Winding down winter!

I write this posting "winding down winter" as half the state has had winter storm warnings for the last week. I can say I hope that this is the last go around of harsh winter weather. Real estate has been goofy for about 2-3 years now. Unpredictable and stressful to say the least. September through January were by far the slowest months I have ever seen in the business & like a flip of the switch Febuary was back to normal. More sales and new listing followed by calls and emails from new clients and past clients have filled my life! This being a good thing of course! I am going to try and put some statistics together here soon to give y'all an idea of what our market truly looks like.

If you are thinking about refinancing your home or buying a new one but you are waiting to see what rates and the economy is going to do, I don't blame you! Here is what I see, the economy is in a little bit of grey area (charcole), interest rates are no different. Neither one can be predicted. The only thing we can do is live in the now which is reality. If rates are less than 5.5% you are crazy to be shooting for better. When rates were 6.25% everybody in there right mind was saying rates are great! Buy today and take advantage of these great rates! Okay, that being said they have been down to 5% and I still hear individuals saying "I'm going to hold out until they hit 4%". Personally, I wouldn't miss out on a great deal in hopes that it gets better. That is like taking a hit when the dealer is showing a hard 14. It's crazy! Think about it, 5% is unbelievable! Okay I'm done with my ranting and raving! It is Saturday and I am going to enjoy my kiddos and relax! Have a great weekend!

March Madness!

We are days away from March Madness. No I don't mean NCAA tourney time. I am thinking this may just be the busiest March in real estate that I have seen. Febuary turned out pretty good for my office we turned in around 80 sales or more and I myself had 5 which was great. With prices as good as they are and buyers more ready than ever I am anticipating more and more transactions. I am seeing an abundance of activity at open houses and on my website (www.centraliowalistings.com).
The $8,000 tax credit for first time homebuyers is great! In addition to that, I have a lender who has dollars to grant first time buyers in addition to the $8,000. Of course you have to call me for the details ;). Anyway, I am lacing up my shoes tight so I don't miss step in the busy days ahead!

Des Moines Metro housing update!

So I put together this little study about todays market and whay it looks like. What I found is that the majority of the area is becoming very balanced and starting to favor sellers. The industry considers a 6 month supply of homes as a balanced market. So if there is a 10 month supply of homes we have a buyers market. Many people thing that it is a buyers market RIGHT now! Here is the thing. In the majority of the the Des Moines metro market there is a 5 month supply to a 7 month supply. Catch you by surprise??? Here are some reasons as to why...

1. Building permits around the area are way down from a year or 2 years ago. This means less new homes.
2. Many of the good deals have been gobbled up and the great deals have started to go away (there still is great deals and I anticipate them being here until consumer confidence comes back to normal.)
3. Many people that wanted more for their homes and decided to take them off the market.

Those 3 factors are going to help those in need of selling. There are still buyers today and with the inventory shrinking it puts all those who own a home (and own it right) in a great position. Here is a graph for you to read and study if you are interested in you particular area.

Fall is Here!

Football seaseon! Good times but you will find me in an open house with a little tv and a make shift antenna. Real Estate picked up then slowed down and picked up but that is just the way it has been for a while. Right now is the #1 time to buy a home in the last 20 or more years. Reason being, Interest rates are under 5% for a 30 year fixed loan, inventory is still up and prices are down. It is also a great time to build. Lot prices have taken a dramatic drop in the last year. Your typical flat lot was anywhere from 45-50 thousand dollars and today you can get lots all over the place for 30-40 thousand. That gives you a $10,000 reduction right off the top. It truly is a great time to invest in real estate. Well Have fun and come see me at my open house!

Fall is Near!

With football season here and the sun beginning to disappear summer seems to be over. Of course the minute I say that the weather will turn and it will be 90 degrees again! Anyway, real estate seems to have picked up a little bit in recent weeks (at least for me). I don't know if it's a sudden push before it gets too late in season or what but I hope it doesn't slow down! I have been blessed in this business to continue to get referrals from past clients and those of you who have put your trust in me, I THANK YOU!!! I love this business even though it is UP and DOWN. I find it challenging but it is definitely rewarding when I take a client into a home and their eyes light up. Buyers often ask, "is it true, when you walk into the right house you just know?" Answer is YES. Not always does it happen that way but in our market today it is more likely because of the number of houses available.

The government has decided to step in and give some relief to Freddie Mac and Fannie May! This should give our real estate market a boost over the next year. Will it turn the market around? I don't know but it will give us a chance to make a comeback. That would be great if it did. I will say if you are a buyer I wouldn't wait to find out. Home prices are great and if you wait you may be too late. Give me a call ;). Just kidding but really rates are good and prices are better! Anyway, I am at home with a sick kiddo so I better get back to my princess. Take care all!

Summer is winding down!

My daughter started Kindergarten! WOW! My first kid in school and it is amazing how proud one can be! I look forward to hearing how her day goes each day and she is such a superstar! As a parent you really want your kids to be in the best school district for them. It was a little more difficult to understand why some of my clients were so persistent about being in the boundaries of one school compared to the next and as a parent of little ones I just figured that they were kids and teachers are teachers and they would all be OK. Well... Let me tell you! JK My daughters teacher is a class mate of mine and really she is amazing. It takes a special person to be on the ball all the time with 5 year olds! Anyway, her teacher was highly spoke of and we see why. I won't judge anyone on why they want one school over another anymore!

With this topic. I can do a little public education. As a REALTOR we can not give specific information on any schools or neighborhoods. This is very tough for us because some buyers think we aren't being honest if we tell them that they can call the school district or they can drive through a neighborhood but we can't share the information ourselves. It is a law and we could be fined or loose our license because the Real Estate Commission could rule it as steering. Steering is guiding a buyer to a certain location or school district based off opinion. So next time a REALTOR tells you they can't answer a question about a school or neighborhood, believe them and don't take it personal. Well check back for the next tid bit ;)

Dawg Days of Summer???

They say that July is a tough month in real estate because of vacations, sports and the weather. The only thing making things difficult is the weather. Seriously, record rainfalls this year??? That pretty much slows everything down! But really, the market is very tough right now and for a qualified buyer it is hard pickens. There are so many houses out there right now that I don't know if I could make a decision! It does seem like buyers are taking more time now and looking at more houses today than ever before. With rates coming down a little recently hopefully agents educate their buyers (if they need to be) as to the importance of a good interest rate. A drop in of even a .25% could be better than a $5,000 or $10,000 price reduction (depending on the price of the home and the term of the loan). If you have a question about that call me! 515-313-7103. :) I have still been very busy and I don't plan on that changing anytime soon. I am excited to sprint through this ever changing economy!!!

On another note. We have an agent in our office, whom is very important to Coldwell Banker and many many other people out there, who has recently been faced with the ultimate challenge. One week she delivers her 3rd child and the next she faces death! Scary! I can't wait till the next time I see her cause anytime their is a serious turn of events we all count our blessings and we learn to appreciate what things we do have and those people we have in our lives and she helped me appreciate my loved ones a lot more. Can't wait to thank her! Could you imagine being a single dad with 2 young children and a 10 day old baby!?!?!?! Well, Katie Bloom recently had some bleeding around her brain (thought at one time to be an aneurysm)and was as close to death as it comes. She has experienced some brain damage that the family feels confident that she will fight through. I encourage you to throw a prayer out for Katie and David Bloom. You can read her whole story and I think you all should at www.katiebloomprogress.blogspot.com. She is amazing and so is her family! Bloom family we are praying for you every day (sometimes more than once ;)