What It Means To Be an ‘EXPERT’ in Real Estate

If you are either buying or selling a home in today’s market, you need a real estate expert. However, we must realize what the term ‘expert’ actually means. An expert in any area cannot give perfect advice as no one can predict the future. But they can give excellent advice based on their insight into their field.

If you go to an attorney with a legal challenge, he/she will look over your case and give you your options. They realize they cannot guarantee the outcome of any of the options. Still, they give the best advice possible and allow you to decide the option with which you feel most comfortable. They then will put together a strategy which hopefully will bring about the most favorable conclusion.

If you go to a doctor with a serious ailment, he/she will give you your options and work with you to develop the best treatment program. They cannot guarantee any program’s success. They will, however, monitor your progress and adjust your treatments or medications. They will stand next to you until the best result is achieved.

Real estate is no different. A true real estate professional will understand your options and simply and effectively explain them to you and your family. Once you chose an option, they will strategize a plan to help you accomplish your goals. They will standby you as the process evolves and will help you make the necessary adjustments if necessary.

They cannot see the future any better than doctors or attorneys and thus their advice will never be perfect. However, just like those other professionals, an expert agent will give you excellent advice that will bring about the best possible outcome.

Real Estate: Sales Increasing. Prices – Not Yet.

In yesterday’s blog post, we explained that many experts believe home sales will increase in 2012. Today, we want to make sure that our readers realize that it will still take time for prices to begin to appreciate. Pricing is about supply and demand. Though demand is increasing, there is still a large supply of homes for sale in many markets and the National Mortgage Settlement will probably mean over a million distressed properties (foreclosures and short sales) will enter the market this year. Two major surveys spoke to this point in the past week.

The Home Price Expectation Survey asked 104 leading industry experts where they thought prices would be at the end of 2012. The average of those opinions showed that the experts believe prices will depreciation by about one percent (.72%).

The Urban Land Institute released results from their survey also. In their report, 38 leading real estate economists/analysts, representing major real estate investment and research firms, felt that prices would remain flat throughout the year.

Demand will increase dramatically this year. However, it won’t drive prices upward because of the supply of inventory for sale in most markets.

Housing Market: About to SPRING Back

We believe that 2012 will be the year that home sales start to climb again. Over the past thirty days, more and more experts are saying the same thing.

Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase CEO

“I believe we’re very close to the inflection point. People look at prices that are still coming down but all the other signs are flashing green… You could come up with a pretty bullish case (for housing).“

Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac chief economist

“Even the housing market is showing some signs of shaking off the depression-like conditions that have plagued it for much of the past few years.”

Goldman Sachs Group

“Stabilization in U.S. housing fundamentals is creating an attractive investment opportunity. Many of the ingredients are in place for continued improvement in housing.”

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist

“If activity is sustained near present levels, existing-home sales will see their best performance in five years. Based on all of the factors in the current market, that’s what we’re expecting with sales rising 7 to 10 percent in 2012.”

Spring Market Looks VERY Promising

The Spring market is upon us. Professionals across the country are reporting that buyer activity is very strong. Purchasers are beginning to realize that this is one of the greatest times in American real estate to buy a home. There are basically four reasons for this: 

1.      They realize that it is the COST of the home that matters most not the PRICE.

2.      They realize that it is actually LESS EXPENSIVE to own than to rent in 98% of the country.

3.      They realize that SHORT SALES are a real bargain.

4.      EVERYONE is now saying it is time to buy.

The market is turning for the better. It may be time for you and your family to jump in.  If you are thinking of buying or selling in the New Hanover County area including Carolina/Kure and Wrightsville Beaches, please give me a call at (910) 617-7654 or email me at joyce@intracoastalrealty.com.   

Spring Has Sprung On Pleasure Island!

Here comes Spring, historically the time of year when buyers awake from the winter slumber of the holidays and snowfall, and go on their pilgrimage to look for new housing. Houses look better in Spring with green grass, blooming trees, and flowers.

Plus, buyers who find a home in the next 60 days can close after the school year ends and enjoy the summer months in their new backyards. It’s almost a rite of passage; baseball teams go to spring training, buyers go look at homes, and the birds fly back north.

But this Spring is different than those of recent memory…

§ Because of the warm weather we experienced here on the East Coast for most of this past winter buyers have been out for months – making offers and buying homes.

§ Many sellers have finally come to understand that they need to have a compelling price on their home to attract buyers. The days of listing your home and negotiating down are over because there are homes on the market already priced correctly, and those are the homes that buyers are going to. The overpriced inventory doesn’t even get their chance to negotiate down.

§ Rates have ticked up as economic news (like unemployment numbers) has improved. That, coupled with rising mortgage insurance premiums and guarantee fees, seems to have given some sense of urgency to buyers.

§ The looming shadow inventory, which most certainly will keep downward pressure on home prices (when added to easier short sale approvals), has tended to encourage home sellers to be more realistic in their expectations.

§ The abundance of information available to consumers has further increased their need for sound advice from top-notch real estate and mortgage professionals. The cream is certainly rising to the top in those professions.

Low interest rates, a tremendous selection to choose from, and the seasonality of it all makes for an exciting next 60-90 days. My advice to anyone looking to buy or sell is that waiting to be aggressive could be a fatal mistake if you hope to find the best deal. From my experience, the best deals come when more people are competing for them…and that time is NOW! 

If you or anyone you know is considering buying or selling at this time, please have them contact me a joyce@intracoastalrealty.com to discuss their "wants and needs".

Rents Rising as Rental Availability Shrinks

Because of the challenges in the current economy, many families have either decided to rent or been forced to rent. How has this impacted rental options and the cost of the available options?

HousingWire recently quoted Paul Dales, senior economist with Capital Economics:

“As a consequence of Americans being less willing and less able to buy a home, the number of households in rented accommodation is set to rise by at least 850,000 a year over the next few years.”

The price of anything is determined by supply and demand. As demand increases, the price of an item will increase unless there is an equal increase in supply. The article mentioned above said:

“Dales said in his research that rental vacancy rates will fall again in the future, pushing prices up. The median rent is already up to $712 per month—well above the average monthly mortgage cost of $647, Dales reported.

He estimates vacancies in the home-rental market will push average rental rates up as much as 5% by early 2013.”

How many markets will be impacted? A new rent index offered by Zillow:

“…showed year-over-year gains for 69.2 percent of metropolitan areas covered.”

Bottom Line

Rents are increasing and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. In many parts of the country, buying a home might make more sense as you can lock in your housing expense for the next thirty years.

Even a 14-Year-Old Knows It’s Time to Buy

Willow Tufano is a 14 year old who lives in Florida. One thing that differentiates her from her friends is that she just bought her first house, a rental property. She bought it with her mother, but anted up her fair share with money she saved for over a year by selling free items she had previously found and fixed up.

The area was hard hit by the housing crisis and Willow and her mother were able to buy the home which was once valued at $100,000 for just $12,000. Why would a 14 year old even consider buying a property?

She is using her half of the rent they charge ($700) to pay back her mom for the second half of the house and the renovations they put into the house. Willow says she’ll have it all paid off in six years. Then she’ll keep the house as a source of income.

“It was definitely a lot of inspiration from my mom and my grandma,” Tufano said. Her mom is a successful real estate agent who owns several investment properties.

If you are interested in buying or selling real estate in the Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Wrightsville or Wilmington area, please give me a call!  (910) 617-7654.