Special offer

...and if you wait too long...

By
Real Estate Agent with Westwood Metes & Bounds Realty
  ... it will be gone! This, slightly changed, line from 'Wait' by 'Ready Set Go' provides a fitting premise for this article and of what I believe will be the situation in the real estate market, come spring. Buyers, right now, are in waiting mode. Who can blame them? The market in general hasn't been performing well in the last year. Talks about the economy, the sub prime crisis and the steep decline of national house sales leave the educated buyer where they are: At home. Most of my listings had increased online viewings since December. I think most buyers are motivated. They just aren't certain of what is going to happen. We often talk amongst ourselves in our office, and about the clicheed and overused line, "NOW is the time to buy!" that we are telling our buyer clients. Of course, you think that that's what we always say. We are in real estate. That's our bread and butter. But now IS, in my opinion, TRULY the time to buy. When everybody else is waiting, that's when you should buy. In five years, there hasn't been as much inventory as we have right now. Owners are more negotiable than they have been in a long time. The interest rates are at an all time low. There aren't three buyers for one decent and nice property at this moment. There is only you. Even though, in the last few weeks, we had several homes (in the $500k to $700k range) that already had multiple offers on them. Right now, buyers can still get in under the radar and buy a house for a good price and live in it by May. I think the day will come, when the wait is going to be over. A shift in buyer's perception, a few articles here and there about the market stabilizing and suddenly the door opens and a crowd of eager buyers will flood the scene to finally make a purchase. Have you ever been the first in an empty movie theater? You feel a bit awkward all by yourself, you hope that the movie is going to be good with so few other people watching but you also have the choice of the best seats. And then when the theater fills up you're glad you got in first. Ulster County, as discussed in previous blogs, is different from the rest of the Country anyway. I think we will have a strong spring. Most of the nice homes that are on the market right now, will be sold by June and then it will be much harder to find something again. So, if you are waiting for the right time, maybe you want to consider coming up and looking at some houses. If there is one you like, make an offer. And come spring, you'll open a lemonade stand in the front lawn of your new home, for all the buyers that came after you and are now thursty from all the driving around and searching for the right house.
Jennifer Fivelsdal
JFIVE Home Realty LLC | 845-758-6842|162 Deer Run Rd Red Hook NY 12571 - Rhinebeck, NY
Mid Hudson Valley real estate connection
That is so true some people will wait too long and miss the boat.  Right now there are many fine properties on the market in the Hudson Valley.
Feb 03, 2008 08:13 AM
Rosario Lewis
DDR Realty - Newburgh, NY
GRI, SRES - DDR Realty - Orange County, NY
Mmmm.... Lemonade! Who doesn't dream of summer time and lemonade while they endure the cold of February.
Feb 03, 2008 01:44 PM
Joseph Ellman
Realty Executives- Williams-Sykes Realty - Poughkeepsie, NY
Stefan - Great post and very true!  I love the lemonade stand part!
Feb 03, 2008 07:45 PM
Ulster County
Ulster County Real Estate - Stone Ridge, NY
Maybe it will all turn around after the elections, good post!
Mar 03, 2008 08:30 AM