Tag Archives: housing market

How Short Sales Create Opportunities for Real Estate Agents

Foreclosures continue to flood the housing market in Maryland, and the state continues to get a lot of bad press for this reason. However, foreclosures are not necessarily a bad thing. When foreclosures are turned into short sales, they present opportunities for everyone involved. The seller has the opportunity to avoid filing for bankruptcy and to save his or her credit score. The bank has the opportunity to recoup more of the value of the house than it would have on a foreclosure. The strain on the judicial system is eased, and everyone’s time is saved. And, short sales present lots of opportunities for savvy real estate agents.

The high volume of foreclosures that can be turned into potential short sales presents a great opportunity for real estate agents. Buyers are out there looking to capitalize on these great investments, and when a buyer and seller come together, they need a real estate agent to conduct the process. Agents who specialize in short sales can see lots of activity in a market that is otherwise still recovering at a slow pace. Short sale training is available for agents who are looking to learn the specifics of a short sale transaction, making it easy for agents to learn how to conduct a short sale. Not only will this knowledge serve well in the short term to conduct sales, it will also add to an agent’s own portfolio of marketable skills, making it a potential career-booster in the long term.

If you’re looking to invest in low-cost properties with lots of earning potential, we can help. Gray’s Home Solutions has properties of all types across the state of Maryland. Contact us for a full list of properties. Even if you’re not looking to buy right now, you can participate in our sellers referral program. Here’s how it works. Send us the phone number and property address for a For Sale By Owner or vacant property. We’ll take a look, and if we buy the property we’ll pay you $250 as a thank you for providing the lead.

Are you interested in learning more about selling your home fast? Our ebook has a ton of great information for you. We also have an ebook with information on how to avoid foreclosure, available for download here. They’re both free, so give them a look. You can also connect with Grays Home Solutions on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn for more real estate made simple.

Source

http://home.howstuffworks.com/real-estate/10-benefits-of-short-sale-over-foreclosure.htm#page=6

The Impact of Investors on the Housing Market

The housing market is recovering slowly but surely, in no small part because of the efforts of investors who see the value in homes that others may overlook. In Maryland especially, these kinds of homes are becoming a common sight as foreclosure rates continue to rise. Maryland has the third highest foreclosure rate in the nation according to RealtyTrac, and as a backlog of foreclosures continues to make its way through the judicial system, it’s unlikely this trend will change anytime soon.

However, smart investors see the possibilities presented by these properties, and by investing in them they help not only themselves, but the entire market. First, they take a rundown property off the market. This helps the market from becoming saturated with these kinds of properties, which helps keep property values from getting too low. Investors also create work for the construction industry by enlisting contractors to fix up rundown homes. They create work for agents to sell these properties, and opportunities for families looking for quality and affordable housing. Finally, by returning a great home to the market, investors bring up the value of other homes in the area, which can revitalize a stagnating neighborhood. With the efforts of investors, formerly distressed properties that brought the market down can be used to bring it back up again.

Source

http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/blog/real-estate/2013/11/officials-launch-offensive-against.html?page=all

How Avoiding Foreclosure Benefits the Housing Market

As Maryland works through its backlog of foreclosures, the threat to the housing market grows. When a number of properties are foreclosed on in a particular area, the property values in that area drop. Even just one foreclosure can negatively affect the area. According to a report by the Federal Reserve Band of Cleveland, properties within a 260-foot radius of a foreclosed property lost up to one percent of their value.

Short sales make it easy both for sellers to avoid foreclosure and for new buyers to acquire property at affordable prices. This prevents the number of homes for sale from growing too large, and keeps property values up by reducing the number of foreclosed properties in the area. Short sales can also potentially recoup more of a property’s value than a foreclosure auction, which also helps to keep property values in the area up. Overall, if foreclosure can be avoided, everyone stands to benefit.

Finding a buyer for your home doesn’t have to be a difficult process. Gray’s Home Solutions will buy your home quickly. We’re looking for properties of all types across the state of Maryland. Whether you’ve got a townhouse in Frederick, a rowhome in Baltimore, a rancher in Carroll County or a duplex in Rockville, we’d like to make you an offer. It doesn’t matter if your house is in pristine condition or if it has seen better days, we buy it all. Best of all, in addition to our speed, you pay no fees or commissions when we buy your home. Now there’s an offer that you can’t refuse.

Even if you’re not looking for a buyer, you can participate in our sellers referral program. Here’s how it works. Send us the phone number and property address for a For Sale By Owner or vacant property. We’ll take a look, and if we buy the property we’ll pay you $250 as a thank you for providing the lead.

Source

http://home.howstuffworks.com/real-estate/10-benefits-of-short-sale-over-foreclosure.htm#page=5

Market Forecast for the Second Half of 2013

The housing market continued to make steady, if slow gains, during the first half of 2013. Sales of new homes are up 38% since last year, and hit a five-year high in June. Sales of previously owned homes are 15% higher than last year as well. So what does the second half of 2013 hold for the housing market?

As a whole, growth in the market is expected to increase moderately, a total of 2.1% growth in 2013 compared to 1.7% growth in 2012, according to Fannie Mae Chief Economist Doug Duncan. Home prices have been estimated to increase between 6-12% in the second half of the year.

Inventory is expected to increase during the second half of 2012, which is especially good news considering it hit a 12-year low earlier this year. While there were 7% less homes for sales in June 2013 than in June 2012, inventory grew 4% between May to June of this year. Inventory growth on a year-to-year basis may begin to increase this fall.

Mortgage rates are expected to continue to increase, albeit at a slower pace. Despite the rising rates, buying is still currently less expensive than renting. This pattern is expected to hold for the near future.

Foreclosures are on the decline nationwide, and are expected to continue to decrease. Foreclosure filings in the first half of 2013 were down 19% from the second half of 2012. However, some states are still seeing increases, including Maryland, due to the fact that lenders are just now getting to foreclosures that had been delayed by judicial process.

If you’re looking to sell a home, your answer is Grays Home Solutions. We cover it all, no matter where you are in the home buying or selling process. We’re professionals with the experience to aid you in navigating this difficult home market.

If you have a house that is in need of repairs and that you wish to sell, don’t hesitate to contact Grays Home Solutions. Use our fast response form and we’ll reply to you as quickly as possible.

We also have a sellers referral program! All you have to do is send us the telephone number and property address for every For Sale By Owner or vacant house you can find. Or if you know someone who has a house for sale, send us their information. If we buy the house we’ll pay you $250 just for providing the lead!

To learn more about how to sell your home in days instead of months, please download our ebook today! Or learn about our super easy referral system that benefits sellers and buyers!

Follow Grays Home Solutions on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn for more real estate made simple.

Source

http://www.forbes.com/sites/morganbrennan/2013/07/26/what-to-expect-from-housing-in-the-second-half-of-2013/2/