Have You Boarded the Middle Housing Train?

Have You Boarded the Middle Housing Train?

I know it sounds like I have been harping on middle housing, and you know, I am! Here's why. Today I am in California and what am I doing? I am researching middle housing everywhere in California just like I have in Nevada, in Oregon, and Washington State.

If you are not up-to-date on middle housing, you need to start building your knowledge of what is going on. If not, you are going to be left behind.

You can no longer go to a home and do a traditional comprehensive market analysis. You need to also understand what middle housing solutions may be available for that property. You should know what kinds of costs buyers and sellers may be faced with to build that type of solution. You should be aware of height restrictions in that community. Finally, you need to be able to sit down with a seller and be able to say, "Your house (or land) actually qualifies for middle housing product. Here's what that means for you and because of that we are no longer just selling a home, we're selling a property with investment potential."

In essence, the way that we used to price real estate is changing – and you need to change with it.

I've been spending a lot of time understanding middle housing, what kind of design works in different communities, and how middle housing is built in a way that keeps those communities cohesive. If you are looking for a way to get all of this knowledge in one place, I cover basic knowledge, pricing, marketing, identifying land potential, working with investors, and so much more at our new Middle Housing Resource Center (MiddleHousingHelp.com). If you have a seller, you need to understand these things.

More importantly, if you have a buyer, then middle housing is a fantastic option for buyers. You need to understand the language, law, and how zoning and easements may affect your buyer's options for purchasing a property with middle housing potential.

Get Started Learning Middle Housing

Washington State needs to build an astonishing 1.1 million housing units by 2044 in order to catch up on the housing we have not been able to build over the last 15 years AND plan for our future population growth. After this course, you will have a thorough understanding of the mechanics involved in creating our Housing Supply Gap. You will have talking points and resources for explaining this issue to clients, friends, and family.

We're not going back. We do not have enough housing and I want agents to be at the forefront of understanding how middle housing is one of the vehicles that will help correct our housing shortage. It won't solve availability and affordability problems right away, but the impact of middle housing is already being seen and felt in communities all over.

This train is coming whether you are going to get on it or not and I highly recommend you get on it today and be at the forefront of agents who understand this kind of property.

By Denise Lones CSP, CMP, M.I.R.M. The founding partner of The Lones Group, Denise Lones has over three decades of experience in the real estate industry. With agent/broker coaching, expertise in branding, lead generation, strategic marketing, business analysis, new home project planning, product development and more, Denise is nationally recognized as the source for all things real estate. With a passion for improvement, Denise has helped thousands of real estate agents, brokers, and managers build their business to unprecedented levels of success, while helping them maintain balance and quality of life.