From the folks at KCM Blog comes this timely piece of information. It totally applies to our area, so is upon the fence you are still sitting.....IT'S TIME TO GET OFF!
Here are three great reasons to consider buying a home today instead of waiting.
1.) Prices Will Continue to Rise
The Home Price Expectation Survey polls a distinguished panel of over 100 economists, investment strategists, and housing market analysts. Their most recent report released last week projects appreciation in home values over the next five years to be between 12.3% (most pessimistic) and 32.8% (most optimistic).
The bottom in home prices has come and gone. Home values will continue to appreciate for years. Waiting no longer makes any sense.
2.) Mortgage Interest Rates Are Increasing
As reported by Freddie Mac, interest rates for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages have risen about one full percentage point over recent historic lows.
The National Association of Realtors, the Mortgage Bankers Association, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, in their July forecasts, have all projected 30-year-fixed mortgage interest rates to be between 4.8 and 5.1% by this time next year.
An increase in rates will impact YOUR monthly mortgage payment. Whether you are moving up or moving down, your housing expense will be more a year from now if a mortgage is necessary to purchase your next home.
3.) It’s Time to Move On with Your Life
The ‘cost’ of a home is determined by two major components: the price of the home and the current mortgage rate. It appears that both are on the rise. But, what if they weren’t? Would you wait?
Look at the actual reason you are buying and decide whether it is worth waiting. Whether you want to have a great place for your children to grow up, you want your family to be safer or you just want to have control over renovations, maybe it is time to buy.
If the right thing for you and your family is to purchase a home this year, buying sooner rather than later could lead to substantial savings.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Boise-One of the Safest U.S. Cities!
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Thursday, July 25, 2013
Buying a Home? Don’t Let Fear Get in Your Way
Last week, I was talking to a young couple I know that was about to close on their first home. They were riding the wild rollercoaster of current mortgage rate swings and were not happy about the mortgage process overall. Yet, when the conversation shifted to finally living in a home that they own, their disposition changed dramatically.
A smile came across their faces as they talked about decorating their son’s bedroom and how much he will enjoy the backyard. They talked about inviting friends over for dinner and their family over for the holidays. The more they talked, the more excited they became.
I asked them if many of their friends were also buying. I was shocked to find out that they weren’t. Why not? Their friends believed that homeownership was financially unobtainable right now. Many wanted to own but didn’t think they could afford the monthly mortgage payment. They decided to rent instead.
I said that, with interest rates and prices where they are today, owning a home might not be any more expensive than renting one. The couple agreed but said their friends were afraid; afraid they might not qualify for a loan, afraid to handle negotiations with a seller, afraid of the home buying process itself.
Wow!
People should not make decisions out of fear! I’m not saying that every young person should own a home. I am saying that anyone that is qualified and wants to buy should not be afraid of the process. I realize the process may seem daunting but realize over 10,000 homes sell every day in this country. Sit down and discuss your goals with professionals from both the real estate and mortgage industries. Get the facts. Make an informed decision. Don’t let the fear of the unknown prevent you from living the life of your dreams.
A smile came across their faces as they talked about decorating their son’s bedroom and how much he will enjoy the backyard. They talked about inviting friends over for dinner and their family over for the holidays. The more they talked, the more excited they became.
I asked them if many of their friends were also buying. I was shocked to find out that they weren’t. Why not? Their friends believed that homeownership was financially unobtainable right now. Many wanted to own but didn’t think they could afford the monthly mortgage payment. They decided to rent instead.
I said that, with interest rates and prices where they are today, owning a home might not be any more expensive than renting one. The couple agreed but said their friends were afraid; afraid they might not qualify for a loan, afraid to handle negotiations with a seller, afraid of the home buying process itself.
Wow!
People should not make decisions out of fear! I’m not saying that every young person should own a home. I am saying that anyone that is qualified and wants to buy should not be afraid of the process. I realize the process may seem daunting but realize over 10,000 homes sell every day in this country. Sit down and discuss your goals with professionals from both the real estate and mortgage industries. Get the facts. Make an informed decision. Don’t let the fear of the unknown prevent you from living the life of your dreams.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Buying a Home? If you can buy TWO!
Buying a Home? If You Can, Buy Two Posted: 22 Jul 2013 04:00 AM PDT John Paulson gave the keynote lunchtime address at the CNBC/Institutional Investor conference recently. He believes that housing will continue its strong recovery for the next 4 to 7 years saying: “The housing market has bottomed. It’s not too late to get involved. I still think buying a home is the best investment any individual can make. Affordability is still at an all-time high.” When asked how the average person can take advantage of the current real estate market, Paulson said: “Buy a home and, if you can, buy a second home.” Should we care what Mr. Paulson thinks? Should we listen to him? The answer to both questions is a resounding ‘YES’. Here is why. Who is John Paulson? Paulson is the person who made a fortune back in 2007 betting that the subprime mortgage mess would cause the real estate market to collapse. He understands how the housing market works and knows when to buy and when to sell. If we are to trust anyone’s advice, it should be Mr. Paulson’s. |
Friday, July 19, 2013
Selling a House-What does it take?
The most important need of anyone attempting to sell their house is – TO GET IT SOLD! It is imperative that you, the agent, are very direct in what it takes to get a house sold. Here is a checklist we put together.
A seller should be willing to give almost unlimited access to potential purchasers if they are looking to sell. Any restrictions to showing the home will result in fewer buyers which could result in a lower price, a longer time on market or both.
Condition goes a long way in determining whether or not a house sells. Bringing in a professional stager is the ultimate answer. If that is not possible, the seller should at least be willing to remove all the clutter and ‘throw on’ a fresh coat of paint where necessary.
Very few owners are willing to give a first mortgage to a potential buyer. However, there are other mortgage options they perhaps should consider. Allowing FHA financing is an example. Perhaps, they would be willing to help the buyer out with a seller’s concession. The easier it is for a purchaser to finance the home, the greater the chance more buyers will be interested.
Every house must be sold twice: to the buyer and to the bank if a mortgage is involved. To get a home sold the price has to be right. There are studies that have shown that listing a house at a price greater than the market warrants results in that home taking a longer time to sell and also selling for less money.
ACCESS
A seller should be willing to give almost unlimited access to potential purchasers if they are looking to sell. Any restrictions to showing the home will result in fewer buyers which could result in a lower price, a longer time on market or both.
CONDITION
Condition goes a long way in determining whether or not a house sells. Bringing in a professional stager is the ultimate answer. If that is not possible, the seller should at least be willing to remove all the clutter and ‘throw on’ a fresh coat of paint where necessary.
MORTGAGE OPTIONS
Very few owners are willing to give a first mortgage to a potential buyer. However, there are other mortgage options they perhaps should consider. Allowing FHA financing is an example. Perhaps, they would be willing to help the buyer out with a seller’s concession. The easier it is for a purchaser to finance the home, the greater the chance more buyers will be interested.
PRICE
Every house must be sold twice: to the buyer and to the bank if a mortgage is involved. To get a home sold the price has to be right. There are studies that have shown that listing a house at a price greater than the market warrants results in that home taking a longer time to sell and also selling for less money.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
SW Idaho Vacancy Report
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Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Hot Time in the City...for real estate!
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Monday, July 15, 2013
Selling a House? Don't over price it!
There is no doubt that the housing market is coming back nicely. What, if anything, could slow down the current momentum? We believe it may be sellers’ over exuberance when it comes to pricing. There is little doubt that house prices have appreciated over the last twelve months in most regions of the country. However, with both the inventory of homes for sale and interest rates increasing, we have to be careful to not over judge what the market can bare.
Trulia just reported that asking prices have jumped dramatically and the increase is accelerating:
No expert is expecting home prices to shoot up 18% in the next twelve months. If anything, price appreciation may slow as rates and inventories increase. Investors will begin to slow their purchases and the first-time buyers expected to take their place will be working within a pre-set budget in many cases.
Let’s look at an example: A young couple is looking for a home and have predetermined that their budget will only allow them to spend $1,000 a month on a mortgage. At today’s mortgage rate of 4.5%, they could afford a $200,000 mortgage ($1,013 principal & interest). However, if rates jump to 5%, they would have to lower their mortgage amount to $190,000 in order to keep their monthly payment where they need it ($1,020). At 5.5%, the mortgage would need to be no more than $180,000 ($1,022).
This decrease in buyers’ purchasing power will have an impact on home values going forward. We do not believe it will cause a decrease in prices. However, we do believe it will likely cause current rates of appreciation to slow.
If you are thinking about selling your home, don’t get carried away with current headlines about home price increases that have taken place over the last twelve months. Instead, call a local real estate professional. They will be best prepared to explain where prices are headed over the next six months.
Trulia just reported that asking prices have jumped dramatically and the increase is accelerating:
- Year-Over-Year prices jumped 10.7%
- Quarter-Over-Quarter prices jumped 4.1% (16.4% annualized)
- Month-Over-Month prices jumped 1.5% (18% annualized)
No expert is expecting home prices to shoot up 18% in the next twelve months. If anything, price appreciation may slow as rates and inventories increase. Investors will begin to slow their purchases and the first-time buyers expected to take their place will be working within a pre-set budget in many cases.
Buyers’ Purchasing Power
Let’s look at an example: A young couple is looking for a home and have predetermined that their budget will only allow them to spend $1,000 a month on a mortgage. At today’s mortgage rate of 4.5%, they could afford a $200,000 mortgage ($1,013 principal & interest). However, if rates jump to 5%, they would have to lower their mortgage amount to $190,000 in order to keep their monthly payment where they need it ($1,020). At 5.5%, the mortgage would need to be no more than $180,000 ($1,022).
The Impact on Prices
This decrease in buyers’ purchasing power will have an impact on home values going forward. We do not believe it will cause a decrease in prices. However, we do believe it will likely cause current rates of appreciation to slow.
If you are thinking about selling your home, don’t get carried away with current headlines about home price increases that have taken place over the last twelve months. Instead, call a local real estate professional. They will be best prepared to explain where prices are headed over the next six months.
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Friday, July 12, 2013
The Cost of Waiting
I have several buyers looking at this exact scenario. If you are in this situation and it gets too emotional I recommend looking back at post from a couple of days ago regarding the Serenity Prayer. (I know I did!)
Buying a House: The Cost If You Waited
Posted: 08 Jul 2013 04:00 AM PDT
We often talk about the potential cost of waiting to buy a home. Today, we want to look at the actual cost for someone who waited over the last year. We used a 10% increase in house values as prices have gone up by double digits in the country on average. We looked at approximate mortgage rates last year compared to this year. Here is the impact on a monthly mortgage payment (principal and interest):
Buying a House: The Cost If You Waited
Posted: 08 Jul 2013 04:00 AM PDT
We often talk about the potential cost of waiting to buy a home. Today, we want to look at the actual cost for someone who waited over the last year. We used a 10% increase in house values as prices have gone up by double digits in the country on average. We looked at approximate mortgage rates last year compared to this year. Here is the impact on a monthly mortgage payment (principal and interest):
Thursday, July 11, 2013
PRICE IT RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING!
After having this discussion twice this morning, it bears repeating again and again. If you price it too high to begin you will likely take longer to sell and sell for LESS than those properties that are priced correctly from the beginning.
What follows is the research that bears this out.
Are there any negative effects from changing the listing price of a property? This question haunts Brokers/Agents as well as sellers of property every day. At present, there does not seem to be a consensus answer to this question within the professional real estate community. Fortunately, this question was scientifically investigated by John R. Knight. Unfortunately, few know the results of Professor Knight’s research.
In Knight, the impact of changing a property’s listing price is investigated. Additionally, the types of property that are most likely to experience a price change are also estimated. The findings from this research indicate that, on average, properties which experience a listing price change take longer to sell and suffer a price discount greater than similar properties. Furthermore, bigger price changes are found to experience even longer marketing times and greater price discounts. Finally, as for which properties are most likely to experience a price change, Knight finds that the greater the initial markup; the higher the likelihood that any given property will experience a listing price change.
Sellers as well as Brokers/Agents should therefore be aware of the critical necessity of getting the price correct from the start. Sellers wanting to over list will ultimately take longer to sell and will sell their property for less, on average, according to Knight. Brokers/Agents’ desire to take a listing and get the price right later will ultimately lead to their working harder according to Knight, and they are not doing their sellers any favors. Thus, an initial and detailed analysis of the proper price is much more critical than many originally thought.
Interestingly, I have found in my own research that the direction (up or down) of the listing price change does not matter. A listing price increase and decrease both lead to similar results found in Knight’s work – longer marketing times and lower prices. Therefore, get the price right from the beginning. It is best for all.
What follows is the research that bears this out.
The Research
Are there any negative effects from changing the listing price of a property? This question haunts Brokers/Agents as well as sellers of property every day. At present, there does not seem to be a consensus answer to this question within the professional real estate community. Fortunately, this question was scientifically investigated by John R. Knight. Unfortunately, few know the results of Professor Knight’s research.
In Knight, the impact of changing a property’s listing price is investigated. Additionally, the types of property that are most likely to experience a price change are also estimated. The findings from this research indicate that, on average, properties which experience a listing price change take longer to sell and suffer a price discount greater than similar properties. Furthermore, bigger price changes are found to experience even longer marketing times and greater price discounts. Finally, as for which properties are most likely to experience a price change, Knight finds that the greater the initial markup; the higher the likelihood that any given property will experience a listing price change.
Implications for Practice
Sellers as well as Brokers/Agents should therefore be aware of the critical necessity of getting the price correct from the start. Sellers wanting to over list will ultimately take longer to sell and will sell their property for less, on average, according to Knight. Brokers/Agents’ desire to take a listing and get the price right later will ultimately lead to their working harder according to Knight, and they are not doing their sellers any favors. Thus, an initial and detailed analysis of the proper price is much more critical than many originally thought.
Interestingly, I have found in my own research that the direction (up or down) of the listing price change does not matter. A listing price increase and decrease both lead to similar results found in Knight’s work – longer marketing times and lower prices. Therefore, get the price right from the beginning. It is best for all.
BOISE 12TH IN ‘CITIES WHERE HOME PRICES HAVE RISEN MOST’
In an analysis of metropolitan areas with 250,000 or more populations, using March price data from Clear Capital, Kiplinger shared their list of the top ‘12 Cities Where Home Prices Have Risen Most’. Ranked 12th on the list was Boise, Idaho with a +15.6% change in March home prices compared to March 2012. The national one-year change in home prices was +6.8%. Boise’s unemployment level was at 6.5%, lower than the national unemployment level of 7.5%. And, while existing-home sales rose 10% year-to-date in March, inventory remained constrained in the area
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
BUYING A HOUSE-THE SERENITY PRAYER MAY HELP!
HOW APPROPRIATE!
You may be frustrated while attempting to buy a home in today’s market. You may feel powerless to the process. How could YOU possibly know whether the current good news about housing will continue? There is no doubt that today’s real estate market is extremely difficult to navigate. However, we want you to know that thousands of homes sold yesterday, thousands will sell today and thousands will sell each and every day from now until the end of the year.
It is totally within your power to decide whether it is the right time for you and your family to move. Even in the current market.
“How?” Let’s look at the simplicity of the famous Serenity Prayer and apply it to buying a home in today’s real estate market.
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.”
The two main concerns many talk about when discussing the housing market are:
As an individual, there is very little you can do to impact either of those two situations. The best think-tanks in the country are struggling to discover what impact each of these items have on real estate.
If you are a buyer and you believe now is the right time for your family to purchase a home – DO IT! Prices will only be higher later this year and though interest rates are rising they are still at historic lows. That means that your monthly housing expense will still be lower than almost any time in the last 50 years – and probably lower than your current rent payment.
We all realize that the economic situation will take some time to correct. The question is whether or not it makes sense to delay moving on with your life until everything gets ‘better’. Should you not buy a house and enable your kids to attend the school you have already decided is best for them? Should you spend another winter up north even though your doctor recommends you move to a climate better suited to your current medical situation?
This is where your wisdom must kick in. You already know the answers to the questions we just asked. You have the power to take back control of the situation by moving forward. The time has come for you and your family to move on and start living the life you desire. That is what truly matters.
You may be frustrated while attempting to buy a home in today’s market. You may feel powerless to the process. How could YOU possibly know whether the current good news about housing will continue? There is no doubt that today’s real estate market is extremely difficult to navigate. However, we want you to know that thousands of homes sold yesterday, thousands will sell today and thousands will sell each and every day from now until the end of the year.
It is totally within your power to decide whether it is the right time for you and your family to move. Even in the current market.
“How?” Let’s look at the simplicity of the famous Serenity Prayer and apply it to buying a home in today’s real estate market.
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.”
Accept the things you cannot change
The two main concerns many talk about when discussing the housing market are:
- the current economy
- the rapid rise in interest rates
As an individual, there is very little you can do to impact either of those two situations. The best think-tanks in the country are struggling to discover what impact each of these items have on real estate.
Have the courage to change the things you can
If you are a buyer and you believe now is the right time for your family to purchase a home – DO IT! Prices will only be higher later this year and though interest rates are rising they are still at historic lows. That means that your monthly housing expense will still be lower than almost any time in the last 50 years – and probably lower than your current rent payment.
The wisdom to know the difference
We all realize that the economic situation will take some time to correct. The question is whether or not it makes sense to delay moving on with your life until everything gets ‘better’. Should you not buy a house and enable your kids to attend the school you have already decided is best for them? Should you spend another winter up north even though your doctor recommends you move to a climate better suited to your current medical situation?
This is where your wisdom must kick in. You already know the answers to the questions we just asked. You have the power to take back control of the situation by moving forward. The time has come for you and your family to move on and start living the life you desire. That is what truly matters.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Interest Rates...Where are they Headed?
Today’s $20,000 question is…Where are mortgage rates headed in the near future? Most believe the rapid rise in rates experienced over the last month will not be sustained and that they will level off into a range between 4% and 5%.
When recently asked, Zillow’s director of Mortgage Marketplace, Erin Lantz suggested:
In Bankrate.com’s Mortgage Rate Trend Index last week, 20% of the experts said rates would go up this week, 30% said rates would go down and 50% said they would remain unchanged.
Doug Duncan, chief economist for Fannie Mae recently addressed where mortgage rates may eventually end up:
Why wouldn’t the Fed be troubled? They have artificially kept rates low in order to stimilate the economy. As economic indicators begin to show signs of a recovery, the stimulus will be pulled back and rates will rise.
Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac’s VP and chief economist confirms this:
Buckle in!! The rollercoaster ride will probably continue.
When recently asked, Zillow’s director of Mortgage Marketplace, Erin Lantz suggested:
“It is impossible to predict. However, we expect there to be a lot of volatility, probably between 4.5% to 5%.”
In Bankrate.com’s Mortgage Rate Trend Index last week, 20% of the experts said rates would go up this week, 30% said rates would go down and 50% said they would remain unchanged.
What about going forward?
Doug Duncan, chief economist for Fannie Mae recently addressed where mortgage rates may eventually end up:
“I don’t think the Fed ultimately would be troubled with a 6.5% mortgage rate.”
Why wouldn’t the Fed be troubled? They have artificially kept rates low in order to stimilate the economy. As economic indicators begin to show signs of a recovery, the stimulus will be pulled back and rates will rise.
Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac’s VP and chief economist confirms this:
“As the economy continues to improve, we expect to see continued upward movement in long-term interest rates.”
Buckle in!! The rollercoaster ride will probably continue.
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