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Lancaster, PA Real Estate News

By Michael J. Perry, Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist
(KW Elite )
The Foreclosure Crisis: 10 Years Later CoreLogic recently released a report entitled, United States Residential Foreclosure Crisis: 10 Years Later, in which they examined the years leading up to the crisis all the way through to present day. With a peak in 2010 when nearly 1.2 million homes were foreclosed on, over 7.7 million families lost their homes throughout the entire foreclosure crisis. Dr. Frank Nothaft, Chief Economist for CoreLogic, had this to say, “The country experienced a wild ride in the mortgage market between 2008 and 2012, with the foreclosure peak occurring in 2010. As we look back over 10 years of the foreclosure crisis, we cannot ignore the connection between jobs and homeownership. A healthy economy is driven by jobs coupled with consumer confidence that usually le...
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By Michael J. Perry, Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist
(KW Elite )
How Low Supply & High Demand Impacts the Real Estate Market Some Highlights: The concept of Supply & Demand is a simple one. The best time to sell something is when the supply of that item is low & the demand for that item is high! Anything under a 6-month supply is a Seller’s Market! There has not been a 6-months inventory supply since August 2012! Buyer Demand continues to outpace Seller Supply! Supply is very low right now and not likely to improve soon ! Buyers , your first step is to obtain Mortgage Pre-Approval  ! Email   mikeperrykw@gmail.com  for more details !
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By Michael J. Perry, Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist
(KW Elite )
What Are the Experts Saying about Mortgage Rates? Mortgage interest rates have risen over the last few months and projections are that they will continue their upswing throughout 2017. What impact will this have on the housing market? Here is what the experts are saying: Laurie Goodman, Co-director of the Urban Institute’s Housing Finance Policy Center: “In 1984, 1994, 2000, and 2013, every time we have rate increases, we have increases in nominal home prices. We expect this to be more pronounced, as there is a big demand-and-supply gap at the present time.” Scott Anderson, Chief Economist for Bank of the West: “The tightening labor market, rising wage growth, high levels of consumer confidence and a millennial generation with a pent-up demand for housing should allow the housing market...
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By Michael J. Perry, Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist
(KW Elite )
It's a Seller's Market! Should I Downsize Now? A study by Edelman Berland reveals that 33% of homeowners who are contemplating selling their houses in the near future are planning to scale down. Let’s look at a few reasons why this might make sense for many homeowners, as the majority of the country is currently experiencing a seller’s market. In a blog, Dave Ramsey, the financial guru, highlighted the advantages of selling your current house and downsizing into a smaller home that better serves your current needs. Ramsey explains three potential financial advantages to downsizing: A smaller home means less space, but it also means less time, stress and money spent on upkeep. Let’s assume you save $500 a month on your mortgage payment. In 30 years, you could have an additional $1–1.6 mi...
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By Michael J. Perry, Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist
(KW Elite )
4 Great Reasons to Buy This Spring! Here are four great reasons to consider buying a home today instead of waiting. 1. Prices Will Continue to Rise CoreLogic’s latest Home Price Index reports that home prices have appreciated by 6.9% over the last 12 months. The same report predicts that prices will continue to increase at a rate of 4.8% over the next year. The bottom in home prices has come and gone. Home values will continue to appreciate for years. Waiting no longer makes sense. 2. Mortgage Interest Rates Are Projected to Increase Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey shows that interest rates for a 30-year mortgage have remained around 4% over the last couple months. The Mortgage Bankers Association, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac & the National Association of Realtors are in unison...
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By Michael J. Perry, Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist
(KW Elite )
Don’t Let Your Luck Run Out ! Some Highlights: The “Cost of Waiting to Buy” is defined as the additional funds it would take to buy a home if prices and interest rates were to increase over a period of time. Freddie Mac predicts that interest rates will increase to 4.8% by this time next year, while home prices are predicted to appreciate by 4.8% according to CoreLogic. Waiting until next year to buy could cost you thousands of dollars a year for the life of your mortgage! Buyers , waiting doesn't pay - you will lose Purchasing Power ! You need to obtain Mortgage Pre-Approval ! Email  mikeperrykw@gmail.com  
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By Michael J. Perry, Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist
(KW Elite )
Which Homes Have Appreciated the Most? Home values have risen dramatically over the last twelve months. The latest Existing Home Sales Report from the National Association of Realtors puts the annual increase in the median existing-home price at 7.1%. CoreLogic, in their most recent Home Price Insights Report, reveals that national home prices have increased by 6.9% year-over-year. The CoreLogic report broke down appreciation even further into four different price categories: Lower Priced Homes: priced at 75% or less of the median Low-to-Middle Priced Homes: priced between 75-100% of the median Middle-to-Moderate Priced Homes: priced between 100-125% of the median High Price Homes: priced greater than 125% of the median Here is how each category did in 2016: Bottom Line The lower priced...
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By Michael J. Perry, Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist
(KW Elite )
A Tale of Two Markets: Inventory Mismatch Paints a More Detailed Picture The inventory of existing homes for sale in today’s market was recently reported to be at a 3.6-month supply according to the National Association of Realtors latest Existing Home Sales Report. Inventory is now 7.1% lower than this time last year, marking the 20th consecutive month of year-over-year drops. Historically, inventory must reach a 6-month supply for a normal market where home prices appreciate with inflation. Anything less than a 6-month supply is a sellers’ market, where the demand for houses outpaces supply and prices go up. As you can see from the chart below, the United States has been in a sellers’ market since August 2012, but last month’s numbers reached a new low. Recently Trulia revealed that n...
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By Michael J. Perry, Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist
(KW Elite )
Mortgage Interest Rates Went Up Again… Should I Wait to Buy? Mortgage interest rates, as reported by Freddie Mac, have increased over the last several weeks. Freddie Mac, along with Fannie Mae, the Mortgage Bankers Association and the National Association of Realtors, is calling for mortgage rates to continue to rise over the next four quarters. This has caused some purchasers to lament the fact they may no longer be able to get a rate below 4%. However, we must realize that current rates are still at historic lows. Here is a chart showing the average mortgage interest rate over the last several decades. Bottom Line Though you may have missed getting the lowest mortgage rate ever offered, you can still get a better interest rate than your older brother or sister did ten years ago, a low...
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By Michael J. Perry, Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist
(KW Elite )
How to Get the Most Money When Selling Your Home Every homeowner wants to make sure they get the best price when selling their home. But how do you guarantee that you receive maximum value for your house? Here are two keys to ensuring you get the highest price possible. 1. Price it a LITTLE LOW  This may seem counterintuitive. However, let’s look at this concept for a moment. Many homeowners think that pricing their home a little OVER market value will leave them room for negotiation. In reality, this just dramatically lessens the demand for their house (see chart below). Instead of the seller trying to ‘win’ the negotiation with one buyer, they should price it so that demand for the home is maximized. By doing this, the seller will not be fighting with a buyer over the price, but will ...
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By Michael J. Perry, Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist
(KW Elite )
     Most real estate agents clearly know that Print Media is dead ! It's almost impossible to find anyoneunder age 50 who is reading a newspaper ! Additionally Today's Mobile App World wouldn't dreamof grabbing a Homes Magazine to conduct a through Property Search ! It's also clear that the Internetis King of the Hill. Many agents have started to get involved and have set up accounts & pages . ButSocial Media can not be a Billboard type of relationship ! You must supply your readership withquality content !     The Perry Property Group believes in Content Marketing coupled with professional Video . Pleasetake a look at the following links to experience our work : Click on the links below   Perry Property Group Marketing Success - https://youtu.be/obNXd1kquzcWalkthrough Video Examples -...
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By Michael J. Perry, Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist
(KW Elite )
Builder Confidence Hits 11-Year High In many areas of the country, there are not enough homes for sale to satisfy the number of buyers looking to purchase their dream homes. Experts have long proposed that a ramp-up in new, single-family home construction would be one of the many ways to overcome this inventory shortage. According to a recent survey conducted by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and Wells Fargo, housing market confidence amongst builders reached an 11-year high last month. What Does High Confidence Mean for the Housing Market? In a recent interview, Rob Dietz, Chief Economist and SVP for NAHB, put it this way: “Higher market confidence will translate into more building and more inventory in 2017. We expect single-family construction to grow 10 percent nex...
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By Michael J. Perry, Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist
(KW Elite )
Spring Forward: The Difference An Hour Makes Some Highlights: Don’t forget to set your clocks forward this Sunday, March 12th at 2:00 AM EST in observance of Daylight Savings Time. Unless of course, you are a resident of Arizona or Hawaii! Every hour in the United States: 649 homes are sold, 177 homes regain equity (meaning they are no longer underwater on their mortgage), and the median home price rises $1.86! Obtain a 25+ page Property Report updating Current Market on any Lancaster  Co., PA property ! Email  mikeperrykw@gmail.com  
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By Michael J. Perry, Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist
(KW Elite )
Housing Market Expected to “Spring Forward” Just like our clocks this weekend in the majority of the country, the housing market will soon “spring forward!” Similar to tension in a spring, the lack of inventory available for sale in the market right now is what is holding back the market. Many potential sellers believe that waiting until Spring is in their best interest, and traditionally they would have been right. Buyer demand has seasonality to it, which usually falls off in the winter months, especially in areas of the country impacted by arctic temperatures and conditions. That hasn’t happened this year. Demand for housing has remained strong as mortgage rates have remained near historic lows. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) recently reported that the top 10 dates seller...
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By Michael J. Perry, Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist
(KW Elite )
Thinking of Selling? Do it TODAY!! That headline might be a little aggressive. However, as the data on the 2017 housing market begins to roll in, we can definitely say one thing: If you are considering selling, IT IS TIME TO LIST YOUR HOME! The February numbers are not in yet, but the January numbers were sensational. Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist for the National Association of Realtors, said: “Much of the country saw robust sales activity last month as strong hiring and improved consumer confidence at the end of last year appear to have sparked considerable interest in buying a home. Market challenges remain, but the housing market is off to a prosperous start as homebuyers staved off inventory levels that are far from adequate…” And CNBC says consumer confidence in the economy is fue...
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By Michael J. Perry, Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist
(KW Elite )
The Connection Between Home Prices & Family Wealth Over the next five years, home prices are expected to appreciate 3.22% per year on average and to grow by 17.3% cumulatively, according to Pulsenomics’ most recent Home Price Expectation Survey. So, what does this mean for homeowners and their equity position? As an example, let’s assume a young couple purchased and closed on a $250,000 home in January. If we look at only the projected increase in the price of that home, how much equity will they earn over the next 5 years? Since the experts predict that home prices will increase by 4.4% this year alone, the young homeowners will have gained $11,000 in equity in just one year. Over a five-year period, their equity will increase by nearly $43,000! This figure does not even take into acco...
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By Michael J. Perry, Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist
(KW Elite )
Where Did Americans Move in 2016? Some Highlights: For the 5th year in a row, the Northeast saw a concentration of “High Outbound” activity. For the first time ever, South Dakota held the top spot for “High Inbound” states. Much of America’s outbound activity can be attributed to Boomers relocating to warmer climates after retiring.  
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By Michael J. Perry, Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist
(KW Elite )
Mortgage Rates Impact on 2017 Home Values There is no doubt that historically low mortgage interest rates were a major impetus to housing recovery over the last several years. However, many industry experts are showing concern about the possible effect that the rising rates will have moving forward. The Mortgage Bankers Association, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the National Association of Realtors are all projecting that mortgage interest rates will move upward in 2017. Increasing interest rates will definitely impact purchasers and may stifle demand. In a recent study of industry experts, “rising mortgage interest rates, and their impact on mortgage affordability” was named by 56% as the force they think will have the most significant impact on U.S. housing in 2017. If rising rates slow...
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By Michael J. Perry, Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist
(KW Elite )
Over Half of All Buyers Are Surprised by Closing Costs According to a recent survey conducted by ClosingCorp, over half of all homebuyers are surprised by the closing costs required to obtain their mortgage. After surveying 1,000 first-time and repeat homebuyers, the results revealed that 17% of homebuyers were surprised that closing costs were required at all, while another 35% were stunned by how much higher the fees were than expected. “Homebuyers reported being most surprised by mortgage insurance, followed by bank fees and points, taxes, title insurance and appraisal fees.” Bankrate.com recently gathered closing cost data from lenders in every state and Washington, D.C. to be able to share the average costs in each state. The map below was created using the closing costs on a $200,...
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By Michael J. Perry, Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist
(KW Elite )
How Long Do Most Families Stay in Their Home? The National Association of Realtors (NAR) keeps historical data on many aspects of homeownership. One of the data points that has changed dramatically is the median tenure of a family in a home. As the graph below shows, for over twenty years (1985-2008), the median tenure averaged exactly six years. However, since 2008, that average is almost nine years – an increase of almost 50%. Why the dramatic increase? The reasons for this change are plentiful! The fall in home prices during the housing crisis left many homeowners in a negative equity situation (where their home was worth less than the mortgage on the property). Also, the uncertainty of the economy made some homeowners much more fiscally conservative about making a move. With home pr...
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