In a seller’s market, home buyers need to be willing and able to act fast to snag the home they want. This spring, areas across the country are facing a limited number of homes for sale. Realtor.com® offers up a cheat sheet for surviving a seller’s market.
It’s out! RE/MAX agents again claim the title of most productive among the national real estate brands. An analysis of the data contained in the 29th annual 2016 REAL Trends 500 survey shows that RE/MAX agents are more than twice as productive as the average of all other agents in the report. Productive agents, an unmatched global presence and the premier real estate brand. It all adds up to another banner year for RE/MAX agents and their clients!
The spring housing market is heating up and demand is high across the country. Some would-be buyers who were outbid last year or couldn’t find a home to fit their needs are returning this spring. They’re more determined than ever to buy too.
But the competition will likely be steep again this spring.
“Would-be buyers face a dilemma: There will be more homes on the market over each week of the next three to four months, but there will also be even more prospective buyers,” says Jonathan Smoke, realtor.com®’s chief economist. “We are entering the busiest season of home buying with the lowest amount of inventory in three years. To be competitive, buyers should get pre-approved for a mortgage and be ready to act quickly if they find a home that meets their needs.”
Officials from mortgage giant Freddie Mac have made a bold prediction: This year housing starts and home prices will reach their highest levels since 2006.
The main reasons behind its bullish forecast is low mortgage rates, an improving job market, and a gradual increase in housing supply.
“Housing markets are poised for their best year in a decade,” says Sean Becketti, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “In our latest forecast, total home sales, housing starts, and home prices will reach their highest levels since 2006.”
Certain features near a home — like cemeteries and power plants — could drag down a home’s price. By analyzing home prices and appreciation rates in the 100 largest metro areas with a “drag-me-down facility,” realtor.com® recently identified which could have the biggest impact.
Millennials may finally be ready to buy this spring, thanks to an improving job market, low mortgage rates, and record apartment rents. But the big question: Will they be able to?
This spring, first-time buyers may struggle to find a house. The number of homes in the lower-price market is severely limited. Inventory fell 8.2 percent in January from a year earlier for properties priced below $250,000, according to data from the National Association of REALTORS®.
The South and West score big in a new Forbes list of the fastest-growing cities. Factors in the Forbes analysis include population, economic and job growth, and median pay for college-educated workers. Find out where Seattle lands and who rocks the top 10!
Home buyers are demanding more home features that help them save energy and keep the home organized, a new study released by the National Association of Home Builders, “Housing Preferences of the Boomer Generation: How They Compare to Other Home Buyers” reveals.
However, the generations – millennials (born 1980 or later); Gen X’ers (born 1965-1979); baby boomers (born 1946-1964); and seniors (born 1945 or earlier) – do show some differences in what home features they value the most. In a nationwide survey of more than 4,300 home buyers, NAHB pinpointed those differences and which features each generation most desires.
The following are the home features most wanted by each generation…
About 16.5 million households – or 38.7 million Americans – move annually. But Americans need to carefully screen those who help them move to make sure all goes smoothly in relocating their belongings.
U.S. News & World Report recently highlighted these three warning signs when choosing a moving company.
Managing The Real Estate Details 