Inflation may help home buyers in the long run.  Here is why. Currently home buyers can borrow right now at less than the cost of inflation.

Inflation May Help Home Buyers

Typically, the Fed wishes to raise interest rates higher than the cost of inflation to help lower inflation. Right now, a borrower can get a 30-year loan in the low 5% range. Inflation has been raging at over 9%. That’s almost a 4 percent spread between the cost of borrowing and inflation.

Inflation May Help Home Buyers

Secondly, we know that real estate appreciates long term at higher than the cost of inflation. See our article back in May titled “Housing Best Hedge Against Inflation in Uncertain Times

If housing appreciates faster than inflation, and you can borrow currently at less than the cost of inflation, it makes sense to buy what you can today.  This is a great long-term strategy. Unfortunately, most people worry about the short-term. Rising inflation hurts the economy and purchasing power, and this leads to pain in the short-term. The Fed’s mission is to quell demand, and that is true for all spending.

Housing can be hurt in the short-term and this can put negative pricing pressure on homes. Home prices could come down some, but keep in mind we have a shortage of homes being built, and that is getting worse because builders are slowing down building in the middle of a recession. Long-term it will be very hard to keep housing prices down because the demand will be there when interest rate pressure eases.

Risky Strategy

Some buyers will try to time the market for when home prices fall. The problem with this strategy is if home prices do fall some, interest rates could also rise, which will negate all benefits of waiting. Higher borrowing costs can outweigh any potential price savings. Because borrowing rates are far below inflation, now is a good time to jump on that rate.

We are still seeing many buyers moving to Florida. We are also seeing some buyers moving out of Florida as their employers call them back into work. Remote work has been good for Florida real estate, but that party is ending for some companies.

What will be fascinating to watch will be how many companies decide to relocate to Florida in the coming years. On a regular basis we hear of more and more companies making the move to Florida. While companies may call workers back to the office, more of those offices could be in Florida in the future.

Inflation is hard on everyone. To tamp it down, the Fed is forced to do some awful things. Sadly.  Doing nothing is worse than cracking down on inflation, so something must be done. We believe lowering the M2 money supply would do far better than simply raising rates, but this is where we are.

The labor market is showing signs of weakness going forward. Once this occurs, the other obstacle will be the price of oil. Many believe oil could rebound to $150/barrel. This will not help inflation if this occurs.

Inflation adds to the cost of everything, so one day when construction does pick up again, presumably it will be at higher prices due to higher costs. Some commodities like lumber are decreasing, but petroleum goes into so many things like clothing, roofing, roads, etc. The next 30-90 days will be pivotal for oil prices, so keep an eye on that.

Smart Money on Real Estate

The bottom line is, with all the uncertainty out there, real estate may not be a bad bet. Sure, home prices could rise or fall.  In the long-term, those that own real estate are far better off than those who don’t. Currently you can leverage today’s rates to increase long-term value.

People always talk about borrowing costs in relation to today’s purchasing power. It might be time to think about long-term purchasing power and how to accomplish that. This moment in time might be that window.

Search the MLS like a Realtor at www.LeeCountyOnline.com Check your home’s property value at www.SWFLhomevalues.com or call Brett or Sande at 239-310-6500

Good luck and Happy Selling!

 

Ellis Team Weekend Open Houses

Open House Saturday 12-3 PM

206 SE 1st Pl Cape Coral Florida

Cape Coral Open House
206 SE 1st Pl

Open House Sunday 12-3 PM

12157 Lucca St Unit 201 Fort Myers Florida

Sunday Open House
12157 Lucca St Unit 201

Staggering inflation rocks financial markets this past week essentially forcing the Fed’s hand going forward.  This caused interest rates to skyrocket to over 6.625% for well qualified buyers, up from about 5.375% the week prior.

Inflation Rocks Financial Markets This Week

We are writing this article before the Fed makes its decision on rates. Some believe the Fed will raise rates 75 basis points while other believe 100 is in order. Essentially the overall market has priced in the anticipated Fed decision.

Of course, the stock market reacted negatively because rising rates is not good for earnings, which will impact stock prices.  The yield curve on the 10-year note and 2-year note inverted again this week briefly, which signifies what we saw earlier in the year. The financial markets believe we are headed for recession. The Fed will be forced to put us into a recession to curb demand and get inflation under control.

Experts disagree on how high rates need to go to curb demand. As oil continues to rise it adds inflationary pressure to everything, so getting oil prices under control is crucial. Failing that, the Fed’s job will be much tougher. As we write this article oil prices are at $123.50/barrel. Many believe it will go to $150, and if it does, the Fed may need to raise rates significantly more throughout the year.

None of this is good for the financial markets, and it’s not good for real estate either, in the short run. In the long run we know real estate holds up as a hedge against inflation. Home prices long term outpace inflation, and we have written an article on that. See our post from May 26th  Housing Best Hedge Against Inflation in Uncertain Times which covers that.

The game plan for buyers right now is get in before interest rates rise further, as rising rates will cost you much more than a possible price decrease from sellers in the short term. See our video from April 15th  Better to Buy Now or Wait? on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/Topagent which shows you exactly how much it costs by waiting in a rising rate environment.

We have been predicting this day for the past several months and advising our clients. There are no surprises for the informed. We always say, hiring the right Realtor makes all the difference, especially in a shifting market. What you do next will determine your financial future.

If you are thinking of selling, knowing the latest statistics will help. You must price your home for the market we are in and for the market we are going into. Some sellers are holding on to the market from 3 months ago, and those strategies may not work. Gone are the days of throwing up a listing and expecting 20 multiple cash offers. You may need to look at financed offers and appraisals.

If you are a buyer, you may want to get ahead of this. More listings are coming on the market to choose from, and waiting can seriously cost you. If you see a home that meets your needs and is priced correctly, you may want to make your move. Waiting for a seller to reduce their price 5% might cost you 15%.  This is what we just witnessed this past week. Waiting absolutely cost financed buyers.

Our team is not here to sell you anything. We present the facts and let you make the decisions. We do so in a factual and logical way so you can make the best decisions for your family. Most people appreciate the truth, and that’s just what you’ll get when you work with our team. If you’re thinking of selling, talk to Brett or Sande Ellis 239-310-6500 or visit www.SWFLhomevalues.com

If you’d like to buy before rates go up again, visit www.LeeCountyOnline.com or call us at 239-489-4042. We’re here to help. Remember, when the markets get rocked, stay calm and work with a professional.

Market Turmoil

One of my finance professors in college named housing best hedge against inflation and I never forgot that.  He said tangible assets like real estate, gold, silver, etc. retain their value as the dollar is devalued due to inflation.

Construction Costs Going Up

In fact, as inflation heats up, the cost to build new construction only goes up. Because our market has been under-supplied for years, we are forced to build our way out of this. The only thing that could change the equation is if demand slowed.

Demand has slowed somewhat due to rising interest rates and insurance costs. Consequently, inventory has risen the past several months, and this should temper price increases like we’ve seen the past two years.

Whether home prices will appreciate or decline slightly no one can say. What we do know is the stock market has been volatile and has mostly headed down in 2022. Real Estate may be a much safer play in the short run, and the long run.

Housing Best Hedge Against Inflation

As you can see by the chart, since 2000 real estate has outperformed inflation. This includes the real estate crash years in 2006-2009. While searching the Internet I found more data dating back to 1967 that shows real estate outperformed inflation as well.

We May Already be in a Recession

Many people say the US will enter a recession in 2022. Others believe it will be 2023, and still others believe we are already in one. Negative growth impacts stocks, and as such we have seen a pullback in stock prices. When the Fed raises interest rates it is not usually good news for Wall Street.

Rising rates can dampen home affordability, and therefore it can have a negative impact on real estate prices short-term. We still believe now is a good time to buy before rates go higher. We did a video on our YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/c/Topagent) which shows how waiting to buy in hopes prices will come down actually costs a buyer when rates increase.  Send me an email if you’d like a direct link to that video Brett@TopAgent.com

Whatever happens with real estate prices in the short run it should be less volatile than stocks and should protect against inflation. The other nice thing about real estate is you can live in a home; you can’t live in a stock. You can rent out a home for income when you are not using it.  Real estate has so many advantages over stocks, including some tax deductions.

Is Your Home Working For You?

If you have a home that’s not quite working for you, now may be a good time to sell. Real estate prices are strong and while inventory is growing, it is still a good time to sell. If you wait to sell, you are occupying a home that doesn’t quite work for you, and it may be harder to sell when more homes enter the market in the future. Not to mention, interest rates could keep climbing.

As interest rates climb less and less buyers qualify for your home. If you are getting a loan on your next home, it may cost you more in the future. Interest rates have held steady the past week or so waiting on direction from the Fed at next month’s meeting. The inflation outlook will dictate how that goes, and we are expecting another rate increase in June, and perhaps several more this year. Either high prices will slow this economy down, or high rates will. It may be a combination of both, but rest assured the Fed will slow down the economy to get inflation under control.

The question is, will they overshoot and put us into recession? The other question is where is the best place to put our money in uncertain times.? Real estate may be a good option, and now is a good time to get into the right real estate for you.

Always Call the Ellis Team at Keller Williams

To get your home sold Always Call the Ellis Team at Keller Williams Realty 239-310-6500 or visit www.LeeCountyOnline.com to search the MLS, or www.SWFLhomevalues.com to get your home’s value instantly. Our marketing reaches more buyers, which brings more offers.

Good luck, and Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

How does Inflation and recession Affect Housing?

We just pulled new numbers from MLS and found that housing inventory grows most in the higher price ranges since March.

Overall single-family home market inventory in Lee County grew to a 1.18 month’s supply, up from .82 month’s in March.  Where we see the most differential between the two graphs is in the $300k price and up. Housing inventory grew the most as the prices go higher. The spread in each subsequent price range grew higher.

Housing Inventory Grows Most in Higher Price Ranges
May 2022

This explains why we are seeing price reductions again in the housing market. Some sellers got a little ahead of the market, and that was OK while the market was rising rapidly. Today, the market is price sensitive again. Sellers must be priced correctly in this market.  Competition from other sellers is coming as more listed properties hit the market each day.

March 2022 housing inventory
March 2022

It is still an excellent time to sell your home, but you must be competitive in the market. Overpricing your home in this market may not accomplish what you want.  We are not saying prices are headed down. That would depend on how many more sellers choose to list compared to how far and fast interest rates rise and how that affects demand.

Marketing and Pricing Crucial

What we are saying is marketing your home extensively and pricing it correctly are critical. Gone are the days you can just list it in MLS and post on some portal websites and it will sell. To receive Top Dollar, it takes marketing and correct pricing. especially when housing inventory grows most in higher price ranges..

If you follow this advice, we think you will be happy with the result. Sellers that do not do this will not receive top dollar for their home, and worse, might miss the market altogether.

The Ellis Team has been through changing markets many times in our career.  If and when the market does change, there will be some sellers that look back on 2022 and kick themselves because they missed one of the greatest opportunities in their lifetime.

Maybe the market isn’t as hot as it was 6 weeks ago, but it is still excellent. Throughout the history of real estate markets most sellers would kill to have a 1.18 month supply of homes on the market as competition. This is an opportunity for current sellers, and perhaps those wondering when the market would top.

We cannot say for certain if the market has topped and where it will go from here. Rising inventory levels and price reductions tell us it has at least paused, which markets sometimes do. Markets don’t always go up or down. Sometimes they meander awaiting direction from buyers and sellers.

We have so many factors pulling and tugging at this market, and it will be interesting to see which forces win out. Rising rates usually cools the market, as does fear of recession. However, Florida is still a popular destination that many would like to relocate to.

Thinking of Selling?

If you are thinking of selling your home, please reach out to Brett or Sande Ellis 239-310-6500. We can guide you through the market and help you explore your options. We can even help you find your next home which is easier not that inventory is rising. Or visit www.SWFLhomevalues.com for a Free instant home valuation online.

If you are looking to buy, our buyer specialists are here to help guide you as well. Just call 239-489-4042 or visit www.LeeCountyOnline.com to begin searching the MLS like a pro.

Good luck and Happy Selling!

Ellis Team Weekend Open Houses

Open House Saturday 12-3 PM

Eagle Reserve Lakefront Pool Home
Open House Saturday 12-3 PM

3951 Spotted Eagle Way

3 Bed 2 Bath Pool Home on Lake

 

Open House Saturday and Sunday 12-3 PM

Waterfront Pool Home Gulf Access
Gulf Access Pool Home

2519 SE 22nd Ave

4 Bed 3 Bath Home Direct Access Waterfront Pool Home

 

Open House Saturday and Sunday 12-3 PM

Pool Home on Golf Course
Cape Royal Home

3 Bed 2 Bath Pool Home on Golf Course

11849 Lady Anne Cir

See Listing Inventory Rose 40% Since February published just a few weeks ago. Since that article, inventory has now risen 64% since February.

Is Real Estate a Risky Investment with Inflation and Possible Recession?

 

Today we’d like to give you an inflation home affordability perspective you may not have thought about. These days everyone is talking about how expensive housing is. But is it really? Yes, home prices have gone up, but that doesn’t tell the whole story.

Inflation Home Affordability Perspective
Inflation Home Affordability Perspective

We are including a graph, and there is a lot going on in this graph. Let’s break it down. In 1989 the Keller Williams research team took the national average price of a car, a home, wages, and the cost of a mortgage for that average home.  They then went back and adjusted each for inflation. Here is what we found.

Of course, all four went up in price. But after adjusting for inflation, the cost of a mortgage, even at today’s prices, went down 24.02% You might ask, how can this be?

The answer is mortgage rates are lower than 1989 which is making housing affordable. We have other graphs that show in 2021 16% of the average home buyer income went to paying their mortgage. Back in 1989 it was 24%, so home affordability is better than it was back in 1989. This suggests there is more room for price appreciation if rates do not rise.

What if Rates Rise?

What happens if rates do rise? That eats into home buyer affordability and can damper price increases.  If they rise enough, it could put negative pressure on home pricing. In the coming weeks we will post another graph that shows where home prices are today compared to where they should be on the curve.

The forecast we pay attention to suggest home prices could rise nationwide about 9% this year. However, home prices are out over their skis and could ultimately bounce back if they expand too much from here. A lot will depend on interest rates. Expect the Fed to raise their rates a qtr. point to half point in March. Most experts now see a qtr. point hike, but I would not be surprised to see the half point rise. Many financial analysts are expecting the economy to pull back the 2nd half of the year. One way or the other, inflation will be pulled back whether through a slowing economy or continued interest rate hikes. Therefore, I believe the Fed may want to act faster now than having to continuously raise rates later.

Nobody knows what the Fed will do. They should have moved sooner and had they we might not have need to raise as much in 2022. Of course, many mistakes have been made not just by the Federal Reserve. A lot of people are responsible for this drastic inflation.

We are not here to assign blame. We are simply here to look at how we got here, how we think they may address it going forward, and what that means for the local real estate market.

Call Us Before Prices Peak

If you are a homeowner and your home is not working for you, you might want to call us 239-310-6500. Do not wait for prices to peak. If timing the market is your goal, you have a 99% chance of not getting that right. You will only know months afterward if you timed it perfectly.  Even if you miss it by a few percent, you are still doing well. Remember this, when word gets out that prices topped and are heading down, buyers turn off.

No buyer wants to buy in a declining market, just like nobody wants to catch a falling knife. Some people must buy, but the ones that don’t will continue to rent and wait for prices to come back down. When this happens, they will have no mercy on sellers. Sellers did not care that they put in 20 offers on homes and got none while prices were going up. When the market reverses, buyers will have no sympathy.

If you’d like to check your value online without speaking to us, you can at www.SWFLhomevalues.com Not only will it give you your home’s value, you can also check to see your value each month and see if it is appreciating or declining.

Always call Sande or Brett Ellis at the Ellis Team at Keller Williams Realty. We look forward to helping you get Top Dollar for your home!

Ellis Team Weekend Open House

3914 NW 41st St Cape Coral

Cape Coral Pool Home

Cape Coral Pool Home

I’ve heard the politicians talk about everything for sniper fire, to denouncing what their pastor said, to drinking shots with the locals, and everything in between.  Does the public really care if you drink a beer or shots to make yourself appear like common folk, or how you disagree with your pastor?  Well, probably a few do or they wouldn’t stoop to such things, but I think there is one topic that should be at the top of this year’s election and I don’t hear anyone talking about it much.

The Southwest Florida real estate market, the SW Florida economy, and the US economy is basically on edge and is being held hostage.  We are being held hostage by gas prices which put pressure on inflation.  It’s to the point where our economy is being hurt and perhaps our national security too.  Senator McCain has proposed a gas tax holiday until the end of the year to help drivers, but I don’t think that will do any good.

The reason is we could wipe out all federal sales tax, and the producers of oil could just cutback on production a corresponding amount and prices would stay the same, and our government would be the only losers due to falling revenue and increasing profits to our suppliers.

The sad truth is our suppliers, like Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, and others are not our true friends.  They have their own vested interests, and America isn’t among it’s highest priorities. We really need to rely less heavily on outside suppliers to the extent we can.

I recently saw a Walmart ad that said just one energy saving light bulb can save an awesome amount of oil due to conservation.  I’m all for conservation.  However, I don’t believe we can conserve our way out of this completely.  Oil consumption is increasing in China and other developing countries, and even if we cut back oil is more sought after and we are in competition for it.  And even if we cut back 20%, OPEC can cut back production 20% and make just as much money, so why wouldn’t they?

I believe we need to do a number of things:

1.  Drill for oil in Alaska.  I’ve been told ANWAR is in a remote area and will not affect animals.  Even if it did somewhat, people are just as high on the food chain as animals and we need relief too.  No reason not to get this done

2.  We may need to consider drilling in Gulf of Mexico.  I know states like mine (Florida) and other gulf states oppose this, but we have our own oil and won’t drill for it.

3.  Nuclear.  We haven’t built a plant in decades.  Other countries want to build them, why not us?  If nuclear can save millions of barrels of oil each year, why not?  We use many now, why not add a few more?

4.  Refineries.  We haven’t built one of these in decades either.  We need to invest in our own infrastructure, and let’s do it soon.

5.  Grades of Gas.  Each area has its own standards, and makes gasoline expensive as the refineries have to shutdown to retool each season.  Let’s end this practice.

6. Ethanol.  What a joke.  It’s made corn and food more expensive, and it costs as much to haul the corn around as it does with the savings you achieve.  Now we have corn shortages and it’s done nothing for gas prices.  Nice idea, but may turn out to be more of a subsidy to farmers than savings to consumers.

7. Oil Reserves.  I’ve heard we’ve found major reserves in Montana, and Cuba has found big reserves in International waters off Cuba.  Wonder why Chavez has become such friends with Cuba.  Maybe it’s time to see what capitalism would do for Cuba instead of an Embargo.  How long has that embargo lasted.  Yes, we don’t get Cuban cigars, but it didn’t get rid of Castro.  Maybe a little capitalism and hope for the Cuban people would oust a bad leader quicker than oppression would.  I really don’t know, I just pose the question and let those smarter than me figure that one out.

Bottom line is nobody is policing the supplies, and we’re not doing anything to control our own security.  I understand why we go to Afghanistan or Iraq, to keep the terrorism over there before it could easily come over here.  But why do we let something much bigger control our own destiny?  Terrorists could shutoff oil supplies to US and shut us down much faster than any  single Trade Center bombing ever could.  Why aren’t our politicians talking about what they would do for gas prices, supply, and demand?  That makes more sense than who’s drinking a shot with the locals in PA, or who took more sniper fire.