Broken Record: Homes Still Selling Fast

Here we go again. Spring is a month away. February isn't usually when I see a big influx of buyers, but here they are. Inventory is low, but not low enough that you can't find a house.

Case in point: I put a home on the market less than 1 week ago. We had 22 appointments. Why, you ask? Well, it wasn't priced too low (the market analysis & buyer feedback confirmed that). The reason for so many appointments? There are more buyers than there are homes for sale.

We did receive an acceptable offer :-)

Advice for Buyers in the market:

- get pre-approved NOW. Do not wait until you find a home. It will be too late

- use a Realtor you trust. If you are serious about finding and buying a home now, make sure they understand that. There are plenty of "tire-kickers" out there and if you should make it clear to your Realtor that you are ready to roll

Advice for Sellers in the market:

- prepare your home for sale. Just because the inventory is low doesn't mean you will get a good offer. If your home has obvious problems, the offers will not appear or there could be a major price adjustment. A good Realtor can suggest how to best get your home ready

The Reluctant Real Estate Recruiter: Me?

The phone rings and it is the daughter of a friend. Or maybe an old highschool acquaintance. Neighbor. Past client. They are interested in doing what I do. Full of energy. Almost all of them tell me they watch most of the HGTV house buying/selling/flipping/designing shows. They love looking at houses. I have to pause and remember what I promised myself a few years ago. When I first got into this business it wasn't long until my old brokerage asked me to mentor new real estate agents. The same demeanor that helps me form successful working relationships with clients today led to a thought that I would be a great ambassador for new Realtors 20+ years ago. Think again. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) announced that in 2023 they lost over 26,000* members. How does that happen? While there are some other factors (ie, selling real estate without being under the NAR umbrella, retirement, etc .. ) a reasonable assumption is an overwhelming majority of Realtors left the business...

Let's Go For A Walk: Meet the Wurbles

When's the last time you opened your front door and walked down the street for a cup of joe or to hit the gym? A number of people, especially those in the "717", can't do that. We live in the suburbs. The country. We drive to work, shop, and play. Some stats and news reports the last two years would have you believe that everyone is moving to the sticks. The truth is, I've never had so many people tell me they want to live in a community where they can walk or bike for shopping, exercise, work, school, etc ... Some things to consider if you find it appealing to be using your car less. This goes for both buying a home or renting. - Flirt with living in town . A novel idea! Take your pick, almost all of them have housing options that allow you to do a number of things on foot or two wheels. If sustainability is important to you, this is a homerun - Live near public transportation . The "717" doesn't have a subway, but options include the CAT bus, ...

92 Months

It has been 92+ months in a row that the median price of homes in the 717 area code have increased. The difference in median sales price from just one year ago is +8%. On the flipside, buyers in the 717 area do have *more* choices than they did last year. There are more homes available. Prices going up, but more homes available. This is not the same in other areas in the Mid-Atlantic region. What does all this mean? I started helping people buy and sell real estate over 20 years ago. There have been highs and lows for buyers and sellers - but generally speaking they haven't been as high or low in Central Pennsylvania as they are in many other parts of the country and even within our own state. Make a move when you want to, not when the talking heads on the TV tell you it is time. *statistics courtesy of BrightMLS report Nov 13, 2023

717 Real Estate

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