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Homes For Sale in Fredericksburg VA - The "Spin" on Real Estate

By
Real Estate Agent with Fredericksburg Realty, Inc.

Earlier in the week I was asked to attend a meeting at the Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors® conference room.  Was told that a group was meeting to discuss a blogsite for the Association.  Apparently, there were some that thought that my presence on Active Rain indicated a propensity for blogging.  Naturally, the blog would focus on homes for sale in the Fredericksburg VA area.

If the truth were known they would realize that my blogging is inversely proportional to the amount of real estate business I have.  Oddly enough, I am quite busy now but do not want to let "my public" down.  Therefore, this blog.

At the meeting some were explaining how "good" the market was.  Plenty of listing appointments and plenty of listings!  Personally, I have less than what I consider a manageable (spell check is not working!) number of listings.  I do not consider this a "good" market at all.

The "Real Estate Trend Indicator"  for the period 04/01/08 - 04/30/08 published by the Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, Inc. gives me reason to believe that the market has yet to improve to any great degree.

There were 3735 Active Listings at the end of the month and there were 310 homes sold during the month.

The median sold price between 2007 and 2008 was down 14.6%.

The total units sold during April 2007 was 343 and last month (as shown above) 310 homes sold.

The Average Sale price as a percentage of Average List price was 94.41% in 2007 while in 2008 it was 89.16%.

The figures I give are for the City of Fredericksburg VA, Stafford, King George, Spotsylvania, and Caroline Counties, VA.

Oh, wait!  If you are working with buyers this is the time for you to get moving!  There are lots of bargains out there if you can find them.

Maybe it is a "good" real estate market.

Melody Botting
Broker Associate PenFed Realty - San Antonio, TX
You Deserve The Best

The market is not the same here but certainly it is not where it was last year.  In your opinion, when do you think it will turn around in your area?

May 15, 2008 01:49 AM
Brian Schulman
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, Lancaster PA - Lancaster, PA
Lancaster County PA RealEstate Expert 717-951-5552

Ed, it's true that if we're doing a lot of business, there's less time to blog.  I don't know how some of the more successful agents do it!

May 15, 2008 02:00 AM
Ed DeChristopher
Fredericksburg Realty, Inc. - Fredericksburg, VA
CRS Fredericksburg VA

Melody - Whew, if I only knew both you and I could make some money!  Think that we have another year of this before it will turn around significantly.  But that's just a SWAG.

Brian - Beats me!  Would be that they have someone working for them that does the blogs.  Have heard of some having virtual assistants doing it.  That seems like a wise decision if blogging brings them enough business to justify the expense.  Maybe that could be the subject of another blog (you or I going to tackle that?).

May 15, 2008 02:10 AM
Associate Broker Falmouth MA Cape Cod Heath Coker
https://teamcoker.robertpaul.com - Falmouth, MA
Heath Coker Berkshire Hathaway HS Robert Paul Prop

It is still slow here.  Properties are selling, but with rates staying low, there is no reason for buyers to rush.

May 15, 2008 02:21 AM
Ed DeChristopher
Fredericksburg Realty, Inc. - Fredericksburg, VA
CRS Fredericksburg VA

Heath - From what I have heard, buyers are of the opinion that prices will continue to go down and are willing to wait it out.  Buyers, that is, that have time to wait it out!

May 15, 2008 02:27 AM
Sarah Nopp
South Sound, WA

I love to make that clarification to people who ask me how the market is! And my market is actually pretty balanced. It is fun to explain that Good is a matter of perspective- the past few years were really only "good" for the sellers. It is FUN to be a Buyer now!

May 15, 2008 06:02 PM
Ed DeChristopher
Fredericksburg Realty, Inc. - Fredericksburg, VA
CRS Fredericksburg VA

Sarah - You have no idea how many puzzled looks I have received when asked "Is this a buyer's or a seller's market?" and I respond "Yes."

May 15, 2008 10:14 PM
Jim Crawford
Long & Foster - Fredericksburg, VA
Jim Crawford Broker Associate Fredericksburg VA

Hey Ed, great post.  We just received and email today from some management types that tells us in Atlanta the real estate crisis is over.  I'm so glad someone told me that, it makes my day.  My days are loaded with negotiating deals that evaporate within a few hours, and a few more listing calls.

May 16, 2008 02:33 AM
Ray Nelson
Exit Realty Expertise - Fredericksburg, VA

Great stats, Ed.  I don't find the market to be "good."  I find it to be workable but difficult.  I think some people are so busy trying to be positive they talk themselves into a different reality.

Jun 13, 2008 04:06 AM