CNBC’s Jim Kramer may have ignored one of the cardinal rules of real estate last week. Location, Location, Location. Many in real estate industry have heard and discussed the infamous statement “now is the absolute worst time to buy!” made by Kramer last week during a segment on national real estate.
At Keller Williams our co-founder and chairman had something to add to the debate in our weekly newsletter. His comments are timely and I believe more accurate. Keller points out three key problems with a blanket statement on the national real estate market. Here’s what Keller has to say about waiting out the current market:
First, residential real estate is not a national market product — it
is a local one. To say from a national position that this is either a good time
or a bad time to buy real estate is like saying the national forecast for the
U.S. today is 92 degrees — it is a useless and irrelevant perspective. What is
happening in your local market is all that matters.
Second, trying
to predict when it is a good time to buy, or not, means you’re trying to time
the market. Staying on the sidelines is the surest way for most people to never
time anything correctly.
Last, and maybe most important — there are
always two markets in every market. There is the market of properties that are
good buys and there is the market of properties that are not a good buys.
Interestingly enough, this is true in either buyer or seller markets. To
categorically say that this is the time to buy or not is absolutely ignoring the
fact that every market really has two markets inside it.
All three points are valid in the Twin Cities real estate market. There are a handful of communities in the southwest metro where homes continue to sell a few days or weeks after being posted on the MLS. These areas have seen modest appreciation this past year while most Minneapolis and St. Paul suburbs have been flat. Some have even seen slight depreciation. Homes in the Twin Cities metro are taking an average of 4 months to sell but the days-on-market stats for Linwood and North Branch are definitely longer than for homes in White Bear Lake and Maplewood.
As a Realtor working in Ham Lake and the Forest Lake school district, I would never make a blanket statement regarding the whole Twin Cities. But Kramer made a statement regarding the market across the entire US. When I am asked by potential clients if it is a good time to buy a home in the north and east metro of the Twin Cities, the answer is “Yes”.
As Keller states, there are two markets in every market and this is truer than ever currently in the Twin Cities. There are many homes that are over priced. Short-sale homes where the sellers are upside-down on the financing, owing more than the home is worth. Those are not necessarily a good deal. Likewise there are always a few sellers in every market that have higher expectations than what buyers in the marketplace want to pay. Those homes should be avoided.
But what I am seeing in the Twin Cities market is a good portion of sellers WANT and NEED to sell their homes. When sellers want to sell, the homes are in tiptop condition, priced incredibly well. And, sellers are willing to negotiate. Builders are having unprecedented incentives and price concessions so a new construction dream home can be a great buy too.
To find that well priced, dream home in the Twin Cities, it is imperative that buyers work with a Realtor. Through market analysis and experience, a real estate professional will help you determine which category a home falls; overpriced or good value. Just like we have done in every market—buyer, seller or in-between—for years.
If you are relocating to Minnesota, are looking for Homes for Sale in the north and east Twin Cities metro area and need help from a professional Realtor, give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet. I specialize in acreage properties! Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota.
Copyright 2007 www.terieckholm.com/
