Monthly Archives: April 2024

Latest Housing Inventory Supply Heading Into Summer

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The latest housing inventory supply numbers show we have a 5.89-month supply of homes on the market today. This is up slightly from 5.84 months’ supply back in February. We decided to update the graph with more relevant price categories. Before, half the categories were under $300,000. The old format was useful until prices shot up over the decades.

Latest Housing Inventory Supply

Latest Housing Inventory Supply

Anything $400,000 or less in Lee County has the least supply, and this makes sense. When we start getting up $400,000+ you begin to see properties sitting on the market longer as there is more inventory. Buyers have an excellent choice to choose from over $400k.

If you’re a seller over $400k, don’t be discouraged. Our team just put over $5.6 million under contract in the last 30 days, and most of it is well above that number. One listing was on the market with another company for months over $650,000. The sellers called us, and we were able to sell it in 11 days.

Our team listed and brought the buyer for another home at $800k, and we put under contract our listing at $2.3 Million. We are grateful for all the sales in the last month, especially when we hear other agents having a difficult time selling homes right now. We are not bragging. We’ve been there too, and it’s not fun when you want so much for your seller’s listings to sell, and the market doesn’t respond.

What’s the Secret?

Everyone wants to know, what’s the secret to sales in a shifting market? There are four easy answers.

  1. Be the economist of choice. Know the market you are in so you can prepare your clients. Educating clients on exactly what the market is doing helps them make better decisions. Always operate for the market we’re moving into, not the market that just left.
  2. Better Systems. Make sure your systems are tight. Communication is key, and educating on next steps is critical to getting deals and keeping them together. Everyone’s role on team is defined, and each member takes ownership of the results.
  3. Increase Advertising. Most agents want to cut back. This is why so many leave the business. They stop advertising, and their client’s listings don’t sell. In a rising inventory market, properties need more exposure, not less. If an agent switched to a brokerage with a higher split, be prepared to pay your own money for advertising. Most brokers do not advertise like the old days, agents do.
  4. Advertise in the right places. Don’t select a medium simply because it’s cheap, or just to appease the seller that you’re doing something. Use proven advertising because you’ve tested it, and it works in the market we are in.

Experience

When inventory levels rise, there is no substitute for experience. Finding an agent who is 1% less expensive isn’t a bargain when they don’t sell your house, or worse, when they sell it for less than it should because it wasn’t exposed to enough buyers. Underselling costs sellers more money, but hey, they’re saving a percent, so they’ll never know how much they lost, because they never saw the higher offers.

The Ellis Team has sold over 5,000 homes locally. We’ve worked in up, down, and sideways markets, and our research staff knows exactly where the market is, and what may lie ahead.

Don’t panic. We’ve got this. Give Brett or Sande Ellis a call 239-310-6500 We’ll sit down, discuss your property and your situation, and show you the market. Together we’ll make a plan to get you Top Dollar on your timeframe. Nobody puts more money in your pocket at closing than the Ellis Team at Keller Williams Realty.

Ellis Team Weekend Open Houses

Open House Saturday 12-3 PM

13916 Lily Pad Cir   Reflection Lakes

Reflection Lakes

Open House Sunday 12-3 PM  River Grove

3199 River Grove Cir

Gulf Access + Acreage

Open House Sunday 12-3 PM

6110 Whiskey Creek Dr

Whiskey Creek

Lenders Update Closing Costs Sellers Permitted to Pay

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Good news this week for home sellers as lenders update closing costs sellers are permitted to pay for the buyers.

Why this is Big News

The recent proposed settlement from NAR on the commission lawsuit prohibits listing what the seller is offering to the buyer agent in the MLS.  Sellers can still offer buyer agent compensation or agree to pay buyer closing costs. The recent agreement also mandates buyers sign a buyer agent agreement showing how much the buyer will pay their agent.

The confusion could arise, depending on how the contract is written, if the payment is compensation or concession. The reason that matters is because lenders put a limit of how much a seller can pay for the buyer, and it varied depending on how much buyer is putting down and what type of loan they were applying for. This is why it’s imperative lenders update closing costs concession rules.

Fannie Mae (FNMA) selling guide B3-4.1-03 allows interested party contributions to make contributions to buyer’s closing costs. The seller is considered an interested party, so this is allowed. FNMA has also said they will not count buyer agent commission paid by seller on behalf of the buyer towards the IPC (Interested Party Contribution) limits. In other words, the seller can still pay the buyer closing costs, if need be, and any commission paid by seller will not be counted against the buyer’s concession limits.

Concession Limits

Under FNMA guidelines, interested parties can contribute between 2-9% of buyer’s closing costs depending on the loan.  If a buyer needs more than 2% in closing costs paid on the loan, working in the buyer agent commission would have been impossible if they computed that fee as a limit. Sellers were worried because limiting buyers means potentially longer time on the market and fewer buyers. In a shifting market with rising interest rates, that would not be good for home sellers.

Lenders Update Closing Costs Sellers Permitted to Pay

What is Changing

So far, nothing much. Home sellers have always had the option to pay the buyer agent side. Lenders clarifying their position will give sellers comfort. Sellers can still attract buyers to their properties, and the payment of commission on buyer’s behalf will be allowable. Lenders understand the needs of buyers and sellers. Had lenders not clarified, buyers would be harmed because they would not be able to purchase a property when the seller is not paying the buyer agent commission in many cases. Sellers would be hurt too. Had lenders not allowed this, they would have lost many buyers who can no longer purchase their property.

Status Quo

As of right now, the only thing changing is the fee the seller is offering to pay as compensation cannot be listed in MLS. A seller can list a concession they’re willing to pay, but most sellers will not do that because the concession could be used for anything. Listing agents may charge more to work with unrepresented buyers because their costs will be greater, and the seller wouldn’t want to pay for buyer agent compensation through the listing agent and as a mandatory concession.

How It Might Work

We believe most sellers will not offer a concession in MLS.  We haven’t seen the new forms yet, because the settlement hasn’t been approved yet. Our thinking is sellers will still agree to pay buyer agent compensation. In most cases that information will not be in MLS. Buyer agents will be forced to call listing agents. Depending on the answer, buy will need to make a decision if they want to view that home. If a seller is not offering to pay a buyer agent compensation, many buyers will pass on seeing the home. Other buyers might view it, and if they like home ask seller to pay buyer agent anyway through their offer. Other buyers may go directly to the listing agent, but they may have to wait to see it depending on schedules. Efficiencies will be lost.

Considering Selling?

Call Brett or Sande Ellis 239-310-6500 We’ll walk you through the changes. Marketing will become more important than ever, and nobody markets like the Ellis Team at Keller Williams Realty. We can discuss your options, and talk about the pros and cons of each decision, and how it will affect your bottom line.

New Listings

2726 SW 2nd Pl Cape Coral

 

6351 Brant Bay Blvd #104 North Fort Myers

Housing Inventory Levels Stabilize to End Season

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Lee County Florida housing inventory levels stabilize at the end of season. This is true for single family homes and condo listings. To be fair, there were 111 single family homes that expired on April 1st and some of them will come back on the market. Those 111 expired listings would not have changed things that much.

Housing Inventory Levels Stabilize

We’ll be watching pending sales going into April and May, and of course new listings. All eyes will also be on interest rates this year as well. I did a little digging into the market and analyzed last week’s price reductions.

12.62 % of all single-family home listings reduced their price this past week. The average price reduction last week was 3.59%. As the season draws to an end it is clear that many home sellers are adjusting to the market as they are motivated to successfully close and move on to their next venture.

Pending Sales

 Pending and pending contingent sales picked up slightly last week to 2,226, which was up from 2,174 the week before. However, that number is down from the 2 weeks prior to that. We should note we would expect pending sales to be highest close to the end of the month, especially at the end of season.

Interest Rates

Experts have been predicting up to 9 interest rate cuts this year going back to the 4th quarter of last year. We have been saying, not so fast! The Fed’s latest announcement suggests up to 3 rate cuts this year, but again, we are saying, not so fast! While we would love rate cuts in 2024, we’re not sure the Fed is going to cut if they follow their own criteria. They might very well cut due to political reasons, but the numbers do not meet their criteria. The Fed has added an unemployment number criteria which was not met. I am writing this article before the Wednesday CPI number comes out, and that is not expected to help either.

Oil

 I can’t tell you how many times we have said the price of oil influences inflation interest rates, and the economy. Oil prices have been stubbornly high because we are not getting cooperation from OPEC. We have released much of our strategic reserve, and we don’t have more to release to bring prices down, albeit temporarily. It seems so long as our policies are favorable to Iran, Saudi Arabia is not going to help us. High oil prices are not good for inflation. Neither is spending, and we have both problems right now. The Fed cannot risk lowering rates too soon and risking double-dip inflation later. The Fed wants to lower in June to avoid the appearance of waiting and interfering with the election.

Assumptions

If we assume the Fed is not going to lower rates in June, how will that affect consumer confidence and affordability in the housing market? Many buyers are buying and enjoying the selection of homes. Other buyers, however, are reluctant, possibly due to affordability issues. Others may fear prices will fall and wish to wait until they do. Ironically, when interest rates fall, it adds to affordability and could give fuel to further prices increases later.  Invariably buyers try to time the best time to purchase, and invariably they get it wrong. Buyers are not alone though. Sellers try to time the market as well, and most get that wrong as well.

We’ll be watching the CPI numbers this week, and charting housing inventory levels and pending sales.

Hurricane Season

Predictions call for a record year for tropical systems this year, and the Gulf of Mexico is supposedly in the cross hairs. We know several sellers have stated they do not want to be here for another season. If you’re one of those people, the time is now to get your home on the market and sell before hurricane season heats up.

Overall, we have a good market. Prices are stable enough, and buyers are looking, so long as they see value. Homes must be marketed to attract as many buyers as possible, both near and far. Homes do not sell themselves. Changes are coming to how homes are marketed.

Call Brett or Sande Ellis 239-310-6500 to find out how your home can stand out and sell this year! We’ll market your home for all it’s worth. Or visit www.Equity-Analysis.com to track your home’s equity position.