What Do the Number of Home Showings Say About Our Market?

The trajectory of the number of home showings in our market over the first half of the year is nothing to be alarmed about.

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Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve been noticing a little bit of a stillness in our real estate market. We also noticed this little hiccup wasn’t just happening to our local market—it was happening nationwide.

Industry experts are calling this a “blip on the radar,” and it will be interesting to see if it carries into July. If it happens for two months in a row, we’re experiencing a trend, but for now it’s just a blip on the radar.
 
When looking at the numbers for the first half of this year in the 46143 zip code, I noticed a low number of showings in January, but that number climbed in February and March. For example, in January, for homes priced between $200,000 and $300,000, there were 318 showings. In February, that number rose to 412. In March, it went up to 592. In April, that momentum caused it to climb all the way up to 671. In May, that number plateaued around 670. In June, it dropped to 650.

For now, this stillness is just a blip on the radar.

This is nothing to be alarmed about, but like I said above, this decline was something the whole market felt from coast to coast. In any case, we will stay on top of this development. At Shawna’s Home Team, our average days on market is still just 22 days, and our homes are selling for 98.6% of our asking price.

If you have any questions or you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in our market, don’t hesitate to reach out to us by phone or email. We’d be glad to help you.
 

Don’t Be Afraid of This Seller’s Market

Your current home will sell quickly, but how can you possibly find your next home in our competitive market? We have a plan.

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These days, a lot of sellers are worried about finding their next home. They say, “We know our home will sell quickly, but we just can’t find the perfect home on the market. What should we do about that?”

On our team, we work to make up for that challenge every single day. We have a team of five agents who are dedicated to getting on the phone for two hours every morning to call homeowners in the neighborhoods our buyers are looking in.

This happens every single day from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. You can even stop by our office and see our team in action!

We call these homeowners to let them know that we have a pre-approved buyer interested in their neighborhoods. We tell them, “Our buyer has seen everything currently on the market. I’m calling to see if you know of anyone in your area who wants to sell their home.”

Our agents are proactively finding homes before they even hit the market!

Neighbors are giving us the inside scoop on who wants to sell in their area. Sometimes, the homeowner that we call ends up selling their home. It’s been a lot of fun to take our buyers out to these neighborhoods and show them a home that doesn’t even have a sign in the yard yet. 

So, if you’re scared of this market, just know that you don’t have to be. There are proactive agents out there doing whatever it takes to find you a home. I can tell you right now that we have not let any of our clients go without a home in this market.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. My team and I would be happy to help you!

3 Things Every First-Time Homebuyer Should Know

Buying your first home can be an incredibly exciting time. However, it requires a huge commitment and a sizable investment.

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I want to share my three top tips to help first-time homebuyers protect themselves during this crucial period:

1. Know what you can afford

Your mortgage is only a part of what you will need to pay when you buy a home. Homeownership comes with plenty of other expenses, including closing costs, taxes, property insurance, maintenance costs, and homeowner association fees.

Once you have a clear idea of how much all of these items will cost, you can compare it to your current monthly expenses. Then you can figure out the kind of home you can honestly afford without getting carried away and without getting bogged down in debt.

2. Choose your lender wisely

Choosing a lender is not something you should base only on the lowest rate. A competent and trustworthy lender will offer you advice on how to improve your credit and also help you take advantage of special homebuyer programs that might benefit you.

But how do you find the right lender specifically for you? It's often best to get recommendations from friends who have already worked with a lender or from a real estate agent you trust.

An inspection will cost about $300, but it can save you thousands.

3. Don't overlook the details

There are many details that go into buying a home, and missing any of them can be a costly mistake. I always advise buyers to get a professional inspection done on their home, separate from the appraisal. An inspection will set you back about $300, but it can save you thousands of dollars down the line, and it can even prevent you from making a decision to buy a home that you would later regret.

A second example is understanding the fine print in the various contracts you will be signing. If there's anything that isn't clear to you, talk to your real estate agent and have it spelled out.

The process of buying a home can be intimidating, and that's why professional real estate agents are there to help. These three quick tips are only the start of the things you need to watch out for when buying your first home.

If you need more advice or you are ready to start looking for a home, give me a call or send me an email. I love working with first-time homebuyers, and I can help you get your perfect new home with minimum hassle.