1. People who look for a home during the holidays tend to be more serious buyers !
2.  Serious buyers have fewer homes to choose from during the holiday season and less competition means more money for you!
3. Since the supply of homes on the market will dramatically increase in January, there will be less demand for your particular home! Less demand means less money for you!
4. Homes show better when decorated for the holidays!
5. Buyers are more emotional during the holidays, so they are more likely to pay your asking price!
6. Buyers have more flexibility and time to look for a home during the work week of the holiday season!
7. Some people buy before the end of the year for tax reasons!
8. January is traditionally the month for employees to begin new jobs. Since transferees cannot wait until the spring to buy, your home must be on the market NOW to capture those buyers!
9. Your home can still be on the market, but you always have the option to restrict showings on or before the holidays!
10. You can sell NOW for more money and we can provide a delayed closing or extended occupancy until early January!
11. By selling your home now, you may have an opportunity to be a non-contingent buyer during the spring, when many more homes are on the market for less money! This will allow you more of an opportunity to sell high and buy low!
    

    Coldwell Banker Howard Perry & Walston

Pretty much whenever I go for a coffee, I have a conversation with folks and inevitably we talk about Real Estate.  “How’s the market?” to which I always reply “It depends” Fortunately Raleigh, Cary and the Triangle area have not sufffered as dearly as other parts of the country. With a large number of properties on the market it will feel like a lifetime before things improve.

As the old saying goes “One man poison is another one’s punch” To that end short sales, foreclosures have helped some get into the market where at another time they have not had the luxury.

The good news is we are seeing a positive change in the Raleigh, Wake Forest and Rolesville market. One could opine that it is the historically low interest rates, the first time home-buyer credit for $8000 or perhaps sellers are finally lowering prices. Buyers are coming into the market we are moving inventory.

In the end the meeting of the minds, or a reasonable Buyer and Seller negotiation with a great agent will get the job done.

Credit Suisse publishes a monthly National Real Estate Report. Here are some excerpts from the April Market Trend.

Highlights- Agents are seeing buying traffic increase over the past 30 days, however below expectations. The interesting piece being of those surveyed 41% stated below, 36% said it met and another 24% said it exceeded.

Pricing and Incentive Trends worsen- Home Prices fell further in April and incentives appear to be trending higher.

Time needed to sell a home lengthened– A negative indicator for future pricing trends. Of the agents surveyed over half stated time to sell was unchanged relative to March, while 41% stated it was longer and fewer said it was shorter. Overall view the longer time to sell was a negative indicator.  ” Buyers, are still uncertain about the economy and their job security despite favorable interest rates and prices”

I look forward to this monthly update, as it does give a National Perspective.  Overall the Raleigh market has faired quite well and as we see a stabilization in the economy and jobs markets will give more buoyancy to our area.

On many occasions as a Realtor you find yourself in interesting conversations about the current economy, the pitfalls, doom and gloom and yes “Is it a good time to buy” ? Now I’ll be completely honest with you, I don’t know if home prices in general will continue to fall or rise but I am certain we are seeing some stability.

The great news is we are seeing sentiment improving.  I say sentiment because every individual, couple and families have a different set of circumstances. We all share the national story of a slowing economy a housing correction, and for the past 12 months or more we have been inundated with doom and gloom.

Yes sentiment is changing for the better in Raleigh, Cary, and Wake Forest. I’m witnessing it first hand as people have expressed to me more recently that they are changing their own perspectives and searching for the positive in their circumstances. Some of these folks have been laid off, looking for employment and face many uncertainties.

I don’t want to generalize, however it’s hard not too.  Input effects output plain and simple. Hats off to all of the folks across this great country who recognise the sun will rise and set …………….for the rest change the channel

Cheers

Jeff

P.s Sneak a peek              http://www.cpgtours.com/3914

At long last the long awaited Rex Healthcare Wakefield Campus has opened in North Raleigh, near Capital Blvd at the intersection of South Main and Wakefield Drive.  

The new facility provides cancer treatment, outpatient surgery, urgent care, wellness services , a sleep lab and doctor’s offices. 

The overall trend of large hospitals opening satellite operations should boost the already popular residential developments of Heritage Wake Forest, Wakefield and the more northern Wake, Franklin and Granville counties.