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Tips for Selling Your House Faster

April 5th, 2010 StudioFlatsLondon No comments

Trying to sell a house in a down market can be difficult and stressful, but there are several things you can do to improve its marketability. By putting some time, effort, and money into it before it goes on the market, you can ensure that your home presents well, stands out from the crowd and doesn’t turn off potential buyers so that you can sell quickly…and at the best price.

Everyone likes to put their own personal touches and knick-knacks in a house when they own it, but to home buyers, it may prevent them from picturing their furniture and pictures in the house, and distract them from truly seeing your home’s unique architectural features and spacious rooms. Also consider the fact that the more cluttered the rooms look, the smaller they look. You may be holding back the true potential of your house by displaying pictures of your friends and family

Since you hope to move soon anyway, go ahead and box them up and put them in storage in advance of the open house or showing.

Neutral colors are better. Consider painting walls a neutral color such as beige or taupe. While you may enjoy vibrant colors, potential buyers may be turned off by the choice of colors. A neutral color allows them to add their visualize their own tastes.

Don’t leave the little issues unresolved. A potential homeowner is always going to over estimate the cost of repairs by atleast 30%. If there are problem areas in your home, get them fixed before the showing. When prospective buyers tour the house and see leak stains on the ceiling or peeling paint, they will also see future work and assume that bigger maintenance and repair issues are lurking behind those small problems.

This is particularly true in kitchens and bathrooms, which are often the two rooms that make or break a sale. An investment in either of these rooms will yield the biggest return. The expenses you incur on the front end sprucing up your home will be cheaper than the profits you could lose by having to lower the price to meet buyer demand.

The internet is a great marketing tool when trying to sell your house, so take advantage of the unique ways to market your house. Use YouTube.com, a video sharing Web site, to introduce yourself and your house for free. Take home shoppers on a virtual tour and tell them about its uniqueness and strengths from a first-person point of view.

Once your house is listed, e-mail the link to your friends and ask them to forward it on to their network of contacts. By simply having your friends pass along information about your house, you may be able to sell it without having to get a real estate agent involved which will save you thousands.

Be sure that you are using traditional marketing techniques to your best advantage. When photographing your home for promotional purposes, invest in a wide-angle lens for your camera so that rooms appear bigger and in proportion when they are displayed on Internet home listing sites or in marketing flyers. If you decide to create a virtual tour, look for professionals who will be able to film and upload your video using the best techniques and technology.

Come up with creative ways to draw people to your house by having a wine and cheese gathering as an open house, or if there are other homes for sale in your neighbor create a parade of homes to draw more people in. The more people that you can get through the door, the better your odds of getting the price you want.

Selling Your House in a Tight Real Estate Market

April 5th, 2010 StudioFlatsLondon No comments

Selling a home is a stressful event, especially when a real estate boom goes bust. Here are ten tips to help you take the stress out of selling your home in a tough market.

1. Do your Realtor homework. In a lousy real estate market, you want the best help you can get to sell your home. Take your list of questions to several Realtors and take a goodly amount of time when you interview them. Comparison shop. No one’s rushing to buy homes this year, so don’t be in a rush to choose a Realtor.

2. Get ready. Many Realtors agree it takes 30 days to ready a house before the “For Sale” signs goes up, because those first impressions often will prove the most important factor in whether a “looker” eventually becomes a “buyer.” Make the investment in external repairs that can mean the difference between a quick “No” and extra time spent examining your house. This is the time to paint, patch and repair what buyers will see first. Buyers are more forgiving in a strong real estate market, not in a weak market.

3. Consult the owners of homes that successfully sell. What buyers consider valuable can vary from region to region. Ask those in your community with a newly placed “sold” sign for pointers on how to prepare your house for sale. What did they notice that most “lookers” paid attention to, or commented on, when exploring their house? Just ask – is installing new carpeting more important or is it better to freshly paint the walls. Ask several owners of recently sold homes, and take lots of notes. These can serve as your guide to using your time wisely to prepare your home for sale.

4. Actively engage your family. Let them know that there will be “company,” and to assist you with their unique skills. Let the list-maker in your family make repair and “sprucing up” lists, and keep lists of Open House dates and other important information. Share the work of selling a home, and every family member will have a personal stake in your success. Delegating the work that goes into selling a home also will dramatically reduce your stress.

5. Be flexible with personal plans. Stay focused on the goal from the time you first plant that For Sale sign on the front lawn to the first Open House – no activity should become a distraction. Don’t plan messy parties or major functions during this period, because you want your home to be tidy at all times. Arrange family gatherings elsewhere. You’ll want to be particularly vigilant when homes aren’t selling easily to make no mistakes.

6. De-clutter. A cluttered house looks smaller. Rent a temporary space at a local storage facility and fill it with seasonal items extra clothes and even extra furniture. A de-cluttered house also will reduce your stress levels by simplifying the sprucing-up process. Place personal items out of sight. If you’re overworked and time-starved, place an ad on Craigslist.org and hire a college student or affordable cleaning service to help you. If you can’t afford that, consider downsizing your possessions. Are they really worth cleaning, storing and stepping over year after year?

7. Disappear your pets. (temporarily, of course) Not everyone likes dogs; not everyone likes cats. Arrange for a day away in a boarding facility or away from home with a member of your family on Open House days. When the real estate market is slow, you don’t want to offer any excuses to potential buyers that will make them turn away from your wonderful home.

8. Stage your house. Do a little research about “staging” your home, and if you’re financially flush, hire a professional staging service to do this for you. Exchange harsh lighting for soft lighting. There’s nothing like freshly baking cookies swear some old timer realtors. Sprinkle baking soda on your carpet before you vacuum. Buy a bouquet of fresh flowers such as inexpensive daisies to brighten up your room.

9. Be honest. No house is perfect. Be honest about shortcomings. The buyer will trust your honesty and be more inclined to trust a decision to make a purchase. It’s a buyer’s market, so become a trustworthy seller.

10. Be realistic. The higher the price, the longer it will take to sell your home, especially in a lousy real estate market with high foreclosure rates that are pushing home prices down. Have a frank discussion with your agent about what amount you will accept below the asking price, or how long it will take to find a buyer who will meet your price. Engage a practical friend or family member in this discussion.

Selling your home during a tough real estate market isn’t impossible. It simply requires pulling out all the stops and being fully informed.

Selling your Own Home in a Tough Real Estate Market – Five Tips

April 5th, 2010 StudioFlatsLondon No comments

If you are in a tough real estate market and are looking to sell your home quickly, you might want to consider doing a For Sale By Owner. My wife and I recently bought a new house and after trying unsuccessfully to sell our existing house through a real estate agent for several months decided to try For Sale by Owner. We found a buyer within four days and closed on the house three weeks later. However, through our experience we discovered a few things. Here are a few tips if you are considering a FSBO in a less than ideal real estate market.

1. Consider paying to have your home placed in the MLS. There are several companies out there that will do this for a few hundred dollars. With sales down, real estate agents are desperate to earn a commission. By putting the house in the MLS you are agreeing that if an agent brings a buyer to you that you will pay the agent their part of the commission (you still save the listing agents commission). If you can sell the house on your own with no agent then you won’t have to pay an agent. However, in a tough market you want as many possible eyes on your property as possible.

2. Get the word out to as many places as possible about your house. One of the best places to do this is on the internet. There are dozens of free websites that will allow you to post your house for free. Consider starting with craigslist since it has so much traffic and then spread out to the other sites on the net. It will probably take you an entire evening to get the house posted on all the sites and you will want to keep a spreadsheet with your usernames and passwords so that you can go back later and remove the listing once the house sells.

3. Design a professional looking flyer and put out for sale by owner signs and a flyer box. If you aren’t the artistic type and don’t know that much about designing things like flyers consider a site like vflyer which will give you templates for designing a flyer. Take some good pictures of the house with your digital camera and put them on the flyer. If you use Vflyer or a program like it you can probably use the same template to post the house to craigslist and ebay (if you decide to pay for a listing).

4. Be creative. When we put our house on the market we ordered an eight foot full color printed banner to put on our fence. Our house backed to a major street and we were able to get some major exposure from the banner. I have heard of people offering free vacations, big screen tvs, cash bonus’ to the listing agent and even a free car. I have also heard of people giving away a cool prize at their open house. These things can help get your house noticed which is the first step to getting it sold.

5. Make sure that your price is competitive. Consider using the money that you are saving on real estate commissions to cut the price of your house so that it is more competitive. In tough markets it is going to be very important that your house isn’t priced too high or people will find another option. In our area there were a ton of houses on the market and most of the houses that were selling were 5% or more undervalued. If that is what it takes you might need to swallow hard and cut the price of your house.

Of course all of these things are just suggestions. Still, when things get tough and you need to sell your house these could be an option for you. They worked for us.

Expect Great Things From your Next Open House

April 4th, 2010 StudioFlatsLondon No comments

Open houses are great ways to create exposure for your property. When advertised and executed properly open houses will tap into most interested buyers and reinforce established ties with a community. Running a well prepared open house can give a potential purchaser many insights into life inside the home and the community and ultimately sell the home faster Taking the proper steps to make sure your home shows its best, and tap into all possible sources before showing are essential.

With the competitive nature of the home selling process, more real estate agents and homeowners are utilizing “stagers,” professionals with design backgrounds to create the most appealing atmosphere possible. Home stagers’ fees can start at $100 an hour with a two hour minimum. They can create environments for homeowners that make a property more appealing to a greater number of potential buyers. Regardless of what methods you use to present your home, it should feel like a home. Your home may not be ready to grace the cover of a trade magazine, but it should make the most of its best attributes.

Cleaning the home from top to bottom is where most real estate professionals recommend, paying strict attention to kitchens and bathrooms. Carpets should be vacuumed, every surface dusted, dishes put away as well as anything else: clothes, toys and books that will take away from the focus of the room. Small repairs should be made: leaky faucets and toilets, chipped paint, and torn screens should all be fixed. An inspector or Realtor would be helpful in streamlining the house: removing extra furniture or putting away any excess that would take away from the warm and inviting environment of the home.

Once the inside is cleaned you can take care of other necessary improvements that will add to the overall atmosphere of the home. Painting, landscaping, and deep cleaning are just a few. Changing the lighting at the entrance ways can also create a warm mood and make the home more inviting. Major improvements shouldn’t be done unless you plan on recouping the cost in the sale price.

Bushes, plants, trees and grass should be trimmed and neat. The exterior impression is the first impression your home makes to a buyer. Recent Studies indicate “50 percent of purchase decisions are made during the first 60 seconds” of a buyers’ stroll up the walk. If an inspector or professional home stager aren’t in your budget, have your Realtor inspect the inside and outside of the house and offer insights or advice. The whole point is to make the best first impression you can to entice the buyer in for a better look.

As the big day approaches there are some things to make the open house runs as smooth as possible. Make sure all your valuable and personal items have been put away. Make sure doors and windows that should be left open are and main hallways cleared. Garbage should be emptied and if you haven’t had a chance to completely air out the home, now is the time. Turn on all lights to allow the home to appear as bright as possible.

Experts strongly advise against scented fresheners and carpet deodorizers. They do recommend fresh cut flowers, potpourri, and scented candles. Even simulating the subtle aroma of a home cooked meal has been suggested. The key is subtle–make sure that the aroma will not aggravate prospects’ allergies. It also might be the time to take advantage of visual cues. There are some neat tricks that won’t cost you an arm and a leg to enhance tables, sitting areas or focal points of the tour with a bowl of fruit, a display of magazines, candles, small water gardens, or a strategically placed wicker basket.

Ask questions and gain opinions of other homes for sale in your area. Find out what other sellers are doing and what buyers are expecting. Visit other open houses in your area before your event. The whole point of the open house is for prospective buyers to find what they are looking for in terms of a home. The easier a seller can do that than the quicker he sells his home.

Real Estate Market – How Not To Let Future Market Crashes Effect You?

April 3rd, 2010 StudioFlatsLondon No comments

The housing market crash is big news in most newspapers and the evening report everyday. Despite this there are certain pockets which have not been so badly affected by this crash. Homeowners in these areas are still not as hard hit as others but should prepare in advance so that the impending crash does not affect them too much. There is not much time left before the real estate crash comes knocking on their doorsteps too.You can never be sure how and when the market will act up. It does not take long for a perfectly good market to turn into a nightmare. Before you realize what hit you, you will be interned with a property that refuses to change owners. This could spell disaster for investment properties. No that personal properties are far behind, especially if you want to sell it for a decent profit. It is thus crucial that you should protect yourself and look around for good options that can bail you out in case of a crash.The first step would be to change the type of mortgage you have. As soon as possible you should convert your adjustable or interest only mortgage to a fixed interest loan. With fixed rate your options for lower interest rates becomes viable. Also in case interest rates start to rise you will be well protected as your monthly payments will see no corresponding increase.Take a stock of your situation, and work out if you will be able to afford inhabiting in your current home. If there is no way you can shift homes then any devaluation of the property makes little difference to your stand. You can consider this property as a long term investment. The housing market is expected to stabilize in due course and with it your property value will also stabilize. If you are already facing problems regarding your monthly payments and feel that soon you may not be able to support it, that it would be in your best interest to sell your property and move out before the market decides to crash.Another aspect you have to be careful about is the safety of your investments. It is well known that most institutions invest in the real estate, thus if anything goes wrong with the real estate market, in all probability your investments will be in a soup. Ensure your safety. You can do this by simply getting hold of the analysis rating for your bank and S&L.You need to be careful about your present and any future investments that you are planning. Pay due attention and focus carefully before you decide to invest your money in this market. The present housing crisis dictates that conservative options are your best bet. You could opt for safer investments like Treasury Bills, CDs and even strong foreign currencies.A conservative and careful approach can safe guard you against the market turmoil. You need a good focus to protect yourself and your investments in order to be able to tide over the impending market crash.

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Mortgage Bill by End of Year to Boost Property Market in Northern Cyprus

April 2nd, 2010 StudioFlatsLondon No comments

Sungur: A Mortgage Bill has been proposed, for approval by the end of this year, in Northern Cyprus.
The plans are set to boost property market, and some experts suggest that the move will also benefit ex-pats.
A draft mortgage bill prepared by the Estate Agents Union has been presented to the Prime Ministry.
Union chairman, Hasan Sungur, said he believed the new law would be passed before the end of 2008 and would bring significant advantages to homebuyers, especially expats.
It will, he says, be a boom to the North Cyprus property market, too.”Instead of going for cheaper houses, which suits their pockets, those coming from England or elsewhere will be able to buy more expensive and completed homes,” said Mr Sungur.
It means that people might have to avoid offers such as a three bedroom house for £60,000.
People usually choose this kind of offer because that’s the amount they have available. However, this will cause problems for them because it is impossible to complete a house with that amount of money, and the the link between the Mortagage Bill and housing markets means that house prices in North Cyprus – already accepted to rise – make continue to peak after the initial boom.
“People tend to purchase what’s most suitable for them from what they can find. This creates problems because contractors do not have insurance like estate agents do.
“They do not have a mechanism of punishment in case of acts of fraud. The Mortgage Law will give people more choice because they will not be limited by the amount of money they have,” he added.
Mr Sungur said the buyer will not have to take risks with £50,000 or £60,000 just because the house is cheap and their budget only covers that amount.
“With the mortgage legislation, they will be able to purchase properties which cost £100,000 or £150,000. These houses will be completed ones and the buyer will be able to move into a fully completed house without facing any problems.”
Mr Sungur said that most mortgages available in the TRNC were in fact straight loans, with would-be homebuyers having to get a bank guarantee and provide tow guarantors to obtain a loan; some have suggested that this might in the long-term prove to be detremential to the supposed benefits of the new Mortgage Bill.
With the draft mortgage legislation, a mortgage of up to 75 per cent would be available to people unable to provide two guarantors. With guarantors in place, 100 per cent mortgages could be offered.
Mr Sungur also added that the interest rates in mortgages will be low, at least lower than the current value of interest set by the state.
“It will definitely be lower than the interest rates of the banks. Both for YTL and for foreign currencies” he said.
English-style mortgages have been offered for the first time in North Cyprus this year, with Lewis Finance offering deals of up to 70 per cent over a period between five and fifteen years.

Real Estate Market – What Led To The 2008 Real Estate Market Collapse?

April 2nd, 2010 StudioFlatsLondon No comments

Many experts had predicted the present crash in the real estate market. Despite this most people were caught unawares and were stunned when the opportunistic market started to collapse like a house of cards.The crash in the real estate market followed the collapse of the sub-prime market. This was the cause of sudden foreclosure of innumerable companies. Those which are not forced to close business endured billions of dollars in losses. Homeowners have been adversely affected by the news reports regarding sub-prime markets’ fall and yet many fail to understand the exact impact it has had on them, and why this has happened to them.Sub-prime mortgages have been highly beneficial to many property buyers in the last few years. Even those who did not have good credibility could easily get sub-prime mortgages to invest in the real estate scenario to make a fast buck. Buyers with bad credit histories got these loans easily as the guidelines governing them were lax and did not follow stringent quality control. The lenders were also happy doing this as they could easily charge higher rates of interest when they sanctioned mortgages to borrowers with low credits. Some speculate that the lenders were not too bothered as, in case of payment defaults they could always make a foreclosure and resell the property for a profit.So where did all this money come from? The money was procured from various sources. Lenders could easily get loans at low interest which they could pass on to the borrowers at a higher interest. Some of these sources were not so simple. Many governments including the American government allow loans from central bank.The property market was very stable and had reached an unprecedented high by 2005. This stability had a reverse effect and it had people making unrealistic projections about the future growth in real estate and soon quite a few homeowners found themselves sinking into the loan traps.The housing market started to decline during the period 2005-2006. This period saw over enthusiastic lenders giving loans to candidates with bad credibility. The lenders were looking at mammoth profits but the bubble started to burst once the interests became north bound. Increasing interest rates led to multiple problems in the housing scene. There is no exception to the rule that north bound interest rates spell trouble in the real estate market. Low rates encourage buying whereas high rates lead to a fall in prices. During the boom builders could not build fast enough for the markets, but with rising interest rates, there was increased default in mortgage payments, leading to a fall in housing demands. By the mid 2006 the market was witnessing the beginnings of an imminent crash.Before long, lenders could no longer generate more money from their customary sources. With lesser funds on their hands the lenders suddenly became more cautious about whom they lent money, so getting a loan became increasingly difficult for potential homebuyers. The strings started to tighten from all directions. Investors became cautious, which in turn made the borrowing parameters stringent. Homeowners, who had adjustable loans, were facing an uphill task with their mortgage payments as increased interest rates translated to bigger installments every month. It was also becoming very difficult to refinance existing loans to as underwriting guidelines made it very difficult for them to get new loans. So they could not shift to fixed interest loans to salvage their deteriorating financial conditions. The net result was that foreclosure was the only option open to them and before long the market was engulfed in a flood of foreclosures.

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What Does it Take to Sell a Home in This Market?

April 1st, 2010 StudioFlatsLondon No comments

In the current housing market; specifically in the resale homes, it takes more than dropping a sign in the front yard and proclaiming, “Come one, come all. Buy this home!” The keys to a successful home sale are price and salability. Price is pretty self explanatory on the surface; but I’ll get into the details. Salability is the ability to be sold. Again I will cover the details.

You will find, in this current buyer’s market (I’m speaking generally about the nation and specifically about the Denver, Colorado metro area) that circumstances have to be close to perfect to sell a home. Buyers and Sellers will get what they are looking for out of the transaction when everything meets their needs and/or desires. So many homes are on the market right now in varying conditions. You have the foreclosure properties; which may be missing from a toilet and range to all of the cabinets, doors, fixtures and furnace. The short sale; which is a deal that the homeowner makes with the lender to sell the home for less than what is owed. (see my article titled “Foreclosure May Not Be Your Only Option”) Shortsale properties could be in complete disrepair all the way up to show home condition. And you have the normal resale home. Someone is selling their home to move up, move down, relocate, retire or any number of reasons. Usually these homes are in great condition; maybe only needing a touch up or repair here and there. They have equity enough to sell their home and are not in dire straights to get it sold. So what’s the difference? Motivation.

This article is directed toward the homeowner that is motivated to sell their home. For whatever reason, you want to sell your home for as much as you can get out of it.

First, you have to get people in to see your home – price. Then the prospective buyers have to want to buy your home as opposed to another one down the street – salability.

Price. Without the price being set correctly, your home will never be seen. It has to be competitive with the other homes of comparable size, location and style. I don’t care if you know for a fact that the house down the street is a pile of junk; if you price yours too much above that one, yours will not seem attractive to anyone. Buyer agents are very customer oriented. If they think they can get their buyer a deal, they’ll go for it every time. Example: the average price in your neighborhood is $250,000; you have the best house on the block so you feel your house is worth $260,000. Guess what? The house down the street with the same square footage and floor plan as yours that needs a new lawn, a roof, some paint and carpet is being sold for $225,000! You are $35,000 higher than the “junk house” down the street! How much grass seed, shingles, paint and carpet could you buy for $35,000? Probably enough for your home and have some money left over to buy a barbeque pit, some patio furniture, and maybe a new television among other things. I’m not recommending that anyone “under” price their home to get it sold. I am saying, listen to your Realtor, they are the professionals and they know what they are doing.

Salability. Your home has to be in show home condition to attract people to put in an offer. They need to picture themselves moving right in and relaxing that evening, knowing that they just bought a jewel. I use an interior designer; not to drastically change your home, but to assist you in organizing and arranging what you already have to make appealing to buyers. The purpose of the designer is to help you depersonalize your home from being YOUR home and setting it up to potentially be someone else’s home. You would be amazed at the difference.

So here you have it; price your home to be competitive using a Realtor, use a professional to help make your home look the best it can be, and set yourself up to win. You will be glad you did.

Is the Real Estate Market Rebounding?

April 1st, 2010 StudioFlatsLondon No comments

Along with the weather, the real estate market seems to be getting better.
Stale homes which have stayed the course through the sleet and snow are now hanging sold signs on the front lawns. These properties that have sat for 6 months are now selling in multiple offers. It is almost like a spoiled child syndrome. No one wants to play with it until another child indicates that they like it.
It is not just rumours that properties are selling in multiple offers. I have been involved in two recently and have talked to many colleagues who are finding the same thing. One agent had 11 offers registered on a place in midtown Toronto. That means there are now at least 10 unsatisfied people who are ready to jump on the next ‘right thing’ in Toronto.
We are not seeing the builders or flippers out in droves but they are starting to come out of hibernation. What does this mean? If they get started up again we will definitely see the return of central core Toronto real estate, especially if they can get access to this low interest money.
We were never too far down in prices in the central core, 5%-8%. The media mainly focused on properties that were grossly overpriced in the first place. People overvalue their homes in both good and bad economies.
Are these buyers all just optimistic suckers? Or are they the last of the people who will be getting the “good deals”? The economy seems too fragile right now to set stand in one camp or the other.
I must say that I am not so naive as to think we are in the clear, but I am certainly enjoying the sun while it is shining.
There doesn’t seem to be imminent doom but the fall out of GM and Chrysler has yet to be seen. These are good reasons to keep your money invested in bricks and mortar. People will always need shelter to buy or rent.
I will continue to say that right now is a great time to sell, especially if you are moving laterally, moving up or diversifying your portfolio of real estate.
If the market keeps trucking along like it has this spring Toronto proper seems like it will tighten up, if you look hard there are still some really good prices on properties right now.
Another cause to applaud is the government’s reluctance to change Canada’s immigration policies. Immigration has been a staple when it comes to the health of Toronto’s real estate. Of the 250,000 permanent landed new-Canadians 60% of them move to the GTA. That is exactly what we need to keep stimulating our housing market.
Canada has embraced immigrants in good times as well as bad and has been rewarded with the newcomers strengthening the country’s economy. A lot of newcomers generally are more inclined to own homes. People from Hong Kong, China and India all put a very high importance on home ownership. Quite often their first order of business is to buy a home.
Toronto real estate seems to be in a very healthy space right now. The whole World’s economy seems to be fragile but at least it appears that we are moving in the right direction.

Real Estate Markets 2009 – Have We Hit The Bottom?

April 1st, 2010 StudioFlatsLondon No comments

This post is about the past, and the future…

Starting with the past is was just a few short years ago that real estate investing was all the rage and everybody was doing it. It was a fad and it seemed as if you could buy anything, mark up the price, and turn it for a quick profit.

During these times everybody buying and selling was making money and seemed to be a genius. Over time people started to realize that investing fundamentals were being broken and a chain reaction ensued… and the bottom fell out of the real estate market.

Loans dried up faster than a desert oasis. Properties stopped selling quickly. Builders stopped building. And then people stopped making payments… then foreclosures… then REOs… and then prices started falling faster than a bad souffle (yeah… the “Kick Ass” guy used the word souffle)!

What began as a strong real estate market quickly turned into a buyer’s market and the housing market has taken down the US Economy. The idiots running Washington are clueless and if you are thinking they have any answers then know that I believe in Darwinism (survival of the fittest) and am hopeful your gene pool is heading towards extinction.

So the real estate markets have changed, new challenges have risen, and a new market is upon us.

Yes, we are in a buyer’s market but the question is for how long?

Phoenix Arizona is one of the hardest hit falling real estate markets in the US and there is evidence that we have reached the bottom.

Let’s be clear… I do not believe in forecasting(guessing) so for me to even put in print that we may have reached a bottom is huge.

Here’s what I’m seeing that leads me to believe the bottom may have been reached:

1. Prices are trending up. Especially for properties under 200K

2. Inventory is decreasing. In the last 60 days their has been a major shift if inventory. Unbelievable.

3. REO’s are stabilizing. One agent I know of is getting an average of 8 offers per REO and people are in price wars.

When looking at the various stats for the market one thing has become evident… The markets are changing and strengthening very quickly. Even builders are coming back and Maricopa County (Phoenix) is seeing a rise in building permits.

And that’s why I’m so excited to share this news with you… The markets are changing and you need to participate if you are going to take advantage of what may be the end of the biggest buying opportunity we have ever seen.

It is very likely that we are at or just past the bottom right now. And if we are things then watch out when the lenders make it easy to get money again because their will be a surge in buyers!

Author: Gerald Romine