How Will the Election Affect the Lansing Market?

Today I wanted to reach out to home buyers and potential home buyers. Interest rates are so low, it's crazy.

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Today I wanted to talk to home buyers about interest rates and the state of the market going forward. At about 3.6%, interest rates are crazy. Have you thought about buying a house? Why rent when it's so cheap to buy a home in this market?

I think eventually the Federal Reserve has to raise interest rates, and I think they will after the election. I'm not a buyer's agent, but if I was, I would be all over buyers to get them into new homes. Come next year, we have no idea what's going to happen.

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Come next year, who knows what's going to happen?

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If you're thinking about buying a home, now's the time to do it. Personally, I own a couple homes, and I'm thinking about jumping on this market bandwagon myself. Who knows what's going to happen next year, regardless of the election results?

If you have any questions about the market or you're thinking about buying or selling a home in Lansing, give me a call. I'd be happy to help you out.

Low Rates Make Now a Great Time to Buy in Lansing

I just wanted to touch base with those of you out there thinking about buying a home in this market.

Looking to buy in Greater Lansing?  Perform a full home search

 Looking to sell in Greater Lansing? Get a Home Price Evaluation

I just wanted to touch base with the buyers out there. I want you to know that it’s still a great time to buy a home in Lansing.

I can’t believe how low interest rates are right now - 3.6%? Are you kidding me? To me, it’s just amazing. I’ll say it again, it’s a great time to buy a home.

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I can’t believe how low interest rates are right now.

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We have some great buyer’s agents here to help you, and we have a great group of mortgage people here to help you out too. I think a lot of people take that for granted; they think they can just go to their bank and things will work in out the best way possible. Those situations can turn on you in a heartbeat.

If you’re thinking about buying a home, you need an experienced professional. I truly believe we have the best people for that job, so if you’re thinking about buying, give us a call and let’s talk.

Why Sell Your Lansing Home Today?

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Today, I wanted to talk to you about listing your property in the Lansing area. Now is one of the best times to sell your home. Here’s why.

I haven't seen a market like this in a long time, and I’ve been in the industry for a while. If your home is ready and clean, start packing now if you haven’t already. Buyers are looking for that. They look for spaces to put their things, and having clutter in those spaces might deter them from your home.

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Now is one of the best times to sell your home.

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I’m in a little bit of frenzy right now. I typically carry about 80 listings. On those 80 listings, I have over 50 offers. That’s an incredible amount of inventory to replace, so I’m looking for sellers looking to sell their home quickly for top dollar.

Inventory is low and this is a great opportunity for home sellers. Don’t miss out! If you’re thinking about buying or a selling a home in the surrounding Lansing area, or know someone that does, give me a call or send me an email! I’d be happy to answer your questions.

Waiting Until Spring to Sell Your Lansing Home Could Cost You

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 Looking to sell in Greater Lansing? Get a Home Price Evaluation

Today, I wanted to come by with some quick advice for buyers out there. If you're thinking about buying a home, now is an ideal time to do it.

Interest rates are still low, even though the Fed recently bumped them up a bit. The supply of homes is down dramatically -- a consistent supply of homes is a six-month supply. Right now, we are way under that threshold, meaning sellers have less competition in the current market.

Waiting until springtime to sell could cost you. Buyers who are looking in this weather are very serious. They're not looking at 50-60 houses -- they're looking at the few available homes and are ready to buy sooner than later. A home priced well and in good condition in this market has a very good chance of going fast!

If you have questions about the benefits of selling in this market, or if you need real estate assistance of any kind, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to give you a hand!

Are Interest Rates in Lansing on the Rise?

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Are you thinking about buying a Lansing home anytime soon? If so, the quicker you act, the better off you will be.

The Fed recently decided to keep rates right where they are, which is great news because interest rates are historically low right now. However, that decision doesn't mean that they're not going to raise rates next year. In fact, there is a very good chance that rates will rise sooner than later.

If you're thinking about buying, waiting could cost you thousands of dollars once rates increase. We have some great buyer's agents here in the office that will help you find a perfect home and will set you up with a reputable lender.

Give us a call or shoot us a quick email if you want to begin the buying process now and lock in a low rate on a great home. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Is Now a Good Time to Sell Your Lansing Home?

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 Looking to sell in Greater Lansing? Get a Home Price Evaluation

Today I wanted to talk about a few conversations I've had with sellers lately. A lot of them have asked me, "Is now a good time to sell my property, or should I wait until spring?"

To be honest, this is the best time of the year to be in real estate. October and November have always been the best months of the year. We can show you that statistically and financially, October is by far one of the best months in the year to sell your home.

So if you're thinking of putting your home on the market, now is definitely the time to do it. Don't wait until spring to list your home because in the spring, the market will be flooded with everyone else coming on the market. You will have a lot more competition in the spring, so today is the best day to list your property.

If you have any questions, give me a call or send me an email. I would be more than happy to help you!

Why Aren’t Millennials Buying Homes More Frequently?

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One thing we know for certain about the real estate market is that it is never going to stay the same for long. Today we want to talk about an interesting trend we’ve noticed in real estate: millennials are waiting longer to purchase their first homes than their parents did.

The typical first-time buyer now rents for an average of 6 years before buying a home, which is up from 2.6 years in the early 1970’s, according to Zillow.

We came across this great video from CNBC. I will give you my three biggest takeaways from the article.

1. Down payments are a huge factor

Renters in today’s market are struggling to save for down payments and qualify for mortgages. Most first-time buyers still depend on personal savings for at least some of their down payments, but rising rental prices have complicated the task of socking away money for a down payment.

2. Rising rental rates are complicating things as well

Rental rates are causing 46% of renters aged 25-34, to spend more than 40% of their incomes on rent, up from 30% a decade earlier.

3. Job security is important to millennial buyers

The Money Source, a mortgage lender, examined applications from 5,404 millennial buyers and found that these buyers averaged nearly 4.5 years in their field of work and had held their current job for slightly more than three years. Those figures point to how critical career stability is to a younger generation

How to Handle Multiple Offer Situations

Looking to buy in Greater Lansing?  Perform a full home search, 

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It's been quite some time since we've had a lot of multiple offer situations in the Lansing area, so today I thought I would share some tips for how to handle them. 

Multiple offers are happening every day in our market right now. If you're a buyer, this can be a very stressful experience. You need to ask yourself how serious a buyer you are. Are you OK with missing out on the home of your dreams? Are you willing to pay the asking price, if not a little bit more?

For the best strategies for handling multiple offer situations, give us a call. We would love to be your Lansing real estate resource!

How Has the Market Changed Since 2008?

Looking to buy in Greater Lansing?  Perform a full home search, 

 Looking to sell in Greater Lansing? Get a Home Price Evaluation

Today, I want to answer a few questions that have been brought to my office lately from a few buyer's agents. The main thing I want to focus on is buyer education and how different buying is now than it was back in 2008.

Right now, inventory is low and home prices are rising. You have to understand that as the market continues to improve, there is a reason for it. As prices rise, you need to adapt - you can't lowball a seller who knows the value of their home is on the rise. As much as I hate to reject an offer, I have worked with sellers who I have had to advise to turn down ridiculously low offers. Some buyers simply haven't adjusted to current conditions, and it's my job to protect the seller!

  Whether you're buying or selling, you need to be aware of the fact that sellers currently have an advantage. You need to price your home right if you want the best results on the selling side, while on the buying side you need to be careful not to submit a lowball offer.

If you have any questions about current conditions, or if you need real estate assistance of any kind, give us a call or shoot us a quick email. We would love to hear from you!

Is Now the Time to Sell Your Lansing Home?

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Is there a "right" time to list your home? It's a question we hear often, so today we thought we would answer it for all you homeowners out there!

The answer is quite simple: Now is the time to list your home! The spring market is in full swing, and we expect this incredibly active market to continue going strong as we head into the summer months.

In the last two months, existing home sales and the average sales price have been climbing. We've been getting phone calls every day from people looking to list their home. However, despite the uptick in home sales, inventory is still quite low, making now an ideal time to sell! Buyers are getting stressed about the lack of inventory, so if your home is in good condition, there is a good chance you'll get top dollar for your home and sell it quickly.

If you're ready to make your move, there's no reason to hesitate. Give us a call or shoot us a quick email if you would like real estate assistance of any kind. We would love to help you take advantage of this hot market!

Why Is Now the Time to Make Your Move?

Looking to buy in Greater Lansing?  Perform a full home search,

 Looking to sell in Greater Lansing? Get a free home price evaluation

Is it just us, or does 2015 seem to be flying by? It's mid-March already, and the warm weather is finally starting to return to the Lansing area. 

The weather isn't the only thing to be happy about: now is a great time to put your home on the market! If you've been waiting for an ideal time to get the right price for your home, the spring and summer market is the best time to do just that. There's so much market activity that we actually have an extra person on hand to help us handle all of our listings!

We expect people to keep coming to the market, so the sooner you list your home, the better. Competition is only going to increase the longer you wait, so we recommend listing soon! If you're interested in making the most of the market, give us a call or shoot us a quick email. We would love to help you accomplish your selling goals!

What Other Agents Aren't Telling You About the Holiday Season

There are many Greater Lansing area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (517) 999-2675 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Do you ever wonder what's going on in the Lansing area market? Lucky for you, we're going to give you a quick real estate market snapshot to keep you in the loop.

With the holidays upon us, many sellers are starting to get skittish. Some are leaving the market, while others are debating taking their homes off the market and waiting until spring. We don't think this is a good idea, as now is a great time to list your home. 

The buyers that are currently out there are dead serious about buying a home. They're not out seeing 50 homes to get an idea what the market is like - rather, they're on a mission to find a great home quickly. With your home decorated for the holidays, giving it a warm and inviting feel, you are going to have a better chance of hooking an emotional buyer.

Most people think the spring is the best time to buy, but that's a bit of a stretch. Everybody jumps in the market during that time, making it more difficult to accomplish your buying or selling goals. Would you rather be one of 1,000 homes for sale, or one of 100? There is less competition right now, which means you will get more eyeballs on your home!

We would love to help you sell during this time. We can work around your holiday schedule and get people in your home when it is most convenient for you. With interest rates still low, at around 4.2%, you're going to find that there are more buyers out there than you thought.

If you have entertained the thought of selling your home, give us a call or shoot us an email. We can help you achieve your real estate goals in a timely manner!