Is Offering Asking Price in Today’s Housing Market Enough?

Is It Enough To Offer Asking Price in Today’s Housing Market?

If you’re planning to buy a home this season, you’re probably thinking about what you’ll need to do to get your offer accepted. In previous years, it was common for buyers to try and determine how much less than the asking price they could offer to still get the home. The buyer and seller would then negotiate and typically agree on a revised price that was somewhere between the buyer’s bid and the home’s initial asking price.

In today’s real estate market, buyers shouldn’t shop for a home with the same expectations.

Things Are Different Today

Today’s housing market is anything but normal. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the average home that’s sold today:

Receives 4.8 offers
Sells in just 17 days

Homes selling quickly and receiving multiple offers shows how competitive the housing market is for buyers right now. This is because there are more buyers on the market than homes for sale. When the number of homes available can’t keep up with demand, homes often sell for more than the asking price.

How Does This Impact You When It’s Time To Submit an Offer?

Market conditions should help guide your decisions throughout the process. Today, the asking price of a home is often the floor of the negotiation rather than the ceiling. Knowing this is important when it’s time to submit an offer, but you should also use that information as you’re searching for homes too. After all, you don’t want to fall in love with a home that ultimately sells for a price higher than what you’ve budgeted for.

The Mortgage Reports has advice if you’re looking to purchase a home in a competitive market. The article encourages you to be realistic with your housing search, saying:

“The best thing to do is set your budget and expectations ahead of time so you know how much you can afford to offer — and when to walk away. This will make negotiations a lot easier.”

Of course, when you’ve found your dream home, you’ll want to do everything you can to submit your best offer up front and win a potential bidding war. Knowing the current market is key to crafting a winning offer. That’s where working with an expert real estate advisor becomes critical.

A real estate professional will draw from their experience and expert-level knowledge of today’s housing market throughout the process. They’ll also balance conditions in your area to make sure your offer stands out above the rest.

Bottom Line

Understanding how to approach the asking price of a home and what’s happening in today’s real estate market are critical for buyers. Let’s connect so we can work together to create a winning plan for you.

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How Homeownership Can Help Shield You from Inflation

If you’re following along with the news today, you’ve likely heard about rising inflation. You’re also likely feeling the impact in your day-to-day life as prices go up for gas, groceries, and more. These rising consumer costs can put a pinch on your wallet and make you re-evaluate any big purchases you have planned to ensure they’re still worthwhile.

If you’ve been thinking about purchasing a home this year, you’re probably wondering if you should continue down that path or if it makes more sense to wait. While the answer depends on your situation, here’s how homeownership can help you combat the rising costs that come with inflation.

Homeownership Offers Stability and Security

Investopedia explains that during a period of high inflation, prices rise across the board. That’s true for things like food, entertainment, and other goods and services, even housing. Both rental prices and home prices are on the rise. So, as a buyer, how can you protect yourself from increasing costs? The answer lies in homeownership.

Buying a home allows you to stabilize what’s typically your biggest monthly expense: your housing cost. If you get a fixed-rate mortgage on your home, you lock in your monthly payment for the duration of your loan, often 15 to 30 years. James Royal, Senior Wealth Management Reporter at Bankrate, says:

“A fixed-rate mortgage allows you to maintain the biggest portion of housing expenses at the same payment. Sure, property taxes will rise and other expenses may creep up, but your monthly housing payment remains the same.”

So even if other prices rise, your housing payment will be a reliable amount that can help keep your budget in check. If you rent, you don’t have that same benefit, and you won’t be protected from rising housing costs.

Use Home Price Appreciation to Your Benefit

While it’s true rising mortgage rates and home prices mean buying a house today costs more than it did a year ago, you still have an opportunity to set yourself up for a long-term win. Buying now lets you lock in at today’s rates and prices before both climb higher.

In inflationary times, it’s especially important to invest your money in an asset that traditionally holds or grows in value. The graph below shows how home price appreciation outperformed inflation in most decades going all the way back to the seventies – making homeownership a historically strong hedge against inflation (see graph below):

So, what does that mean for you? Today, experts say home prices will only go up from here thanks to the ongoing imbalance in supply and demand. Once you buy a house, any home price appreciation that does occur will be good for your equity and your net worth. And since homes are typically assets that grow in value (even in inflationary times), you have peace of mind that history shows your investment is a strong one.

Bottom Line

If you’re ready to buy a home, it may make sense to move forward with your plans despite rising inflation. If you want expert advice on your specific situation and how to time your purchase, let’s connect.

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The Dream of Homeownership Is Worth the Effort

If you’re in the market to buy a home this season, stick with it. Homebuyers face challenges in any market, and today’s is no exception. But if you persevere, your decision to purchase a home will be worth the effort in the end. In fact, a recent survey from Bankrate shows homeownership is so powerful that:

“Nearly three in four homeowners say they would still buy their current home if they had it to do [sic] all over again.”

That means the results – owning a home and the benefits that come with it – outweigh the effort needed to achieve their goal. If you’re a homebuyer, let that provide you with the confidence to know the work you’re putting in today will pay off for years to come. Here are a few reasons to stick with your search and focus on the outcome.

Homeownership Contributes Significantly to Your Financial Well-Being

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) lists several motivations to consider if you’re thinking about buying a home. One of the top financial reasons is the equity you build. As NAR says:

“Money paid for rent is money that you’ll never see again, but mortgage payments let you build equity . . . Building equity in your home is a ready-made savings plan.”

Your equity is a powerful tool you can leverage in a number of ways. And with recent home price appreciation, homeowners are seeing record levels of equity today. That may be one reason why so many people view owning a home as a great investment and a top indicator of financial well-being. As the survey from Bankrate mentioned above shows:

“. . . Americans place a higher value on homeownership than on any other indicator of economic stability, . . .”

Owning a home ranks above other major accomplishments like retirement, having a successful career, and getting a college degree. That indicates just how impactful the financial benefits of homeownership truly are.

The Emotional Benefits of Owning a Home Are Powerful

Of course, homeownership is more than an investment. In their list of top reasons to buy a home, NAR also highlights some of the powerful, non-financial aspects of homeownership. Among them is the opportunity to customize your home to reflect your personality and needs. As they say:

“The home is yours. You can decorate any way you want and choose the types of upgrades and new amenities that appeal to your lifestyle.”

Another benefit homeowners enjoy is the stability it provides. Homeowners typically stay put longer than renters. According to NAR, when you remain in one place longer than a few years, you can grow closer to your community. And that can enhance your sense of pride and lead to better relationships.

What Does That Mean for You?

The benefits of homeownership are powerful, as Leslie Rouda Smith, President of NAR, says:

“From building personal wealth and fostering communities, to strengthening social stability and driving the national economy, the value of homeownership is indisputable.”

Even if you face challenges in today’s market, the payoff when you succeed and purchase a home will be worth it.

Bottom Line

If you’re planning to buy a home this year, there are incredible benefits waiting for you at the end of your journey. Let’s connect to discuss everything homeownership has to offer.

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Weekend Freeway Travel Advisory April 8, 2022

These are the weekend restrictions scheduled along Phoenix-area freeways due to improvement projects ADOT is overseeing. Please click the Weekend Travel Advisory map for more information about these and other freeway restrictions scheduled this weekend (April 8-11):

Eastbound I-10 closed between the I-17 “Stack” interchange and 24th Street (near Sky Harbor Airport) from 11 p.m. Friday to 11 p.m. Saturday (April 9) for pavement sealing. All eastbound I-10 on-ramps between I-17 and 24th Street closed, including the ramps from southbound SR 51 and westbound Loop 202 at the “Mini-Stack.”
Westbound I-10 closed between the I-17 “Stack” interchange and 43rd Avenue (in west Phoenix) from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday (April 11) for pavement improvement work. Click the Weekend Travel Advisory map for more information, including detour routes.
Westbound I-10 narrowed to three lanes between Guadalupe and Baseline roads from 3:30 a.m.to 4 p.m. Saturday (April 9) for paving as part of the I-10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project. Westbound I-10 off-ramp at Baseline Road closed.
Did you know next week is National Work Zone Awareness Week (April 11-15)? Safety agencies across the country, including ADOT, are asking drivers to please focus on safe driving and to pay attention when you see signs and other safety devices that tell you you’re entering a work zone. Please slow down and stay alert. Lives are on the line, including your own and those of your passengers and highway workers. Remember, Highway Work Zones are a Sign to Slow Down.

View the Weekend Travel Advisory map in PDF format for a complete listing of restrictions for this weekend.

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Weekend Freeway Travel Advisory April 1, 2022

There are significant closures of Interstate 10 that will affect travel this weekend in the downtown area, near Sky Harbor Airport and in west Phoenix. Please click the Weekend Travel Advisory map for more information about these and other closures or lane restrictions scheduled for improvement projects this weekend (April 1-4):

Westbound I-10 closed between the I-17 “Split” near Sky Harbor Airport and 19th Avenue (west of the tunnel) from 11 p.m. Friday to 11 p.m. Saturday (April 2) for pavement sealing. Ramps from westbound Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway), southbound SR 51 as well Sky Harbor Airport to westbound I-10 also closed. Detour: Northbound I-17 will serve as the primary detour route but drivers should plan ahead and consider other alternate routes.
Eastbound I-10 closed between 43rd Avenue and the I-17 “Stack” interchange (near 27th Ave) from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday (April 4) for pavement improvement work (diamond grinding). Northbound Loop 202 (South Mountain Freeway) ramps to eastbound I-10 closed. Click the Weekend Travel Advisory map for more information.
Southbound Loop 101 (Pima Freeway) narrowed to one lane between Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard and Thunderbird Road in Scottsdale from 8 p.m. Friday to 10 a.m. Saturday (April 2) for pavement maintenance. Southbound Loop 101 on-ramps at Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard and Raintree Drive closed. Allow plenty of extra travel time. Detour: Consider using southbound Hayden Road to eastbound Cactus Road. Click the Weekend Travel Advisory map for more information.

View the Weekend Travel Advisory map in PDF format or visit our site for a complete listing of restrictions for this weekend.

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Also, check out our mini-series North Valley Spotlight

Things to Do April 2022 in Phoenix

Get out and enjoy the amazing weather in April

Arabian Breeders World Cup | Mar 31 – April 3 | WestWorld of Scottsdale

Fountain Hills Music Fest | April 1 – 2 | Fountain Park

Venardos Circus | Mar 31 – April 10 | Singh Meadows

AM Adventures: Desert Animal Yoga and Mindfulness | April 2 | Taliesin West

Rugged Maniac 5K Obstacle Race | April 2 | Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park

Spring Break Fireworks Show! | April 2 | Arizona Grand Resort & Spa

The 32nd Annual Copperstate 1000 Roadrunner | April 3 | Tempe Diablo Stadium

Arizona Bike Week | April 6 – 10 | WestWorld of Scottsdale

Maricopa County Fair | April 6 – 10 | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Country Thunder Music Festival | April 7 – 10 | Country Thunder West

AZ Desert Showdown | April 9 | Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park

Celebrate Mesa – Free Family Festival | April 9 | Pioneer Park

FRIED: French Fry and Music Festival | April 9 | Margaret T. Hance Park

Kidsfest | April 9 | Friendship Park

Phoenix Flea | April 9 | Heritage Square

10th Annual El Puente Festival | April 10 | Tempe Center For The Arts

Earth Day | April 16 | Phoenix Zoo

Junk in the Trunk Vintage Market | April 22 – 24 | WestWorld of Scottsdale

Spring Fairy Festival and Earth Day Celebration | April 23 | Singh Meadows

7th Annual Sangria, Craft Beer & Food Truck Festival | April 23 | Mesa Riverview Park

Foodstock | April 23 | Peoria Sports Complex

Play Day: Lawn Games | April 23 | Chandler Museum

Tiki Dan PopUp at Lucky’s Indoor Outdoor | April 27 | Tiki Drinks, Hawaiian Dancers, DJ, Food

AZ Tiki Oasis | April 28 – May 1 | Hotel Valley Ho

Wrigley Mansion Wine Festival | April – May 1 | Wrigley Mansion

Home in One Golf Tournament | April 29 | Arizona Biltmore Golf Club

Arizona Women’s Expo | April 30 – May 1 | Phoenix Convention Center

Cannaval | April 30 | Phoenix Event Center

Expect Advice is the Best Advice

An Expert Advisor Will Give You the Best Advice in Today’s Market

Having an experienced guide coaching you through the process of buying or selling a home is important in a normal market – but today’s market is far from normal. As a result, an expert real estate advisor isn’t just good to have by your side, they’re essential.

Today’s housing market is full of extremes. Experts project mortgage rates will continue to rise this year, and that’s driving significant demand for homes as buyers want to make their purchases before rates climb even higher. At the same time, an absence of sellers is leading to record-low housing inventory. This imbalance in supply and demand is creating bidding wars and driving home price appreciation as well as considerable gains in home equity.

These market conditions can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to go at it alone. Having a trusted expert to coach you through the process of buying or selling a home gives you clarity and confidence through each step.

Here are just a few of the ways a real estate expert is invaluable:

Contracts – Agents help with the disclosures and contracts necessary in today’s heavily regulated environment.

Experience – In an unprecedented market, experience is crucial. Real estate professionals know the entire sales process, including how it’s changed over the past two years.

Negotiations – Your real estate advisor acts as a buffer in negotiations with all parties throughout the entire transaction and advocates for your best interests.

Education – Knowledge is power in today’s market, and your advisor will simply and effectively explain market conditions and translate what they mean for you.

Pricing – Finally, a real estate professional understands today’s real estate values when setting the price of your home or helping you make an offer to purchase one.

A real estate agent is a crucial guide through this unprecedented market, but not all agents are created equal. A true expert can carefully walk you through the whole real estate process including conveyancing, understanding property taxes and 1031 exchange rules, look out for your unique needs, and advise you on the best ways to achieve success. Finding an expert real estate advisor – not just any agent – should be your top priority when you’re ready to buy or sell a home.

What’s the key to choosing the right expert?

It starts with trust. You’ll want to know you can trust the advice they’re giving you, so you need to make sure you’re connected with a true professional. No one can provide perfect advice because it’s impossible to know exactly what’s going to happen at every turn – especially in today’s unique market. But a true professional can give you the best possible advice based on the information and situation at hand. They’ll help you make the necessary adjustments along the way, advocate for you throughout the process, and coach you on the essential knowledge you need to make confident decisions. That’s exactly what you want and deserve.

Bottom Line

It’s critical to have an expert on your side who’s well versed in navigating today’s rapidly changing market. If you’re planning to buy or sell a home this year, let’s connect so you have a real estate professional on your side to give you the best advice and guide you along the way.

Looking for a new home?

Also, check out our mini-series North Valley Spotlight

Are Home Prices Continuing To Rise?

Many analysts projected home price appreciation would slow dramatically in the fall of 2021 and then continue to soften throughout 2022. So far, that hasn’t happened. The major price indices are all revealing ongoing double-digit price appreciation. Here’s a look at their reports on year-over-year price appreciation for December:

Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA): 17.6%
S&P Case-Shiller: 18.8%
CoreLogic: 18.5%

To show that they’re not seeing signs of softening, here’s a graph that gives the progression of all three indices for each month of 2021.

As the graph above reveals, last year, home price appreciation accelerated dramatically from January to July according to all three indices. Then, it began to decelerate in August when prices appreciated at a slower pace, but it didn’t decline. Many thought that would be the beginning of a rapid slowdown in the level of home price appreciation, but as the data shows, that wasn’t the case. Instead, prices began to level off for a few months before two of the three indices saw appreciation re-accelerate again in December.

To clarify, deceleration is not the same as depreciation. Acceleration means prices rise at a greater year-over-year pace than the previous month. Deceleration means home values continue to rise but at a slower pace of year-over-year appreciation. Depreciation means prices drop below current values. No one is forecasting that to happen.

In fact, the FHFA revealed that price appreciation accelerated in December in six of the nine regions it tracks. Case Shiller showed that appreciation accelerated in 15 of the 20 metros they report on. As Selma Hepp, Deputy Chief Economist at CoreLogic, explains:

“After some signs of slowing home price growth . . . monthly price growth re-accelerated again, indicating home buyers have not yet thrown in the towel.”

What Does This Mean for You?

Whether you’re a first-time purchaser or someone looking to sell your current house and buy a home that better fits your needs, waiting to decide what to do will cost you in two ways:

Mortgage rates are forecast to rise this year.
Home prices should continue to appreciate at double-digit levels for some time.

If you wait, rising mortgage rates and high home price appreciation will have a dramatic impact on your monthly mortgage payment.

Bottom Line

Maybe the best thing to do is listen to the advice of Len Kiefer, Deputy Chief Economist at Freddie Mac:

“If you’re thinking about waiting until next year and that maybe rates are higher, but you’ll get a deal on prices – well that’s risky. It may be more advantageous to purchase this year relative to waiting until 2023 at this time.”

Looking for a new home?

Also, check out our mini-series North Valley Spotlight

Supply and Demand in Today’s Market [INFOGRAPHIC]

Some Highlights

Today’s housing market is the direct result of low supply and high buyer demand. Here’s what that means for you and your plans to buy or sell.
For buyers, expect competition, be ready to move fast, and be prepared to submit your strongest offer. For sellers, know your house will be the center of attention and that it’ll likely sell quickly and get multiple offers.
If you’re ready to move, let’s connect to talk about our local area and how you can take advantage of today’s unprecedented housing market.

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Why It’s Critical To Price Your House Right

When you make a move, you want to sell your house for the highest price possible. That might be why many homeowners are eager to list in today’s sellers’ market. After all, with record-low inventory and high buyer demand, many homes are selling for more than asking price. Data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows 46% of homes are selling above list price today.

But even in a market like we have now, working with an agent to set the right asking price is critical, as pricing it too high or too low could have a negative impact on your final sale. Here’s why.

Pricing Your House Right Is Crucial Even in a Sellers’ Market

The price you set for your house sends a message to potential buyers. Price it too low and you might raise questions about your home’s condition or lead buyers to assume something is wrong with the property. Not to mention, you could leave money on the table, which decreases your future buying power if you undervalue your house.

On the other hand, price it too high and you run the risk of deterring buyers. When that happens, you may have to do a price drop to try to re-ignite interest in your house when it sits on the market for a while. But be aware that a price drop can be seen as a red flag for some buyers who will wonder why the price was reduced and what that means about the home, that’s why is important to keep your free of bad features as pests, but for this you can go to these guys, as they will help you with this.

In other words, think of pricing your home as a target. Your goal is to aim directly for the center – not too high, not too low, but right at market value. Pricing your house fairly based on market conditions increases the chance you’ll have more buyers who are interested in purchasing it. That makes it more likely you’ll see a bidding war, too. And when a bidding war happens, you’ll likely get an even higher final sale price. Plus, when homes are priced right, they tend to sell quickly.

To get a look into the potential downsides of over or underpricing your house and the perks that come with pricing it at market value, see the chart below:

Lean on a Professional’s Expertise To Price Your House Right

There are several factors that go into pricing your house and balancing them is the key. That’s why it’s important to lean on an expert real estate advisor when you’re ready to move. A local real estate advisor is knowledgeable about:

The value of homes in your neighborhood
The current demand for houses in today’s market
The condition of your house and how it affects the value

A real estate professional will balance these factors to make sure the price of your house makes the best first impression and gives you the greatest return on your investment in the end.

Bottom Line

Even in a sellers’ market, pricing your house right is critical. Don’t rely on guesswork. Let’s connect to make sure your house is perfectly priced.

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Affordable Remediation & Emergency Services

Phone: (732) 769-8101

Url: https://affordableremediation.com/mold-testing-removal-remediation-in-manalapan-nj/

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