Twas the week before Christmas, Santa couldn’t find a house. Sellers are absent, quiet as a mouse. We could have fun re-writing this timeless poem, but I think you get the point.
The real question is, what will Santa bring this year to the real estate market? We’ve got some answers.
First off, Santa thinks sellers have been good this year and will reward them. There is a buyer under every tree, maybe several. There is nothing better than opening several presents to see which one you like best. Sellers will like their presents this year.
Buyers will be happy too. Interest rates are still low while rents are going up. For those buyers that have saved and prepared their credit, Santa will reward you too. Buyers who buy before rates go up will save money, plain and simple. We expect home prices to continue to rise in 2022 as will interest rates. The sooner you buy the better off you will be as a buyer. Santa will reward smart shoppers.
Buyers are in competition with other buyers, not so much the seller. We have more buyers here in SW Florida than sellers, and more are on their way. We do not anticipate enough sellers to meet the demand for buyers moving here. Builders cannot build fast enough to meet this demand either.
This is one of those rare instances where it is good for both buyers and sellers at the same time. When interest rates rise, it will not be as good for buyers. Additionally, as demand continues to increase, it puts further pressure on prices. Buyers could get hit with rising prices and rising rates.
Traditionally when interest rates rise it puts a damper on home buyer activity. This is because cost of ownership rises for the buyer and limits how much they can pay. What is different this year is more people want to move to Florida for various reasons we’ve talked about in previous articles. 2022 may be a year where we see rising interest rates and continued rise in home prices.
The rate of increase may be slowed, and a lot will depend on the economy and the rate in which people continue to choose to move to Florida. There are wildcards in this formula, so nobody can tell you exactly what will happen or at what pace.
All we can do is tell you what our feeling is on the matter based on what we are seeing today. If you are a buyer and wish to keep up with the real estate market in real-time, we have the website for you. Our website is updated from the MLS every few minutes, so you have the timeliest information anywhere.
Check out www.LeeCountyOnline.com No more looking at homes that sold and closed or missing out on new listings. That is frustrating! Or call our buyer hotline at 239-489-4042
Sellers, you are in for a treat too. Our seller website www.SWFLhomevalues.com will give you a Free and instant home price, and the system will tell you how accurate it feels by the confidence score. Of course, Sande and Brett Ellis are available to evaluate your home and talk about the process, so you get the best advice possible. Call Sande or Brett at 239-310-6500
We hope you enjoy the holiday season, regardless of which faith you are. We used Santa as an example as most people identify with Santa without regard to faith.
May your blessings be bountiful this holiday season. Always call the Ellis Team with your real estate questions. We will defer to Santa on where to buy everything else.
Happy Holidays!