As the economy tanked, and the election rhetoric soared, I stopped blogging. It's hard to share news and ideas when the landscape is shifting every day. And even though nothing is any clearer now (to me) than it was 8 weeks ago, it's time to write about it anyway.
We sent out our Autumn newsletter in late October. In it, we listed 9 properties we had for sale; since then two have gone under contract, but I'm going to write about about the original nine. One was a condo, one a townhouse, seven were single family homes. One was new construction, two were total renovations. Prices ranged from $315,000 to $1,499,999.
The point I'm trying to make is that there are great homes on the market, in good condition and well priced...today's buyers have plenty to choose from. Yes, money is tight with a capital T, but it's fairly cheap and if you've got 20% to put down, you're GOLD in today's market. If you're short on cash, but have a credit rating that's high (720+) you can look at FHA loans. They make you jump through a lot of hoops, but they still make loans with only 5% down, and gifts from your parents can help you with your cash up front needs.
Although you may not make the killing in this market that people did during the boom, putting your money in real estate is still a sound investment, if only for the tax breaks. Additionally, you have a home of your own to decorate, improve, and enjoy while your investment grows.
So if you've been waiting to make your move, this is a pretty good time. Go to some open houses, search online in neighborhoods you like, pick up the phone and give us a call. We'll be happy to help you dive into the real estate market.
Karen
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