Tag Archive for: home pricing

NSA Index Is Reporting an Increase in Home Prices

The U.S. National Home Price NSA Index is reporting an increase of 4.3% over the peak of the same index in 2006, which was at its highest level right before the housing crash.  Home prices went up in June, 2017 5.8%, which was slightly higher than May’s 5.7% increase.  The index, which is formally called the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. 6-Lot 127 Maison du Lac Kitchen IslandNational Home Price NSA Index, was also up 43.7% above its lowest point in 2012 after the housing market crash.  Home prices have continually risen since the real estate market began its recovery, and they continue to climb. In fact, housing pricing reached another all time high in June.

“The trend of increasing home prices is continuing,” says David M. Blitzer, managing director and chairman of the Index Committee at S&P Dow Jones Indices. “Price increases are supported by a tight housing market. Both the number of homes for sale and the number of days a house is on the market have declined for four to five years. Currently the months-supply of existing homes for sale is low, at 4.2 months. In addition, housing starts remain below their pre-financial crisis peak as new home sales have not recovered as fast as existing home sales.”

According to Blitzer, the housing market now has the “problem” of not having enough supply to meet the demand.  Even with the increase in home pricing, there is a reason that home buyers are still purchasing homes for sale despite the continuous price increases.  Unemployment rates continue to decline, and jobs are being added to the market at an average pace of 200,000 jobs per month.  Mortgage rates have flinched with increases from the Federal Reserve, but they are still holding steady at or below 4%, which is a historically low interest rate for home buying purchases.

Click Here for the Source of the Information.

It’s a Seller’s Market

Home pricing, fast home sales, bidding wars, and tighter inventory are the national trends for people selling their homes in 85% of the major markets around the United States. As the housing recovery has had a steady and substantial upward trajectory since its crash in 2008, home pricing has been both a boon and a warning for 1-50 Natchez Trace Exterior Fronteconomists worried about too much, too fast causing a double-dip Recession scenario.  For now, for the first time in a long time, sellers have the advantage with a reported $44,000 increase in equity in a home sale during the 1st quarter of 2017.

This means that price gains from a purchase increased by $44,000, according to Attom Data Solutions’ report. There hasn’t been a sales gain this high since 2007.

“I am guessing we will see it get even better before it gets worse,” said Daren Blomquist, senior vice president at Attom. “If you are considering moving this spring, it could be a really good time to sell.”

This type of return on investment real estate sales results has caused bidding wars in competitive markets that have very low housing inventories. The time on the market for a home for sale has been a factor with an average of 45 days Large Rec room that can be converted to many different living spaces.for “normal” markets and an average of just 21 days for fast-moving markets. Some homeowners thinking about selling are holding on a bit longer to see if this home pricing increase trend continues before they are willing to sell – getting the most bang for their buck. Also, “warnings” in the industry are indicating that if they do sell their home and sell it quickly, they may be stranded looking for a place to buy as the inventory is so tight. So, it can be blessing and a curse – a two-edged sword.

According to the report, the median home price for the 1st quarter of 2017 was $225,000, which is a shocking 13% increase from just a year ago. For those homeowners who went “underwater” with their mortgages during the Recession, the increase in home pricing / home equity has been a huge help, but some markets such as Las Vegas and Miami are still struggling with their housing recovery. Las Vegas is still showing a 26% decline in home pricing and Miami is at 22%.

Click Here for the Source of the Information.

Challenges Facing Millennials to Buy a Home

With home pricing increasing in the last 3 consecutive quarters of 2016 and 2017, interest rates inching up because of the Fed allowing interest rate increases, and the supply of housing dwindling because of an active real estate market, the home buyers in the market to purchase a home are in for a lot of challenges as they try to find a home to2-324 TerraBella Front Porch View buy. Interestingly, the demographic of home buyers entering the market this spring is predicted to be 45% millennials.

“Millennials are mostly first-time buyers and they are competing against repeat buyers who have more buying leverage and experience,” said Javier Vivas, manager of economic research for Realtor.com. He added that Millennials recently became the dominant group of users searching for homes on the website.

Most millennials will probably be first-time home buyers, and these buyers new to the market will be going up against seasoned home buyers who know how to bargain and bid for the homes that they have been evaluating since last year. Combined with a rise of 7% in home values (according to Zillow) and a shortage of home for sale inventory in the housing market – approximately a 3% drop 2-352-B TerraBella Custom Home Exteriorcompared to the same time last year; millennials will need to approach their purchase decisions prepared both financially and proactively.

Homes going on the market in this type of environment are typically swooped up quickly or immediately have several people bidding on one house. Advice to these first-time buyers would be to establish your loan approval before even beginning the home search process so that you know exactly the type and price of home you can afford. Then, move quickly on any new homes for sale that come on the market.  If the bidding war gets out of control, move on to the next prospect because going out of your approval amount or budget will only hold up your ability to close the sale. Most of all, don’t get frustrated – interest rates, though going up slightly, are still historically lower than in any years past, making now an excellent time to buy a home.

Click Here for the Source of the Information.

Supply & Demand Drives Home Pricing

One of the key factors to success in any kind of business is supply and demand. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) agrees that this principle has boosted home pricing in the current housing market. NAR’s chief economist Lawrence Yun believes the housing market is still going strong because of the lack of inventory even though data shows a modest growth rate reduction.

Yun states,”…with homebuilding activity still failing to keep up with demand and not enough current homeowners2-Lot 91 Maison du Lac Unique Private Entryway putting their home up for sale, prices continued their strong ascent – and in many markets at a rate well above income growth.”

In the second quarter of last year the peak existing single-family home price was $229,400, this year however, the second quarter single-family home price has risen 4.9% with a median single-family home price of $240,700.

According to NAR findings, new construction cannot keep up with the demand for new homes.  In the second quarter this year 40% of the listings sold over their listing price. “Many listings in a majority of markets – and especially those in lower price ranges — had multiple offers and went under contract quickly because of severely inadequate supply,” Yun added.

This coupled with low mortgage rates have many potential home buyers wanting to purchase a new home now.  In the Northeast region there was a 7.6% increase in existing homes sales and the median home price increased to $273,600. The Midwest, though not as high of an increase, was 10.4% in total existing-home sales with a median 1-Lot 207 Front Exteriorprice of $191,300. The West came in next with a 1.4% increase in total existing-home sales with a median home price of $345,500.  The South came in last with a 0.3% increase with a median home price of $214,900.

Whether you are in the market to sell a home or purchase a home, now is the right time.  The housing market is holding strong and is a great investment for your money.  Locally in St. Tammany Parish, Ron Lee Homes, a new home builder in Covington, Louisiana, is building new homes for sale as well as completely custom homes designed completely from your vision of how you would like your new home to be.  We have been keeping a steady pace of new construction for the past 2 years, and we are constantly meeting with new custom home buyers as well as buyers who are looking for homes to buy immediately.  If you are interested in building or buying a new home, Contact Us at 985-626-7619 or E-mail [email protected].

Click Here For the Source of the Information.