND GETTING PERMITS TAKE TIME. AND HE DOESN’T THINK IT WILL CHANGE, ANYTIME SOON. >> WE NEVER PREDICTED WE WOULD BE HERE. IN THIS CRAZY SELLER’S MARKET. >> Reporter: FOR BUYERS IT CAN BE A DIFFERENT STORY. >> $18,000 OVER. THAN IT BECAME $25,000. THAN $50,000 OVER. SOME ARE TAKING A PAUSE, TAKING TIME OFF LIKE DAN AND MATT. AND MOVING FROM RESELL MARKET INTO THE BUILDER MARKET. >> IT HAS TO COOL OFF EVENTUALLY. IT CAN’T BE WHITE-HOT FOR WHATEVER. >>> IT HAS BEEN SO TOUGH FOR BUYERS. REALTORS SAY THAT THE MARKET