First the bad news. I started the New Year with a cold. Now the good news. My phone is ringing, and there are buyers on the other end!
November and December were quiet. Depressingly quiet. To be honest, that’s not unusual…the holidays are usually pretty slow in the real estate business. But you combine a couple of slow months with worries about the economy, the unemployment rate, tight credit, and so on, and things can look pretty bleak.
Now that the New Year has dawned, people seem to be looking at houses again. Perhaps the news reports of big holiday spending have convinced the public that the sky isn’t falling. Maybe the upward creep of interest rates have prodded on-the-fence buyers into action. Or maybe it’s just the market returning to normal after the typical holiday slump. Whatever the reason, I am seeing more activity on my for-sale properties than I have in a while.
If you are one of those on-the-fence buyers, consider jumping off that fence. Prices are at historic lows. You can buy houses today at prices that haven’t been seen in 10 years or better. There are some very nice houses out there that have purchased as foreclosures, rehabbed, and are now back on the market in picture perfect condition. And interest rates (which are really more important to a buyer than price, if you intend to stay in the house for a while) are excellent. It is a “perfect storm” for house buyers. You won’t see a buyers market like this again in your lifetime…don’t let it slip away!
It sure is nice to have some good news to report!