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Many Realtors around the country are facing the same problem - how to get buyers off the fence and commit to buying a home!

I have had more luck recently conceding that prices may in fact keep dropping a little, but am able to show my clients why it can still make sense to buy now!  For example, stock brokers quit aspiring to help you buy low and sell high since they were always getting beat up for not buying at the lowest and selling at the highest!  They started telling their clients to just "buy now and sell higher later" so they wouldn't get blinded with hindsight later.

For example, here are two scenarios:

  1. $250,000 mortgage today @ 5% = 
    Monthly Payment:
    $1,342.05 (Principal & Interest ONLY)

  2. If your buyer thinks the property values will decline 5% more in the next year, just agree with them! Then the mortgage would be $237,500 instead of $250K.  Because you agreed with them that things are still eroding, they might agree that interest rates will go up due to additional economic concerns so figure the same house at the reduced mortgage but increasing interest rates to 6%.  $237,500 mortgage at 6% = 
    Monthly Payment:
    $1,423.93 (Principal & Interest ONLY)

Therefore, by waiting for prices to drop another 5% due to the economy and if interest raise only 1% your effective payment is going to increase $81.88.  The effect of the payment increase will drop your buying power by roughly $13,500 at 6% so you wouldn't even be able to buy as nice a home!

Oh by the way, if you don't close by November 30th of this year, you also loose the potential $8k First Time Tax Credit!

Jim Paulson, CRS, GRI, EPRO, SFR

NAR Employer Assisted Housing Instructor and EPRO Instructor
Owner/Broker - Progressive Realty Corporation
Specializing in Boise Idaho Real Estate
http://www.IdahoMLStours.com
Http://www.Progressive-Realty.info

 
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29 Comments on How to get buyers off the fence in today's market

OCT
20
2009
Outside Blog

Great Info!

12:29pm • #1
166,621 Points 6 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp

This is the kind of stuff that makes deals.  Good job guys.

12:33pm • #2
706,299 Points 6 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Terrific post...thanks for sharing your scenario.

12:51pm • #3
169,775 Points 23 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

I am glad to share my systems and ideas.  I guess that is why I enjoy being an EPRO trainer and also an instructor for NAR on their "Home From Work" programs in addition to owning my own real estate company.

1:23pm • #4
1,545,551 Points 416 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

We can show buyers the advantages of one financing instrument over another and the risks associated with waiting.

Problem is, we are not always talking with serious buyers.  Many folks just think that they want to own a home but are really not ready to actually buy one.

 

4:37pm • #5
1,156,661 Points 117 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

I've found just knocking them off the fence to be very effective :-)

Homeownership is not for everyone and making sure that a buyer understands both the short and long term committment they are making is important.  It is more than the mortgage payment they need to consider before they sign on the dotted line.  If they are hesitating in today's market then I've given them all of the information for an informed decision and they still aren't ready then that is okay with me.

4:48pm • #6

Great Ideas, I would never have thought to think of it in that scenario.. Thanks!

4:48pm • #7

Over time, real estate always goes up, and we are all expecting interest rates to go up.  Real estate is typically a good hedge against the inflation that is bound to come due to the National debt.  Thanks for the helpful example.

Janet Naisbitt-Bagley, ERA Realty Center, Cedar City, UT, 435-865-1019, www.homesincedarcity.com

5:04pm • #8
471,539 Points 4 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Thanks for the inspiration. Loans are higher here so I need to adjust numbers, but I will work on a similar comparison. I've been doing it verbally but put in black & white is always clearest.

5:23pm • #9
172,854 Points 2 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Outstanding job. Clearly presented and meaningful to todays consumer.  Most people will agree with all of your data, and the likelihood of rates rising very rapidly is real.  Thanks,

Dan

5:26pm • #10
344,023 Points 10 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Jim - very nicely presented. I use the same type examples with my clients and refer to it as the price of procrastination. HIgher interest rates are inevitable with inflation due to government spending.  We don't know when it will happen, but generally rates go up faster incrementally when they're on the upswing.  Purchasing power is very high now.

6:53pm • #11
128,299 Points 1 Featured Post

Jim, great calculation -- how useful! Good tool! Thank you!

7:02pm • #12

Hi Jim,

        Couldnt agree more. Some people always think they can see in the future, but if we could, we would all be rich and sitting on a beach somewhere tropical ( im in maine and its getting cold ).  Im often told by people who have boughten and sold property for many years, and one thing that always seems to be the case, is that when they buy a place, they always think it was too much money at the time, but 10 years later they are very happy they got off the fence when they did. I think a quote would be " at the time I thought it was too much money, but I took a chance."  today those same properties that were purchased for say, 100k, are now valued at 300k or more.

7:13pm • #13
2 Featured Posts

That speaks volumes!  What a great example...I'll use it tomorrow!

Verlyn

7:45pm • #14
1 Featured Post

smart...very smart.  good post...thanks for the tip.

 

Best,

Rich

9:38pm • #16
535,698 Points 7 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

The rates will probably be higher in a year so its a good reminder. People are looking at 5% or even lower...hard to beat.

9:58pm • #17
144,769 Points Outside Blog

Now is the best time to buy in my mind. Good information. Thanks for the post.

10:03pm • #18
3 Featured Posts

Jim:

Good post.  Good logic.  Buyers should never turn a blind eye to the financing side of the equation.

10:06pm • #19
216,916 Points 1 Featured Post Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

I have been sharing this information with buyers.  For some strange reason, first time home buyers don't believe that interest rates will rise in the near future.

10:48pm • #20
119,511 Points

Great scenario and strategy...logically clever and brief.  Nothing like higher payments to snap someone out of the emotional roller coaster of trying to predict the market.  Thanks for sharing!

10:54pm • #21
546,186 Points 11 Featured Posts

Hi Jim -- Great analogy.  The only problem I see is if the housing market deteriorates further, and the housing sector is needed to make the economy rebound, I'm not sure there would be much impetus for rates to rise given the lack of demand, but rates can be a mysterious thing.

11:11pm • #22
128,111 Points Outside Blog

Great scenario. That should deffinitaly take off the fence a serious buyres in today's market.

11:53pm • #23
OCT
21
2009

A 1% increase in interest rates equates to an 11.1% increase in sales price. I use the same argument myself.

8:24am • #24
147,213 Points 6 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp

I agree with Lenn first you need to have a SERIOUS buyer.  I like Mark's way of looking at it too.  Thanks to all

12:18pm • #25
169,775 Points 23 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Another thing you can do is incorporate NAR's 2009 Public Awareness Campaign "fence sitters" into your website.  I did that and it is on my front page of my site if you want to see a sample.  www.IdahoMLStours.com

12:48pm • #26
202,016 Points 14 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

I've used a similar slide in all of my buyer presentations.  A picture is definitely worth a thousand words and you don't have to be a mathematical "genius" to explain it if the numbers have already been calculated.

1:29pm • #27
JUL
09
2010
147,617 Points 6 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Do we really have many serious people out there looking for homes or just testing the waters?  I think a little of both.

9:06pm • #28
JUL
10
2010
169,775 Points 23 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Don, I think there are both bottom feeders and nervous buyers.  I haven't seen the mainstream investors reentering the market yet though.

I know most of my agents have already exceeded last years production though so I am feeling pretty confident about the rest of the year and beyond (in residential low to moderate range properties anyway).

1:52am • #29

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Jim Paulson (Owner/Broker)

Boise, ID

More about me…

Progressive Realty (Boise Idaho) www.Progressive-Realty.info

Address: Boise, ID

Office Phone: (877) 466-9648

Cell Phone: (208) 573-0471

Email Me

Jim Paulson is currently the Past President of the Ada County Association of Realtors. I try to use this experience coupled with my 20 years being a licensed Realtor to help bring you relevant information and hopefully an occasional thought provoking idea or two. I am a member of the Greater Boise Chamber of Commerce and and Accredited business with the Better Business Bureau. I can help with Idaho Foreclosures, Boise Idaho Short Sales, building a new home, or even using First time home buyer grants and niche lending prodcuts to buy or strategically sell homes. I am here for your real estate marketing needs! http://www.IdahoMLStours.com Http://www.Progressive-Realty.info Virtual Tour Inventory WidgetGet Adobe Flash Player


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