I have noticed that there have been reoccurring Realtor questions from my San Luis Obispo buyers in the past couple of transactions I have done. I have also heard these questions at Open Houses or just in casual conversation. I thought I would address them and give my best answers for each.
1. "If it's possible prices haven't hit bottom yet why, should I buy now?"
My response: While price is a major concern for anyone selling a home, cost should be you primary concern as a buyer. This means you need to take into account what your monthly payments will be, considering not just the price of the home but also your interest rate of your mortgage and property tax amount. San Luis is 1.125% of the purchase price. Inevitably interest rates will increase, making the amount of home you can afford go down.
See my blog post "Cost vs. Price" for an expansion on how interest rates effect your "buyability"
2. "When will we see appreciation if I buy a home now?"
My response: Appreciation varies by your local market and you would need to look at local pricing trends. Nationally there are indicators that are feeling positive about 2011 and where the market is going. The National Association of Realtors projects a slight increase nationally of 0.5%. Another company that did a National Home Price Expectation Survey showed that experts think prices will begin to build beginning in the second half of 2011 and a cumulative appreciation of more than 10% between now and 2015 nationally.
3."Does buying still make better sense than renting?"
My response: It depends!... Most people buy a home for reasons other than financial. They may want security in their housing situation. They may want to be able to control where they live and be able to do more with their home. I ask them, "What non-financial benefits would your family have to buy a home instead of renting?" The bottom line is it has to be the right timing and make sense to you and your family to do it.
 | "A Realtor that knows homes." Traci Ferguson 805-235-6396 traci@traciferguson.com http://www.traciferguson.com License #01875751, ecoBroker #16082 |
