Displaying blog entries 461-470 of 1883
Vacation homes are selling quickly right now, with more people looking to work from home and get away at the same time. If you’re ready to sell your mountain rental, Call me to explore your options while the market’s hot on Mt. Hood! We ONLY have 10 properties for sale from Government Camp to Brightwood so now is the time to make TOP DOLLAR on your property.
Today’s real estate market has high buyer interest and low housing inventory. With so many buyers competing for a limited number of homes, it’s more important than ever to know the ins and outs of making a confident and competitive offer. Here are five keys to success for this important stage in the homebuying process.
A recent article from Freddie Mac offers guidance on making an offer on a home in today’s market. Right off the bat, it points out how emotional this can be for buyers and why trusted professionals can help you stay focused on the most important things:
“Remember to let your homebuying team guide you on your journey, not your emotions. Their support and expertise will keep you from compromising on your must-haves and future financial stability.”
Your real estate professional should be your primary source for answers to the questions you have when you’re ready to make an offer.
Having a complete understanding of your budget and how much house you can afford is essential. The best way to know this is to reach out to your lender to get pre-approved for a loan early in the homebuying process. Only 44% of today’s prospective homebuyers are planning to apply for pre-approval, so be sure to take this step so you stand out from the crowd. It shows sellers you’re a serious, qualified buyer and can give you a competitive edge if you enter a bidding war.
According to the Realtors Confidence Index, published monthly by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the average property being sold today is receiving more than three offers and is only on the market for a few weeks. These are both results of today’s competitive market, showing how important it is to stay agile and vigilant in your search. As soon as you find the right home for your needs, be prepared to work with your agent to submit an offer as quickly as possible.
It’s only natural to want the best deal you can get on a home. However, Freddie Mac also warns that submitting an offer that’s too low can lead sellers to doubt how serious you are as a buyer. Don’t submit an offer that will be tossed out as soon as it’s received. The expertise your agent brings to this part of the process will help you stay competitive:
“Your agent will work with you to make an informed offer based on the market value of the home, the condition of the home and recent home sale prices in the area.”
After submitting an offer, the seller may accept it, reject it, or counter it with their own changes. In a competitive market, it’s important to stay nimble throughout the negotiation process. Your position can be strengthened with an offer that includes flexible move-in dates, a higher price, or minimal contingencies (conditions you set that the seller must meet for the purchase to be finalized). There are, however, certain contingencies you don’t want to forego. Freddie Mac explains:
“Resist the temptation to waive the inspection contingency, especially in a hot market or if the home is being sold ‘as-is’, which means the seller won’t pay for repairs. Without an inspection contingency, you could be stuck with a contract on a house you can’t afford to fix.”
Today’s competitive market makes it more important than ever to make a strong offer on a home, and a trusted expert can help you rise to the top along the way.
This year’s record-low mortgage rates sparked high demand among homebuyers. Current homeowners, however, haven’t put their houses on the market so quickly. This makes finding a home to buy today challenging for many potential buyers. With an obstacle like this, those searching for their dream homes may be pressing pause on their searches as we approach the end of the year, but that could be a big mistake for many hopeful house hunters. Here’s why.
According to the most recent Housing Trends Report from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB):
“The length of time spent searching for a home continues to grow.”
The report indicates that 62% of buyers now spend 3 months or more looking for a home, an increase from 58% one year ago. A primary cause for the delay is the heavy competition today’s buyers face when making an offer on a home. Based on recent data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the average house in today’s market receives 3.4 offers before it’s sold. This means for every buyer who purchases a home, there are on average two or three buyers who have to begin their search all over again.
Compared to this time last year, the NAHB report shows that buyers are having more success finding homes in their price range. However, it also notes the percentage of buyers saying they’re getting outbid when they make an offer has jumped from 15% to 27%. Buyers are indicating that bidding wars are a major obstacle to finding their dream home (See graph below):
If this is a challenge you’re up against in your home search, you’re not alone. Feeling stuck in the process can be frustrating, but if there’s ever been a year to power through, this is the one. NAHB noted:
“Difficulties finding a home to buy will likely lead 20% of active buyers to give up until next year or later. That share is up from 15% a year earlier.”
Experts anticipate home prices will continue to rise into 2021, and the incredibly low interest rates we’ve seen this year are also forecasted to increase as the economy strengthens. Hopeful homebuyers who decide to hold off on their search until there’s less competition run the risk of finding a more expensive housing market when they start looking again. If affordability is a key motivator behind your decision to buy a home, this winter is still the best time to make it happen.
Bidding wars may be one of the greatest challenges buyers face in today’s housing market, but they shouldn’t be a deal-breaker. Having the right expert on your side throughout the buying process will give you the advantage you need when it comes to finding the right home and making a competitive offer. If you’re ready to buy this winter, let’s connect to discuss how to position yourself for success.
Here's a great opportunity to get an affordable Christmas tree in the Mt. Hood National Forest. The forests are open and all you need is a permit. You may purchase a permit for up to five trees per household! Permits are only $5.00 per tree!!!!!!
Here are the locations where your permit can be purchased direct from the Mt. Hood National Forest website:
Tygh Valley General Store, 57715 Tygh Valley Road, Tygh Valley, OR. 541-483-2324
Open Monday-Friday 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Saturday & Sunday 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Kramers Market, 121 Main Street, Dufur, OR. 541-467-2455
Open Monday-Saturday 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Sunday 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Wamic Market and Supply, 57016 Wamic Market Rd. Wamic, Or, 97063. 541-544-2333
Open 7 days a week – 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Tum-A-Lum Lumber, 408 Hwy 35, Hood River, OR. 541-386-1001
Open Monday-Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Sunday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Estacada Tackle Shop, 210 SE Hwy 224, Estacada, OR. 503-630-7424
Open 7 days a week 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Estacada True Value Hardware, 310 SE Main St, Estacada, OR. 503-630-3769
Open Monday-Saturday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sun 9a.m. to 5p.m.
ACE Heritage Hardware, 39181 Pioneer Boulevard, Sandy, OR. 503-668-8731
Open Monday-Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Hoodland Thriftway, 68280 Highway 26, Welches, OR. 503-622-3244
Open Daily: 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Mt. Hood Village Market, 73265 Highway 26, Rhododendron, OR 97049. 503-622-4652. Open Daily: 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Welches Mountain Building Supply, 67250 Highway 26, Welches, OR 97067. 503-622-3000. Open Daily: 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sportsman’s Warehouse, 9401 SE 82nd Ave, Portland, OR. 503-777-8700
Open Monday-Saturday 9:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m., Sunday 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
![It Pays to Sell with a Real Estate Agent [INFOGRAPHIC] | MyKCM](https://files.mykcm.com/2020/11/20140632/20201120-MEM-1046x3014.png)
The wait is over! New to market, this Collins Lake Condo features two bedrooms, bonus bunk room or den, and two and a half baths with Brazilian cherrywood floors throughout. Completely furnished from top to bottom. Conveniently located so you can walk to restaurants and shopping. Get off the highway and enjoy your weekend of skiing cozied up to the fireplace after a day on the slopes. Private deck with peekaboo view of the top of Mt. Hood. $409,950
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What's becoming common place in the Mt. Hood real estate market? It's a bidding war and it's happening on nearly every property that hits the market. Demand has far outstripped supply from Brightwood to Government Camp. There's only 18 properties for sale in the Mt. Hood area. If you are a buyer in today's market, you need to be prepared. Here are a few tips!
For years, real estate has been considered the best investment you can make. A major reason for this is due to the net worth a household gains through homeownership. In fact, according to the 2019 Survey of Consumer Finance Data from the Federal Reserve, for the average homeowner:
“…a primary home accounts for 90% of the total wealth of a family in the U.S.”
Most large purchases, like cars and appliances, depreciate in value as they age, so it’s understandable to question how owning a home can increase wealth over time. In a simple equation, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) explains how the combination of paying your mortgage and home price appreciation grow overall wealth:
Principal Payments + Price Appreciation Gains = Housing Wealth Gain
As home values increase and you make payments toward your home loan, you’ll gain wealth through equity. The same article from NAR also addresses how wealth gains tend to play out over time:
“Housing wealth accumulation takes time and is built up by paying off the mortgage debt and by price appreciation. And while home prices can fall, home prices tend to recover and go up over the longer term. As of September 2020, the median sales price of existing home sales was $311,800, a 35% gain since July 2006 when prices peaked at $230,000.”
Taking a look at how equity has grown for the typical homeowner, it’s clear to see how real estate is a sound long-term investment. NAR notes:
“Nationally, a person who purchased a typical home 30 years ago would have typically gained about $283,000 as of the second quarter of 2020.” (See graph below):
Whether you’re a current homeowner planning to put your equity toward a new home or have hopes of buying your first home soon, homeownership will always be a great opportunity to build your net worth and overall wealth. Owning a home is truly an investment in your financial future.
Displaying blog entries 461-470 of 1883
