Lansing Area Real Estate
Real estate in the Lansing area takes in the urban area plus many great bedroom communities like Holt, Mason Dewitt, Okemos, Grand Ledge, Dimondale, Haslett, Delta Township and others that offer great school districts, a wonderful selection of family homes, condos and investment properties. "Expect the Best" Mike Bowler Sr.
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Friday, February 10, 2023
Mortgage Pre-Approval in Today's Real Estate Market
Buying a Home in Greater Lansing, MI in 2023?
Selling Your House in Today's Real Estate Market
Thursday, November 10, 2022
Thursday, March 3, 2022
Down Payment Assistance Programs Can Help You Achieve Homeownership
For many homebuyers, the thought of saving for a down payment can feel daunting, especially in today’s market. That’s why, when asked what they find most difficult in the homebuying process, some buyers say it’s one of the hardest steps on the path to homeownership. Data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows:
“For first-time home buyers, 29 percent said saving for a downpayment [sic] was the most difficult step in the process.”
If you’re finding that your down payment is your biggest hurdle, the good news is there are many down payment assistance programs available that can help you achieve your goals. The key is understanding where to look and learning what options are available. Here’s some information that can help.
First-Time and Repeat Buyers Are Often Eligible
According to downpaymentresource.com, there are thousands of financial assistance programs available for homebuyers, like affordable mortgage options for first-time buyers. But, of the many programs that are available, down payment assistance options make up the large majority. They say 73% of the assistance available to homebuyers is there to help you with your down payment.
And it’s not just first-time homebuyers that are eligible for these programs. Downpaymentresource.com notes:
“You don’t have to be a first-time buyer. Over 38% of all programs are for repeat homebuyers who have owned a home in the last 3 years.”
That means no matter where you are in your homeownership journey, there could be an option available for you.
There Are Local Programs and Specialized Programs for Public Servants
There are also multiple down payment assistance resources designed to help those who serve our communities. Teacher Next Door is one of those programs:
“The Teacher Next Door Program was designed to increase home ownership among teachers and other public servants, support community development and increase access to affordable housing free from discrimination.”
Teacher Next Door is just one program that seeks to help teachers, first responders, health providers, government employees, active-duty military personnel, and veterans reach their down payment goals.
And, most importantly, even if you don’t qualify for these types of specialized programs, there are many federal, state, and local programs available for you to explore. And the best way to do that is to connect with a local real estate professional to learn more about what’s available in your area.
Bottom Line
If saving for a down payment seems daunting, there are programs available that can help. And if you work to serve our community, there may be even more opportunities available to you. To learn more about your options, let’s connect so you can start your homebuying journey today.
Thursday, February 24, 2022
The #1 Reason To Sell Your House Today in Greater Lansing, Michigan
Almost every industry is currently struggling with supply chain disruptions. This also applies to the current U.S. housing market, where buyer demand far exceeds housing supply.
Purchaser demand is very strong right now. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) just released their latest Existing Home Sales Report which reveals that sales surged in January. Existing home sales rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.5 million – an increase of 6.7% from the prior month, with sales up in all regions. However, there’s one big challenge.
Inventory Is at an All-Time Low
Because purchaser demand is so high, the market is running out of available homes for sale. The above-mentioned report states that the current months’ supply of inventory of homes for sale has fallen to 1.6 months. This prompts Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at NAR, to say:
“The inventory of homes on the market remains woefully depleted, and in fact is currently at an all-time low.”
Earlier this month, realtor.com released their inventory data for January. It helps confirm this point. Here’s a graph comparing inventory levels for January over the last six years:
As the graph shows, new listings coming on the market have decreased over the last four years (shown in blue in the graph). The graph also reveals that carry-over inventory has plummeted in recent years. This is because listings are now sold so quickly, they don’t stay on the market long enough to carry over month-to-month (shown in green in the graph). In other words, homes are not staying on the market for months as they had prior to the pandemic. In the report mentioned above, NAR reveals that:
“Seventy-nine percent of homes sold in January 2022 were on the market for less than a month.”
Odeta Kushi, Deputy Chief Economist at First American, explains it like this:
“A higher velocity of sales (lower [Days on Market]) helps to explain a housing market characterized by both higher sales & lower inventory. Many resale transactions are happening so quickly that they ‘flow’ in & then out of the ‘stock’ between the fixed monthly measurement of inventory.”
What Does This Mean for Sellers?
Anyone thinking of putting their home on the market shouldn’t wait. A seller will always negotiate the best deal when demand is high and supply is limited. That’s exactly the situation in the real estate market today.
Later this year, inventory (and by extension, your competition) will increase as many homeowners are waiting to put their homes on the market in the spring and early summer.
In addition, Len Kiefer, Deputy Chief Economist at Freddie Mac, says:
“Housing starts start off 2022 strong, just edging out 2021 for most in January since 2006.”
As these newly built homes are completed, they will also become competition for your house. This gives you a tremendous opportunity right now. Don’t wait for that increase in competition in your area. If you want to sell in 2022 and are ready to start the process, today is the day to list your house.
Bottom Line
If you’re ready to sell, let’s connect to get your house on the market while today’s inventory situation is in your favor.
Keller Williams Realty
6452 Millennium Dr. Lansing, MI 48917
517-755-8168
www.MikeBowlerRealEstate.com
Mike@MikeBowler.com
Blog: www.MikeBowler.net
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