Why Waiting Until After the Holidays to Sell Isn’t a Smart Decision

Every year at this time, many homeowners decide to wait until after the holidays to put their homes on the market for the first time, while others who already have their homes on the market decide to take them off until after the holidays. Here are six great reasons not to wait:

1. Relocation buyers are out there. Companies are not concerned with holiday time and if the buyers have kids, they want them to get into school after the holidays.

2. Purchasers that are looking for a home during the holidays are serious buyers and are ready to buy.

3. You can restrict the showings on your home to the times you want it shown. You will remain in control.

4. Homes show better when decorated for the holidays. 

5. There is less competition for you as a seller right now. Let’s take a look at listing inventory as compared to the same time last year:

6. The supply of listings increases substantially after the holidays. Also, in many parts of the country, new construction will continue to surge reaching new heights in 2017, which will lessen the demand for your house.

Bottom Line

Waiting until after the holidays to sell your home probably doesn’t make sense.

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How Trump's Presidency Could Impact Real Estate

What a pivotal moment in world history can teach us today

In 1989, ten years after I studied Cold War policy and politics in East and West Europe while living in Germany, citizens on both sides of the Berlin Wall used hammers and small chisels to destroy this symbol of communist oppression that had stood for 28 long and heartbreaking years. I snapped this photo from my dorm room in 1979 using a Kodak Instamatic—a far cry from today’s digital cameras.

The wall didn’t just physically divide a city—it was a chasm of political philosophies, where personal freedoms like free elections, religious choice, and basic human rights were oppressed.

The wall fell on November 9, 1989, and Germans still pause on this day each year to celebrate the democratic freedoms all of them now enjoy.

This week, while Germany was honoring the anniversary of the Berlin Wall destruction, the United States of America was practicing democracy in another way—the American election.

Candidates engaged in races at all levels of government across the country, from school boards and city councils to state houses. Then, in the early hours of November 9, winners were announced.

Now that votes are tallied, we’re seeing people express their attitudes and opinions about the outcomes in uniquely American post-election celebrations and protests.

After personally witnessing a city physically divided and then reunited, I have grown to believe this free expression of ideals is actually the cornerstone of democracy.

Even though we may be divided by political perspectives, the world watched as defeated candidates conceded their races and newly-elected officeholders almost immediately shrugged off the slings and arrows of difficult campaigns and began to unite behind what is best for their constituencies. 

This magnanimous transfer of power is the envy of the world. While our campaigns have become too negative, personal, expensive, and lengthy, the final analysis is something to celebrate.

After her defeat in the race for the highest elected office in America, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton explained this perspective best in a gracious concession speech.

She told her supporters, “I count my blessings every single day that I am an American, and I still believe as deeply as I ever have that if we stand together and work together with respect for our differences, strength in our convictions, and love for this nation, our best days are still ahead of us. Because, you know, I believe we are stronger together, and we will go forward together. And you should never, ever regret fighting for that.”

If your candidate of choice didn’t win on November 8, use this opportunity to stay engaged in the political process.

And join me in being thankful that the only dividing line we have to face is philosophical.

Mark Lehman is vice president of Governmental Affairs for the Texas Association of REALTORS®.

Why not manage your own rental house? Three reasons

Sure, you could handle all the tasks necessary to manage the rental property you own. Before you make that commitment, ask yourself the following:

Do you know the laws pertaining to rental property?

Do you know when you’re required to change locks, what you can deduct from a security deposit, when you can access the property, and where smoke detectors are required? There are also fair housing laws to consider, rules concerning applications, and more. 

Will you be available when problems arise? Do you know what to do?

What will you do when there’s a plumbing problem or the AC doesn’t come on? What if there’s a burglary? What are your options if the tenant stops paying rent or leaves before the end of the lease?

What do you know about the market?

If you ask too much for rent, you’ll lose money waiting for a renter who will never materialize. Ask too little and you’ll lose money month after month. You’ll also want to keep up with the market so you know when to raise rents and what to ask the next time you have tenant turnover.

Fortunately, you can hire a Texas REALTOR® to handle all of the above for you. Your REALTOR® can also collect rent, market your property, and a take care of other tasks that come with being a landlord. To find a Texas REALTOR® to manage your property, ask friends for a referral—or you can use the Find a Texas REALTOR® search on texasrealestate.com.  

VA Requires Electronic Condo Documents

Effective as of November 3, 2016, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will only accept electronically submitted condominium documents when processing the approval of condominium projects.

The relevant condominium association documents must be uploaded through Web LGY, the VA’s web-based loan guaranty system accessible to VA lenders. The VA expects electronic submission of condominium documents to reduce the current time and cost associated with VA condominium project approval.

… Read More

Brass doorknobs disinfect themselves...

The Truth About Housing Affordability

From a purely economic perspective, this is one of the best times in American history to buy a home. Black Night Financial Services discusses this in their most recent Monthly Mortgage Monitor. Here are two of the report’s revelations:

1. The average U.S. home value increased by $13,500 from last year, but low interest rates have kept the monthly principal & interest payment needed to purchase a median-priced home almost equal to one year ago.
2. Home affordability still remains favorable compared to long-term historic norms.

The report explains:

“Even though the value of the average home in the U.S. increased by about $13,500 over the last year, thanks to declining interest rates it actually costs almost exactly the same in principal and interest each month to purchase as it did this time last year. Even taking into account the fact that affordability can vary – sometimes significantly – across the country based upon the different rates of home price appreciation we’re seeing, that’s a pretty incredible balancing act between interest rates and home prices at the national level… Right now, it takes 20 percent of the median monthly income to cover monthly payments on the median-priced home, which is well below historical norms.” However, the report warns that affordability will be dramatically impacted by an increase in mortgage rates. “A half-point increase in interest rates would be equivalent to a $17,000 jump in the average home price, and bring that ratio to 21.5 percent. This increase is still below historical norms, but puts more pressure on homebuyers.”

Bottom Line

If you are ready and willing to purchase a home of your own, find out if you’re able to. Now is a great time to jump in.

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The Dangers of “Tight Mortgage Credit” Headlines

The availability of mortgage credit is not at the same level that it was during the boom in housing (2005), and that’s good news. However, the constant headlines which talk about “tight credit” are causing some potential home buyers to doubt their ability to purchase. We want to rectify the misconception of what is required for a down payment in order to purchase a home in today’s market. Freddie Mac recently discussed the confusion many first-time homebuyers have about the down payment they need in order to buy:

“Did you know that the average down payment among first–time homebuyers is 6% and it’s 13–14% for repeat buyers…It’s possible to put down even less. Many potential homebuyers think that only the FHA helps make mortgage loans with low down payments. Not true. Freddie Mac’s Home Possible mortgage products let qualified homebuyers put down as little as 3%.”

Brenda Garcia Lemus of John Burns Real Estate Consulting reports that this is also the case with newly constructed homes:

“Our home-builder clients sell hundreds of homes every weekend to buyers with 5% down payments and below average credit scores. Yet, many middle-income households with average credit and access to a 5% down payment assume they cannot become homeowners because of the ‘tight credit’ headlines.”

Bottom Line

Before you ‘disqualify’ yourself, check with a professional in your market to find out what is possible in mortgaging today.

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It’s Not Always Marriage Before Mortgage

There are many people sitting on the sidelines trying to decide if they should purchase a home or sign a rental lease. Some might wonder if it makes sense to purchase a house before they are married and have a family. Others may think they are too young. And still, others might think their current income would never enable them to qualify for a mortgage. We want to share what the typical first-time homebuyer actually looks like based on the National Association of REALTORS most recent Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers. Here are some interesting statistics on the first-time buyer: Unmarried couples jumped up to the third spot, right after their married counterparts and single women. Many couples are buying a home before spending what would be a down payment on a wedding.

Bottom Line

You may not be much different than many people who have already purchased their first home. Meet with a local real estate professional today who can help determine if your dream home is within your grasp.

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NAR Reports Show Now Is a Great Time to Sell!

We all realize that the best time to sell anything is when demand is high and the supply of that item is limited. The last two major reports issued by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) revealed information that suggests that now continues to be a great time to sell your house. Let’s look at the data covered by the latest Pending Home Sales Report and Existing Home Sales Report.

THE PENDING HOME SALES REPORT

The report announced that pending home sales (homes going into contract) are up 2.4% over last year, and have increased year-over-year now for 22 of the last 25 consecutive months. Lawrence Yun, NAR’s Chief Economist, had this to say:

“The one major predicament in the housing market is without a doubt the painfully low levels of housing inventory in much of the country. It’s leading to home prices outpacing wages, properties selling a lot quicker than a year ago and the home search for many prospective buyers being highly competitive and drawn out because of a shortage of listings at affordable prices.”

Takeaway: Demand for housing will continue throughout the end of 2016 and into 2017. The seasonal slowdown often felt in the winter months did not occur last winter and shows no signs of returning this year.

THE EXISTING HOME SALES REPORT

The most important data point revealed in the report was not sales, but was instead the inventory of homes for sale (supply). The report explained:

• Total housing inventory rose 1.5% to 2.04 million homes available for sale
• That represents a 4.5-month supply at the current sales pace
• Unsold inventory is 6.8% lower than a year ago, marking the 16^th consecutive month with year-over-year declines

There were two more interesting comments made by Yun in the report:

“Inventory has been extremely tight all year and is unlikely to improve now that the seasonal decline in listings is about to kick in. Unfortunately, there won’t be much relief from new home construction, which continues to be grossly inadequate in relation to demand.”

In real estate, there is a guideline that often applies; when there is less than a 6-month supply of inventory available, we are in a seller’s market and we will see appreciation. Between 6-7 months is a neutral market, where prices will increase at the rate of inflation. More than a 7-month supply means we are in a buyer’s market and should expect depreciation in home values. As Yun notes, we are, and will remain, in a seller’s market with prices still increasing unless more listings come to the market.

“There’s hope the leap in sales to first-time buyers can stick through the rest of the year and into next spring. The market fundamentals — primarily consistent job gains and affordable mortgage rates — are there for the steady rise in first-timers needed to finally reverse the decline in the homeownership rate.”

Takeaway: Inventory of homes for sale is still well below the 6-month supply needed for a normal market. Prices will continue to rise if a ‘sizable’ supply does not enter the market.

Bottom Line

If you are going to sell, now may be the time to take advantage of the ready, willing, and able buyers that are still out looking for your house.

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