Market Pulse Report: June 2012

INVENTORY IS DOWN AGAIN!!! We dropped another 400 homes from inventory and we are down to 8243 homes.  

I've been saying this every month hoping it will change the following, but believe it or not: this is the lowest inventory level since 2006 when we were in a boom!  

In this market, if you see a house and like it, do not hesitate in letting me know so we can write an offer!  

The average days on market dropped again as well, another confirmation of the changing environment!  It is no longer a time for low-ball offers!!  

Here's the Market Pulse Link   http://www.orlrealtor.com/resource/resmgr/Images_Market_Pulse/MarketPulse062012.pdf

Why homeownership matters…

To people

• Homeowners are happier and healthier and enjoy a greater feeling of control over their lives.

• Owning a home is one of the best ways to build long-term wealth. Historically, a homeowner’s net worth has ranged from 31 to 46 times that of a renter.

• Home owners are free to redecorate, renovate, and modify their homes as they wish.

• Most home owners enjoy stable housing costs — a fixed-rate mortgage payment might not change for 15 to 30 years while rent typically increases 3 percent a year.

• Homeowners can typically deduct mortgage interest and property taxes on their federal individual income tax return.

To communities

• People who own homes vote more, volunteer more and contribute more to their neighborhoods.

• Homeowners do not move as frequently as renters, providing more neighborhood stability. In turn, this stability helps reduce crime and supports neighborhood upkeep.

• Children of homeowners do better in school, stay in school longer, are more likely to participate in organized activities and spend less time in front of the television.

To the United States

• 67 percent of American households are owner-occupied. America is a nation of home owners.

• Homeowners pay 80 to 90 percent of federal individual income taxes, contributing to federal programs that benefit all Americans.

• Every home purchased pumps $60,000 into the economy for furniture, home improvements, and related items.

• Housing accounts for more than 15 percent of the national Gross Domestic Product, a key driver of our national economy.

Now is a good time to buy a house in Orlando because…

• Although many try to forecast when prices will hit bottom, the truth is that no one can predict the bottom of any market until it has already happened.

• Even within the Orlando market, different areas will “bottom” out at different times. Price fluctuations within each area of the Orlando market also differ.

• Buyers who hold off purchasing a home because they are waiting for prices to fall further may miss out on the home that they really want. The inventory of homes available for purchase, especially condos, is on a steady decline.

• Home prices have moderated, interest rates are at 40-year lows and the supply of homes for sale is plentiful. However, inventory has decreased by almost 60 percent since this time three years ago.

• Currently, about 58 percent of Orlando homes sales are foreclosures and short sales, which are typically priced much lower than “normal” homes. These types of homes sales continue to put downward pressure on the reported median or average sales price.

• Low interest rates, coupled with price declines, give trade-up buyers a unique opportunity to take advantage of market conditions. What an owner may lose on the sell side can be more than recovered on the buy side.

Rental market: Sweet spot in real estate

WASHINGTON – Sept. 8, 2011 – The rental market is continuing to heat up and can offer potentially big returns for buyers willing to jump into the landlord role.

For investors looking to take advantage of low record-reaching mortgage rates and big discounts on home prices, the opportunities are plenty. Rents are rising and demand is up too, partially due to the 4 million former homeowners who’ve faced a foreclosure and are now renters.

In response, more homes are turning into rentals: Nearly 35 percent of occupied homes were rented in 2010, which is a 33.8 percent increase from 2000, according to a recent study.

In more than 500 cities, demand for rentals has increased, with vacancies for rental housing reaching its lowest level since 2003, according to U.S. Census data. Plus, rents are on the rise too: Nationwide, rents increased 11.6 percent in 2010 to $1,320 a month, on average, according to Hotpads.com, a real estate research firm.

Investors are buying rental properties with the intention to hold onto it for a longer time too: On average, investors say they plan to hold onto the property for 10 years before selling, according to a survey by the National Association of Realtors®.

“Whereas leverage is dangerous when buying stocks, [buying a rental] can be a good long-term strategy with real estate,” real estate investor Marshall Sonenshine told Money Magazine.

Experts suggest the wisest move for investors is buying a property near their permanent residence and sticking to buildings with four units or fewer to avoid stricter financing requirements, such as larger downpayments and higher mortgage rates. Also, experts say rental income should cover at least the mortgage payments on the property as well as an extra 20 percent cushion to pay for any repairs, property management or get you through any vacancies.

Source: “Cashing in on Rental Property,” Money Magazine (Sept. 2, 2011)

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