The Real Reason Home Prices are Increasing There are many unsubstantiated theories as to why home values are continuing to increase. From those who are worried that lending standards are again becoming too lenient (data shows this is untrue), to those who are concerned that prices are again approaching boom peaks because of “irrational exuberance” (this is also untrue as prices are not at peak levels when they are adjusted for inflation), there seems to be no shortage of opinion. However, the increase in prices is easily explained by the theory of supply & demand. Whenever there is a limited supply of an item that is in high demand, prices increase. It is that simple. In real estate, it takes a six-month supply of existing salable inventory to maintain pricing stability. In most housing... 12/06/2017

Median Days on the Market Drops to 34! [INFOGRAPHIC] Some Highlights: The National Association of REALTORS® surveyed their members for their Confidence Index. The REALTORS® Confidence Index is a key indicator of housing market strength based on a monthly survey sent to over 50,000 real estate practitioners. Practitioners are asked about their expectations for home sales, prices and market conditions. Homes sold in less than 60 days in 44 out of 50 states, and Washington D.C. Homes typically went under contract in 34 days in October! Sellers, update your Current Market Value with a RPR Report , Email mikeperrykw@gmail.com to get started .       12/05/2017

The Cost of NOT Owning Your Home Owning a home has great financial benefits, yet many continue to rent! Today, let’s look at the financial reasons why owning a home of your own has been a part of the American Dream for as long as America has existed. Zillow recently reported that: “In reality, buying or renting a home is an intensely personal decision, with emotional and even financial considerations that go beyond whether to invest in this one (admittedly large) asset. Looking strictly at housing market numbers, there is a concrete point at which buying a home makes more financial sense than renting it.” What proof exists that owning is financially better than renting? 1. We recently highlighted the top 5 financial benefits of homeownership: Homeownership is a form of forced savings. H... 12/01/2017

2 Charts That Show the Truth about Home Affordability There is a lot of discussion about the current state of housing affordability for both first-time and move-up buyers, and much of the narrative is tarnished with a negative slant. However, the truth is that housing affordability is better today than at almost any time in our history. The naysayers are correct in the fact that affordability today is not as good as it has been over the last several years. But, we must remember that home prices collapsed during the housing crash, and distressed properties (foreclosures and short sales) kept home values depressed for years. When we compare affordability to the decades that proceeded the crash, a different story is revealed. Here is a graph of the National Association of Realtors’ Housing... 11/30/2017

Low Interest Rates Have a High Impact on Your Purchasing Power According to Freddie Mac’s latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey, interest rates for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage are currently at 3.92%, which is still near record lows in comparison to recent history! The interest rate you secure when buying a home not only greatly impacts your monthly housing costs, but also impacts your purchasing power. Purchasing power, simply put, is the amount of home you can afford to buy for the budget you have available to spend. As rates increase, the price of the house you can afford will decrease if you plan to stay within a certain monthly housing budget. The chart below shows what impact rising interest rates would have if you planned to purchase a home within the national median price range... 11/28/2017

Access is an Important Factor in Getting Your House SOLD! So, you’ve decided to sell your house. You’ve hired a real estate professional to help you with the entire process, and they have asked you what level of access you want to provide to potential buyers. There are four elements to a quality listing. At the top of the list is Access, followed by Condition, Financing, and Price. There are many levels of access that you can provide to your agent so that he or she can show your home. Here are five levels of access that you can give to buyers, along with a brief description: Lockbox on the Door – this allows buyers the ability to see the home as soon as they are aware of the listing, or at their convenience. Providing a Key to the Home – although the buyer’s agent may need to stop by an... 11/26/2017

 Is it Getting Too Easy to Get a Mortgage ? There is little doubt that it is easier to get a home mortgage today than it was last year. The Mortgage Credit Availability Index (MCAI), published by the Mortgage Bankers Association, shows that mortgage credit has become more available in each of the last several years. In fact, in just the last year: More buyers are putting less than 20% down to purchase a home The average credit score on closed mortgages is lower More low-down-payment programs have been introduced This has some people worrying that we are returning to the lax lending standards which led to the boom and bust that real estate experienced ten years ago. Let’s alleviate some of that concern. The graph below shows the MCAI going back to the boom years of 2004-2005. The higher ... 11/25/2017

Lancaster,PA Home Sales Slowed by a Lack of Listings ! Some Highlights: The inventory of existing homes for sale has dropped year-over-year for the last 29 consecutive months and is now at a 3.9-month supply. Existing home sales are currently at an annual pace of 5.48 million, the highest pace since June of this year, but down 0.9% from October 2016. NAR’s Chief Economist, Lawrence Yun, had this to say: “While the housing market gained a little more momentum last month, sales are still below year ago levels because low inventory is limiting choices for prospective buyers and keeping price growth elevated.”   Sellers,it's clear that this Winter will be a great opportunity to market your property ! Email mikeperrykw@gmail.com to get an updated report.   11/24/2017

Homeowners: Your House Must Be Sold TWICE In today’s housing market, where supply is very low and demand is very high, home values are increasing rapidly. Many experts are projecting that home values could appreciate by another 5%+ over the next twelve months. One major challenge in such a market is the bank appraisal. If prices are surging, it is difficult for appraisers to find adequate, comparable sales (similar houses in the neighborhood that recently closed) to defend the selling price when performing the appraisal for the bank. Every month in their Home Price Perception Index (HPPI), Quicken Loans measures the disparity between what a homeowner who is seeking to refinance their home believes their house is worth, and an appraiser’s evaluation of that same home. Bill Banfield, Exec... 11/21/2017

Mortgage Interest Rates Are Going Up… 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 that they may no longer be able to get a rate below 3.5%. 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,... 11/20/2017

      As I look at the Market I live in , West Lampeter Twp.(Lancaster Co., PA) ,I can see a trend . Properties that are staged to sell and priced below $250,000are selling in days ! Homes listed  for sale between $250,000 -$375,000 are going Under Agreement(UA) in 45-70 days . In both of these two Price Pointsthere is scarcity as Demand is out pacing Supply . But beyond these two Price Points , it's a different story . Homes priced at $400,000 and above arenot (across the board) experiencing the same pace of success . Many real estate agents are not aware of this and are using marketing that has succeeded in the lower Price Points . Unfortunately Days On Market (DOM) are piling up.      So what's needed to sell your above $400,000 property ?  It will take a proactive Internet based Mar... 11/19/2017

Top 4 Home Renovations for Maximum ROI Some Highlights: Whether you are selling your home, just purchased your first home, or are a homeowner planning to stay put for a while, there is value in knowing which home improvement projects will net you the most “Return On Investment” (ROI). While big projects like adding a bathroom or a complete remodel of a kitchen are popular ways to increase a home’s value, something as simple as updating landscaping and curb appeal can have a quick impact on a home’s value. But please keep in mind that any improvement you make will not guarntee an exact dollar for dollar return .    For more information about Preparing Your Home for Sale , email mikeperrykw@gmail.com  . 11/17/2017

Your Friends Are Crazy Wrong If They're Telling You Not to Buy The current narrative is that home prices have risen so much so that it is no longer a smart idea to purchase a home. Your family and friends might suggest that buying a home right now (whether a first-time home or a move-up home) makes absolutely no sense from an affordability standpoint. They are wrong! Homes are more affordable right now than at almost any time in our country’s history except for the foreclosure years (2009-2015) when homes sold at major discounts. As an example, below is a graph from the latest Black Knight Mortgage Monitor showing the percentage of median income needed to buy a medium-priced home in the country today in comparison to prior to the housing bubble and bust. As we can see, the percentage ne... 11/16/2017

Feeling ‘Stuck in Place’? You Aren’t Alone… And There’s Hope! Whether you are a renter who is searching for your dream home or a homeowner who feels like your only option is to renovate, you have at least one thing in common: feeling stuck in place. According to data from the National Association of Realtors’ Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers, the average amount of time that a family stays in their home remained at 10 years in 2017. This mark ties the highest marks set in 2014 and 2016. Back in 1985, when data was first collected on this subject, homeowners stayed in their homes for an average of only 5 years. There are many reasons why homeowners have decided to stay and not to sell. A recent Wall Street Journal article had this to say, “Americans aren’t moving in part because inventory... 11/15/2017

7 Reasons to List Your Home This Holiday Season 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 seven great reasons not to wait: Relocation buyers are out there. Many companies are still hiring throughout the holidays and need their employees in their new positions as soon as possible. Purchasers who are looking for homes during the holidays are serious buyers and are ready to buy now. You can restrict the showings on your home to the times you want it shown. You will remain in control. Homes show better when decorated for the holidays. There is less competition for you as a seller right n... 11/14/2017

5 Reasons Homeownership Makes ‘Cents’ The American Dream of homeownership is alive and well. Recent reports show that the US homeownership rate has rebounded from recent lows and is headed in the right direction. The personal reasons to own differ for each buyer, but there are many basic similarities. Today I want to talk about the top 5 financial reasons you should own your own home. Homeownership is a form of forced savings – Paying your mortgage each month allows you to build equity in your home that you can tap into later in life for renovations, to pay off high-interest credit card debt, or even send a child to college. As a renter, you guarantee that your landlord is the person with that equity. Homeownership provides tax savings – One way to save on taxes is to own your own home.... 11/13/2017

A Housing Bubble? Industry Experts Say NO! With residential home prices continuing to appreciate at levels above historic norms, some are questioning if we are heading toward another housing bubble (and subsequent burst) like the one we experienced in 2006-2008. Recently, five housing experts weighed in on the question. Rick Sharga, Executive VP at Ten-X: “We’re definitely not in a bubble.” “We have a handful of markets that are frothy and probably have hit an affordability wall of sorts but…while prices nominally have surpassed the 2006 peak, we’re not talking about 2006 dollars.” Christopher Thornberg, Partner at Beacon Economics: “There is no direct or indirect sign of any kind of bubble.” “Steady as she goes. Prices continue to rise. Sales roughly flat.…Overall this market is in an ... 11/12/2017

Veterans Affairs Loans by the Numbers Some Highlights: Since the creation of the VA Home Loans Program, 22 million veterans have been able to achieve the American Dream of homeownership. So far in 2017, $188 billion has been loaned to veterans and their families through the program. VA Purchase Loans are on the rise in 46 out of 50 states and Washington, DC.  This a great loan that will allow Veterans to buy a home with absolutely NO out of pocket money ! Email mikeperrykw@gmail.com to get started !     11/11/2017

Multigenerational Households May Be the Answer to Price Increases Multigenerational homes are coming back in a big way! In the 1950s, about 21%, or 32.2 million Americans shared a roof with their grown children or parents. According to an article by Realtor.com, “Nearly 1 in 5 Americans is now living in a multigenerational household – a household with two or more adult generations, or grandparents living with grandchildren – a level that hasn’t been seen in the U.S. since 1950.” Another report that proves this point is the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) 2017 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers which states that 13% of home buyers purchased multigenerational homes last year. The top 3 reasons for purchasing this type of home were: To take care of aging parents (22%, up from 19% l... 11/10/2017

Low Inventory Causes Home Prices to Maintain Fast Growth The National Association of Realtors (NAR) released their latest Quarterly Metro Home Price Report last week. The report revealed that severely lacking inventory across the country drained sales growth and kept home prices rising at a steady clip in nearly all metro areas. Home prices rose 5.3% over the last quarter across all metros. Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at NAR, discussed the impact of low inventory on buyers in the report: “Unfortunately, the pace of new listings were unable to replace what was quickly sold. Home shoppers had little to choose from, and many had to outbid others in order to close on a home. The end result was a slowdown in sales from earlier in the year, steadfast price growth and weakening affordability... 11/10/2017