Sellers Turn to Real Estate Pros

From the desk of Ruth Wilkey 

 Unrepresented sellers make up just 11 percent of the market, down from 13 percent in 2009, according to the 2010 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers.

With today’s more complex transactions--such as with short sales and foreclosures and frequent changes in mortgage lending--more sellers are finding comfort in the help of real estate professionals to guide them through the process.

FSBOs once were lured to try to sell themselves because they thought they could save on commission fees, but now sellers are realizing that if they don’t use an agent, it’ll likely cost them more in the long run, experts say.

"Selling by owner does not guarantee the seller will put 5 [percent] to 6 percent more in his or her pocket in trade for doing all the work and taking on potentially costly liabilities,” Margaret Woda, associate broker with Long & Foster in Crofton, Md., told The Washington Times. “On the contrary, prospective FSBO buyers have their eyes on that 5 percent to 6 percent as well. It's more likely the buyer will win this negotiation in a buyer's market with a huge price reduction--probably even larger than the saved commission."

Some FSBO sellers also often make the mistake of listing their home at a higher price than the market warrants. But even if they do find a buyer for that price, unless it’s a cash purchase, the home has to be appraised and many deals can then fall apart
 
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Mortgage Rates Move Higher

From the desk of Ruth Wilkey...

Inflation concerns and a higher than expected January budget deficit caused mortgage rates to move a little higher during the week. Solid demand for this week's longer-term Treasury auctions helped prevent a larger increase in mortgage rates. Investors hoping for inflation relief from the Fed were disappointed. In testimony on Wednesday, Fed Chief Bernanke suggested that Fed officials view overall inflation levels as low and have no near-term plans to tighten monetary policy to fight rising inflation.


Over recent months, mortgage rates have moved higher due to investor concerns that future inflation will rise significantly. Inflation can come from different sources. A desirable source is inflation which results from stronger economic growth, which leads to more jobs and higher demand for goods. On the other hand, inflation which results from large budget deficits comes with very few benefits. Both are pressuring mortgage rates higher right now, but at least with an improving economy more people are able to buy homes.

On Friday, the Treasury released its recommendations for reforming Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. According to Treasury Secretary Geithner, this report is a starting point for a national debate. The central question is what role the government should have in the mortgage market. Geithner stressed that changes will take place very gradually over a period of years to avoid disruptions to the housing market.

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Daily Real Estate News

January 31st, 2011

10 Cities Where Home Prices Will Rise in 2011

While home prices are expected to continue to fall in most metro areas, Clear Capital’s Home Data Index report says a few cities are already on the rebound and showing some gains in home values.

“There really is this segmentation of these markets occurring where the one-size-fits-all national level numbers to represent all numbers really isn’t valid anymore,” Alex Villacorta, senior statistician at Clear Capital, told MSNBC. “Overall we’re seeing prices start to stabilize going into 2011, but unfortunately some of those markets will stabilize in the downward direction where others will see a sustained recovery.”

Clear Capital takes into account unemployment rates, foreclosure rates, and real estate inventory in its index.

The following is a list of 10 cities that Clear Capital expects will rise in property value in 2011:

1. Washington, D.C.: 6.5 percent price increase
2. Houston: 3.6 percent price increase
3. Honolulu: 3.4 percent price increase
4. Memphis, Tenn.: 3.2 percent price increase
5. Columbus, Ohio: 2.1 percent price increase
6. Dallas: 1.4 percent price increase
7. New York: 1.3 percent price increase
8. Birmingham, Ala.: 0.9 percent price increase
9. Pittsburgh: 0.8 percent price increase
10. New Orleans: 0.5 percent price increase

Meanwhile, Clear Capital reports that real estate markets in Florida and the Western parts of the U.S.—such as cities in Arizona and “Breadbasket metros” like Oklahoma City, Okla., and Dayton, Ohio—likely will see the largest price drops in home values over the year. Virginia Beach, Va., is expected to have the highest drop in 2011, with a 12.8 percent price decrease, according to Clear Capital report.

From the desk of Ruth Wilkey RE: Attention Getting Topic Line
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