Happy New Year!

As I've said in my past posts, it is definitely a great time to sell!

Below is a great study the California Association of Realtors did about homes selling faster than they were a year ago!

It's officially December! 

Which means many people are getting ready for the Holidays, including myself! :)

This is the season I get asked a very popular question by my seller clients..."Is it a good idea to list my home during the Holidays?"

In this market...YES, it's a great idea! 

Here are 11 Reasons Why You Should List Your Home During the Holidays:

1. People who look for a home during the holidays tend to be more serious about buying; otherwise, they would be cooking or shopping!

2. Serious buyers have fewer new houses to choose from during the Holidays, which means less competition and more money for the seller!

3. Starting in January, the number of homes coming on the market for sale increases dramatically. With more properties on the market, there will be less demand for the seller's house.

4. Houses show better when they are decorated for the holidays. Buyers are more emotional during the holidays so they are more likely to pay the seller's price or be less demanding on term such as repairs.

5. Often, buyers have more time to look for a home during the holidays than during a regular workweek, especially during winter vacations.

6. Many people want to buy before the end of the year due to tax reasons.

7. Traditionally, January is the month for corporate transferees to begin new jobs. Since these transferees cannot wait until spring to buy, sellers must be on the market now to capture those buyers.

8. Seller can be on the market during the holiday and still have the option to restrict showings during the holidays for their special family occasions.

9. If closing before the holidays, or by the end of this year is problematic for the seller, the closing or occupancy can be delayed until early next year.

10. For sellers who also want to buy, by selling now they will be non-contingent buyers in the spring when many more houses are on the market for less money. This allows them to sell high, buy low.

11. With the "phantom" inventory that may be released for sale by the banks, sellers can get take advantage of less competition and ultimately not have their price undercut by low appraisals.

If you're thinking about selling, feel free to contact me for a free market analysis of your home! 

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving weekend!

I've been meaning to start a Monday blog where I answer real estate questions I get asked all the time or sometimes inboxed to my email, facebook, etc. To start, I'd like to answer a very common question that I get asked all the time..."How is the real estate market?"

The answer...It's GREAT! Really, it is!

FOR BUYERS:
There has never been a better time to buy a home, interest rates are at historic lows, rates have never been this low! As of today, the rate for a 30 year mortgage is at 3.45%! (bankrate.com) With rates being so low and rents on the rise, many renters are now considering buying a home than continue renting. You can't go wrong with buying a home since you will always need a place to live. Besides a shelter, you also get tax breaks when you invest in a home. As far a financing goes, the guidelines to qualify have become more flexible to encourage more people to invest in real estate. For example, for an FHA loan all you need is a 640+ FICO score out of 850, not bad at all! And, a minimum of 2 years at the same job or in the same field of work. I always encourage my clients to get pre-approved for a home loan, if for any reason they do not qualify, the loan officer will let them know what they need to do to be ready in a few months, or a year, etc. No matter how long it may take they will be provided with a road-map to help them successfully own their own home in the very, very near future. As we all know...Time flies! If you are considering buying a home or investment property, please contact me for your Free personalized buyer consultation to get you on the road-map to successful home ownership.

FOR SELLERS:
If you need to sell, RIGHT NOW is a great time! With inventory being so low many properties for sale are receiving multiple offers, which is causing them sell for higher than the list price! Although home values have not increased as high as 6-7 years ago, prices are staring to rise, slowly but surely. If you are considering selling your home, please contact me for a Free market analysis to determine the value of your home and a personalized marketing plan to help you sell in less than 30 days!

If you have any questions about buying, selling or investing, feel free to email me at nancy@nancyzelada.com, and I'd be happy to answer them.