Tag Archives: Real Estate

Real Estate

Shortage of California Homes up for Sale

After years of having too many homes and not enough buyers, real estate agents in California now have the opposite problem – too many buyers and not enough homes for sale.

 

  • The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) reported Monday that its statewide inventory of unsold homes index for existing, single-family detached homes fell to 3.2 months in August from 3.5 months in July and 5.2 months in August 2011.
  • The index reflects the number of months needed to sell the supply of homes on the market at the current sales rate.  A six- to seven-month supply is considered normal.  When the number goes higher, inventory is plentiful and it’s considered a buyer’s market.  When the number goes lower, the advantage goes to the seller.
  • Declining inventory helps explain why the statewide median price of an existing, single-family detached home rose to $343,820 in August, up 3 percent from July and up 15.5 percent from August 2011, according to C.A.R.
  • Nationwide, the inventory of homes for sale also has declined.  In July, there was a 6.4-month supply of homes compared with 9.3 months in July 2011.  The current number is in line with the long-term average, according to the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.  However, NAR also acknowledges there are “acute shortages” in places such as California, Arizona, Nevada, and parts of Florida.
  • Also constraining supply is the fact that so many homeowners are underwater – or owe more than their homes are worth – and unable to sell without taking a loss.  As prices rise, more homes will increase in value, but it’s going to take time.  Meanwhile, there are still a lot of homes that are not likely to come onto the market.
  • At some point, the balance will tip, but it’s hard to predict when.  When banks decide prices are high enough, they will start unloading houses they have been sitting on, according to the chief economist for Trulia.

Read the full story

Related articles

For all your real estate needs
Email or call today:

John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
Civil Engineer
General Contractor
(530) 263-1091
Email jodell@nevadacounty.com

DRE#00669941

Enhanced by Zemanta
Real Estate

Some Markets See Inventories Cut Nearly in Half

Photo credit: http://blog.ivman.com/the-latest-funny-signs/
Photo credit: http://blog.ivman.com/the-latest-funny-signs/

The number of homes for sale in the last year is falling the most in California, with eight of the top 10 biggest drops in inventories in the last year from metro areas in the Golden State. Many California metros are also seeing asking prices on the rise in the last year, too.

Nationwide, inventories of for-sale homes continues to remain at historic lows with 1.84 million units for sale in August, which is down from 18.68 percent compared to a year ago, Realtor.com reports in its August housing data report.

“Low inventories, combined with stable list prices, suggest that the overall market may be poised for additional growth,” according to a Realtor.com release of the August housing data on 146 markets.

The following markets have seen the largest decreases to their inventories in the last year:

1. Oakland, Calif.: -58.35%

2. Stockton-Lodi, Calif.: -45.03%

3. Fresno, Calif.: -43.13%

4. Sacramento, Calif.: -42.24%

5. Riverside-San Bernardino, Calif.: -41.75%

6. Bakersfield, Calif.: -41.36%

7. San Jose, Calif.: -41.10%

8. Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Wash.: -41.07%

9. San Francisco: -40.15%

10. Atlanta: -37.02%

By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine Daily News

Related articles

For all your real estate needs
Email or call today:

John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
Civil Engineer
General Contractor
(530) 263-1091
Email jodell@nevadacounty.com

DRE#00669941

Enhanced by Zemanta
Real Estate

July Pending Home Sales Rebound

China in N.Y. 4th of July Parade, 1911 (LOC)
China in N.Y. 4th of July Parade, 1911 (LOC) (Photo credit: The Library of Congress)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pending home sales rose in July to the highest level in over two years and remain well above year-ago levels, according to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, rose 2.4 percent to 101.7 in July from 99.3 in June and is 12.4 percent above July 2011 when it was 90.5. The data reflect contracts but not closings.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said the index is at the highest level since April 2010, which was shortly before the closing deadline for the home buyer tax credit. “While the month-to-month movement has been uneven, more importantly we now have 15 consecutive months of year-over-year gains in contract activity,” Yun said.

Limited inventory is constraining market activity. “All regions saw monthly increases in home-buying activity except for the West, which is now experiencing an acute inventory shortage,” Yun added.

The PHSI in the Northeast increased 0.5 percent to 77.0 in July and is 13.4 percent higher than a year ago. In the Midwest the index grew 3.4 percent to 97.4 in July and is 20.2 percent above July 2011. Pending home sales in the South rose 5.2 percent to an index of 111.7 in July and are 15.6 percent above a year ago. In the West the index slipped 1.7 percent in July to 109.9 but is 1.3 percent higher than July 2011.

Existing-home sales are projected to rise 8 to 9 percent in 2012, followed by another 7 to 8 percent gain in 2013. Home prices are expected to increase 10 percent cumulatively over the next two years.

“Falling visible and shadow inventories point toward continuing price gains. Expected gains in housing starts of 25 to 30 percent this year, and nearly 50 percent in 2013, are insufficient to meet the growing housing demand,” Yun said.

Source: NAR

 

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta
Uncategorized

Lack of Inventory Causing a Home Buying Frenzy

A big drop in inventories of for-sale homes across the nation has led to a buying frenzy in some sought-after neighborhoods, real estate professionals report. A gradual gain in home prices is also following suit, they say.

Last week, the National Association of REALTORS® reported an increase in pending home sales in every region in the country. The number of contracts signed in May for existing homes jumped 13 percent from a year ago, according to NAR.

NAR projects a 3 percent nationwide rise in existing-home prices this year and a 5.7 percent rise next year.

But more buyers are being met with a shrinking supply of homes on the market. New construction has slowed dramatically—to record lows—the last few years. A backlog of distressed homes have not yet hit the market. And many home owners are waiting to list their homes for sale until prices rise more.

“In the Atlanta area, we are 40 percent below where inventory was this time last year,” Debra Bradley, managing broker for Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Buckhead, Ga., told Forbes.com “Generally inventory goes up this time of year, not down.”

Inventories of for-sale homes appear to be lowest for less expensive properties, at which investors and first-time home buyers often buy, real estate professionals report.

“It’s different today for a buyer being in the market,” says Rick Davidson, Century 21 Real Estate chief executive. “They might not find that deal of the century that they may have expected to find.”

Several housing markets are now reporting multiple offers and bidding wars surfacing, due to the lack of inventory in some markets.

“Most houses below $250,000 priced realistically are attracting large numbers of offers in a short time, and many exceed the asking price,” says Mike Orr, director of the Center for Real Estate Theory and Practice at the W. P. Carey School of Business.

Industry insiders appear less concerned about the shadow inventory of distressed homes that have yet to hit the market.

“It’s not being let out to the market in bulk,” Beth Butler, president of ONE Sotheby’s International Realty in Miami, told Forbes.com. “It’s coming slowly and it’s not seriously impacting the market one way or the other. Truth be told we could use the inventory!”

Source: “The Housing Market’s Latest Problem: Lack Of Inventory,” Forbes.com (June 28, 2012

 

Related articles

For all your real estate needs
Email or call today:

John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
Civil Engineer
General Contractor
(530) 263-1091
Email jodell@nevadacounty.com

DRE#00669941

Enhanced by Zemanta
Real Estate

5 Biggest Mistakes Home Buyers Make

budget
budget (Photo credit: 401K 2012)


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daily Real Estate News | Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Some home buyers fall for common pitfalls when purchasing a home. How can you help make sure your clients don’t fall for one?

Credit.com recently featured some of the biggest mistakes home buyers often make. Their list included:

1. Trying to fix credit scores before buying a home. 

Home buyers may do more harm than good if they don’t consult a financial expert first. “Even paying down credit card balances, which is a good thing as far as your credit scores and debt ratios are concerned, could be a problem if it leaves you short the cash you need to qualify to get the loan,” says Gerri Detweiler, Credit.com’s personal finance expert.

2. Not considering the future enough in their purchase. 

Buyers should consider what they want out of a house not just for today but also five or 10 years down the road. Do they plan to expand their family? If so, they may need a bigger home and want a different location. Also, how long do they plan on staying at the home? That can help determine the type of mortgage that makes the most sense for them too.

3. Failing to research financing enough. 

First comes the home and then the financing? Not in today’s market. Home shoppers should get prequalified for a mortgage before they start shopping for a home so they know what they can afford. “The time to make decisions about your mortgage needs is not during this 10-day window [after you sign a contract]; at most, this is time to shop for rates and fees and such,” says Keith Gumbinger, vice president of HSH.com. “Evaluating your credit, deciding on a product you prefer, how much down payment you feel comfortable making, whether you want to pay fees or points [and, if so, how much] and even shopping for a lender [getting preapproved] should happen well in advance of even wandering through the market looking at houses.”

4. Making the assumption that the Good Faith Estimate is always what you pay at closing. 

The form lenders provide that estimates closing costs is not set in stone. Closing costs may actually be more, so buyers need to be prepared. Closing costs generally are about 3 percent to 5 percent of the loan amount. “Shop around and compare the Good Faith Estimate provided by the lender with that of two or three other lenders,” suggests Ryan Himmel, a CPA and founder of BIDaWIZ, a tax advice resource. “If there is a significant disparity in estimates, then request an explanation from the lender to determine if you would like to move forward.”

5. Failing to budget for home expenses. 

Budgeting to purchase the home isn’t all new home owners should be squeezing in their budget. They’d be wise to not forget to budget for maintaining the home too. New home owners should budget for an increase in utility bills as well as for future maintenance and repair costs, such as repairing a furnace or roof.

Read more mistakes that home buyers often make.

Source: “10 Mistakes New Homebuyers Make,” Credit.com (2012)

 

Related articles

For all your real estate needs
Email or call today:

John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
Civil Engineer
General Contractor
(530) 263-1091
Email jodell@nevadacounty.com

DRE#00669941

Enhanced by Zemanta
Real Estate

Bidding Wars Are Back

Picture courtesy of Arlington Real Estate Scoop

Home buyers are unexpectedly finding more competition this spring in landing their dream home. Bidding wars are increasingly being reported in markets across the country, from California to Florida, The Wall Street Journal reports.

“It’s a little surprising because we thought bidding wars were done with,” Andy Aley, a home shopper in Seattle, told The Wall Street Journal. Aley says he was outbid on a home earlier this year, even though he offered to pay $23,000 above the listing price and also waive inspections and other closing conditions.

Home buyers are frustrated and caught off-guard about the bidding wars re-emerging, real estate professionals report.

“We’re writing a record number of offers, but we’re not seeing a record number of closings and that’s because it’s so competitive,” Glenn Kelman, chief executive of Redfin Corp., told The Wall Street Journal.

Why are things getting so competitive? Many housing markets are seeing a drastic decrease in the number of homes listed for-sale, leaving home buyers with fewer options and more bidding on the same house. Housing analysts say the shortage in supply is from sellers unwilling to take much less for their home than what they originally paid for it and pulling their homes off the market. Also, a surge in investors has made the market more competitive, as investors snatch up homes in bulk in all-cash deals.

“The bidding wars caused by tight inventory provide the latest evidence that housing demand is starting to pick up after a six-year-long slump,” The Wall Street Journal reports.

Indeed, the National Association of REALOTRS® reported late last week that pending home sales in March reached their highest level in nearly two years and are up 12.8 percent from a year ago.

Source: “Stunned Home Buyers Find the Bidding Wars Are Back,” The Wall Street Journal (April 27, 2012)

 

Related articles

For all your real estate needs
Email or call today:

John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
Civil Engineer
General Contractor
(530) 263-1091
Email jodell@nevadacounty.com

DRE#00669941

Enhanced by Zemanta
Real Estate

As Home Rents Head Higher, Owning Regains its Appeal

Scotts Flat Lake April 13, 2012 early morning from my deck Photo by John J. O'Dell
Scotts Flat Lake April 13, 2012 early morning from my deck Photo by John J. O'Dell

Rising rents, coupled with slumping home prices and interest rates near record-lows, are boosting demand for homes at entry-level prices.

Making sense of the story

  • Increased buying activity from investors and second-home purchases may be factors behind the recent pickup in home sales, but real estate agents say they are fielding more calls from anxious tenants complaining about rising rents.
  • Average apartment rents rose by 2.7 percent last year, while the national vacancy rate dropped below 5 percent for the first time since 2001, according to a quarterly survey released Wednesday by REIS Inc., a real estate research firm.
  • The largest rent increases came in San Francisco and San Jose, Calif., which saw increases of 5.9 percent and 4.9 percent, respectively.  Such increases are one reason why industry analysts believe 2012 will be the first year since 2005 when the share of apartment renters that moves out to buy a house increases from the previous year.
  • Historically, the cost to rent an apartment has been about 10 percent lower than the after-tax cost of owning a home.  That rental discount began to fall in 2010 and disappeared entirely last year, according to analysts at Deutsche Bank who track housing costs. By the end of 2011, the bank’s research found that the cost to rent an apartment was about 15 percent higher than the cost to own a home.
  • It isn’t always easy for home buyers to make it to the closing table though. Lending and appraisal standards remain tight, keeping many would-be buyers out of the market.  And aspiring buyers are competing with savvy investors who have turned buying and reselling foreclosed homes into a business.

Read the full story  

Related articles

Ready to buy or sell?
For all your real estate needs call

John J. O’Dell
Broker/Owner
O’Dell Real Estate
(530) 263-1091
jodell@nevadacounty.com

DRE# 00996641

Enhanced by Zemanta
Business, Real Estate

Facts On The 3.8% Health Tax

 

Tax
Tax (Photo credit: 401K)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A 3.8 percent levy on certain investment income was included in healthcare legislation two years ago, and now misinformation about the tax’s application to home sales is being passed along over the Internet and e-mail, throwing some prospective home sellers into a panic. In actuality, very few owners will be affected by the new tax taking effect in 2013.

The tax will only be on investment income of upper income taxpayers. Included in the definition of investment income is capital gains from home sales above a certain amount and for households whose income is above a certain amount.  This means individuals who make $200,000 a year or more, or married couples who earn at least $250,000 a year are affected. Additionally, the tax is only applied to home sales if the proceeds exceed $250,000 for an individual, or $500,000 for married couples. And there still are other income and tax particulars that are considered before the 3.8 percent tax is triggered.

The National Association of REALTORS® recommends that members become familiar with the tax, but avoid coaching their clients on the policy because the amount of tax will vary from individual to individual as the elements that comprise adjusted gross income differ from taxpayer to taxpayer. NAR has published a brochure on how the tax works, which is now available online.

Download the 3.8% tax brochure (PDF).

Source:NAR and “Realtors Say Despite Efforts, Tax Rumor Keeps Spreading,” Glens Falls Post-Star (NY) (03/10/12)

 

Related articles

 

 

For all your real estate needs:
Call or email today
John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
Real Estate Broker
Civil Engineer
General Contractor
(530) 263-1091
Email jodell@nevadacounty.com

DRE #00669941

Enhanced by Zemanta
Real Estate

California House Sales Up, Prices Down

The Saitta House, Dyker Heights, Brooklyn, New...

 

California home sales posted an increase both on a monthly and annual basis in November, marking the fifth consecutive month of year-to-year sales increases, according to figures released today from the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.).  Meanwhile, the statewide median price of an existing, single-family detached home sold in California rose 1 percent compared with October, but declined 5.2 percent compared with a year earlier.

  • Closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes in California rose to a seasonally adjusted 503,570 units in November, up 2.1 percent from a revised 493,140 in October, according to information collected by C.A.R. from more than 90 local REALTOR® associations and MLSs statewide.
  • November home sales also were up 2.3 percent from the revised 492,040 units sold during the like period a year ago.  The statewide sales figure represents what would be the total number of homes sold during 2011 if sales maintained the November pace throughout the year.  It is adjusted to account for seasonal factors that typically influence home sales.
  • The November statewide median price of an existing, single-family detached home sold in California was $280,960, up 1 percent from $278,060 in October but down 5.2 percent from the $296,480 median price recorded for November 2010.
  • The Unsold Inventory Index for existing, single-family detached homes was 5 months in November, down from 5.3 months in October and down from a 6.2-month supply in November 2010.  The index indicates the number of months needed to deplete the supply of homes on the market at the current sales rate.

Read the full story

Related articles

 

For all your real estate needs:
Call or email

John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
Real Estate Broker
(530) 263-1091
Email jodell@nevadacounty.com

DRE #00669941

 

 

Enhanced by Zemanta
Real Estate

Protect Yoursef Aganist Mortgage Fraud

California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris
California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris

5 Tips to Avoid Being Scammed

  1. Don’t pay up-front fees. Foreclosure consultants are prohibited by law from collecting money before services are performed.
  2. Don’t ignore letters from your lender or loan servicer. Responding to those letters is your best bet for saving your house.
  3. Don’t transfer title or sell your house to a “foreclosure rescuer.” Beware! This is a scam to convince homeowners they can stay in the home as renters and buy their home back later. It might also be part of a fraudulent bankruptcy filing. Either way, a scammer can then evict the victim and take the home.
  4. Don’t pay your mortgage payments to anyone other than your lender or loan servicer. Mortgage consultants often keep the money for themselves.
  5. Never sign any documents without reading them first. Many homeowners think that they are signing documents for a loan modification or for a new loan to pay off the mortgage they are behind on. Later, they discover that they actually transferred ownership of their home to someone who is now trying to evict them.

Where Do I Report Fraud or File a Complaint?

File a complaint with the California Attorney General’s Office.

File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.

If your complaint is against a real estate broker, visit the Department of Real Estate website.

If your complaint is against an attorney, visit the State Bar of California website.

You may also wish to consider filing a Small Claims Court action. These are informal courts where disputes are resolved quickly and inexpensively by a judge. You can recover up to $7500 in Small Claims Court. You represent yourself and can request a judgment for monetary damages. Visit the California Courts Self-Help Center for further information.

Source: Attorney General of California

Related articles

For all your real estate needs

John J. O’Dell
Real Estate Broker

O’Dell Realty
(530-263-1091
Email Email John>/a>

DRE# 00669941

 

 

Enhanced by Zemanta