Category Archives: Fort Myers Beach

Home Affordability Index Nears All-Time Highs

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You would think rising home prices would decrease home affordability.  This simply is not the case as the home affordability index nears all-time highs.

Home Affordability Index Nears All-Time Highs

If you look at the chart, home affordability was greatest back in 2012.  Median home prices averaged $131,000 for the year compared to $289,000 in 2020.  Today home prices are higher, so we took the yearly average.

So, what would cause affordability to rise if home prices are also rising?  Interest rates.  Lower rates equate to a lower mortgage payment, and it offsets the rising cost of the home.  Therefore, we are saying there is more room for further price increases.

Home Affordability Index Nears All-Time High

The home affordability index currently stands at 16.  It went as low as 13 in 2012 and hovered below 16 for 5 years.  The other thing that is different today is that we have end users for every home and rental.  Back in 2005 we had speculators bidding up prices to flip with no real end user in sight.  It was a house of cards. Today’s market is no house of cards.  We have legitimate demand.  In fact, we have more demand than supply.

Even if rates rise, we have room for that in the index.  As you can see, traditionally the index stands between 19 and 22.  At 16, we have some room if rates rise.  If interest rates do not rise much, we have room for further price growth.

Furthermore, we believe Florida has been undervalued for years relative to what it brings to the table.  Sunshine, low taxes, and freedom to work are just a few, and people are taking notice.  With the transition to work from home jobs, Florida is on the radar.  We just might see affordability numbers rise above their traditional numbers of 19-22.  That makes sense to us.

Of course, nobody knows what exactly will happen.  We do not know how much the price of oil will increase, what interest rates will do, and how the economy will react.  We do not know if northern states will continue to increase taxes, and we do not know what Covid-19 will do.  What we do know and are observing all looks favorable to Florida.

Our best advice for buyers would be to purchase as soon as you can.  As prices rise, and interest rates rise, your next home will inevitably cost you more than it does today.  If you have a home to sell, think about doing it now.  Waiting to get more money down the road will only cost you on the buying end.  It may cost you more in higher rates than you will receive with a higher price.

Our best advice to sellers would also be, do it now.  You are in the driver’s seat, and that’s a fun seat to be in.  While the market looks on the up and up, we never really know how long these markets will continue like this.  While we can make the case for increased prices, the price gains may not continue to rise at the same rate we have just witnessed.

History shows us the market never gives advanced warning when it is going to turn.  Sometimes we see signs, and we report those.  We are not seeing those signs, but someday we will and there will be those that miss out.  It always happens and will until the end of time.  It is true in the real estate market and the stock market.  You can never time the top perfectly, just as you cannot predict a bottom perfectly.  It is only after it occurs that we can tell you with certainty.

If you are thinking of selling, call Sande or Brett Ellis at 239-310-6500 or visit www.SWFLhomevalues.com for an instant home valuation.

See last week’s article “National Housing Supply Shortage Predicted Years Ago”

Good luck, and happy selling!  Don’t miss this market!

New Opportunity in Whiskey Creek

Lee County Home Sales Outpace Available Listing Inventory Year to Date

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Lee County home sales outpace available listing inventory in Cape Coral year to date and it is only February 10 as we write this article.  The numbers in Fort Myers and all of Lee County tell a similar story.

Lee County Home Sales Outpace Available Listing Inventory

Is it possible to reach zero inventory?  We believe the answer is no, just like we will never see zero unemployment, for a variety of reasons.  Some sellers will never sell no matter how hot the market is, and some people will never get a job no matter how good the job market gets.

Lee County Home Sales Outpace Available Listing Inventory

We are at or near 1 month supply of inventory in several price ranges.  In my 31+ years of selling real estate in Lee County I have never seen this before.  To make matters worse, builders are turning on and off the building spigot.  We covered that extensively in last week’s article.

Where will inventory come from?  Buyers are still moving to Florida in droves from New York, Illinois, California, and other states.  Demand is not going away.  We have pressure on the market.  Not every buyer is going to get a home.  Only the buyers willing to step up and win the game are securing homes.

Many Realtors are asking, how low can inventory go?  We have been watching inventory draw down for the better part of two years, and now it is getting critical.  We have a message for both buyers and sellers.

Sellers

Sellers now is your time.  You are in the driver’s seat.  It has never been more fun to sel a home than right now.  If you are priced and marketed correctly you will have multiple offers to choose from.  The agent you hire to represent you will make all the difference.  Choosing the wrong offer can cost you, just like choosing the wrong agent.  If you have questions about how that is possible, talk to Brett or Sande Ellis before you list, and we will talk about that.

Choosing the wrong offer is just as bad.  If today you knew the offer in hand would not close, would you take the offer?  Of course, you wouldn’t.  This is another reason why hiring the right Realtor with experience matters.  Experience is the ability to see the future because the agent has been there before.  The Ellis Team has closed over 5,000 homes, so we have seen some things.  We have that Spidey sense because of experience.

Buyers

Buyers, you are in competition with all the other buyers.  Forget about trying to out negotiate the seller.  You will out negotiate yourself right out of the deal.  In a balanced market where you are on equal footing, it is a different story.  This is not a balanced market.  You must play the game to win, or you are going to lose.  This may not matter if you do not really need to buy and you are comfortable in your current housing situation.  If you need to buy, get comfortable being uncomfortable. You need an agent that knows how to win.

Back to Sellers

Do you know what your home is really worth today?  Is there a number at which you would sell?  What if your home is at that number and you did not realize it?

Call Brett or Sande Ellis 239-310-6500 or visit www.SWFLHOMEVALUES.com to get an instant value.  The best part is the system will email you your home’s value every month as it changes.  You will know when your home finally hits your number.

Good luck and let us know how we can help you in this market.  Experience wins.  We can help you with that.

Zillow buys ShowingTime and what that means for the industry.

Home Builders Halt New Construction Sales to Catch Up

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We have seen several home builders halt new construction sales for several reasons.  The two major reason are costs and quality control.

Home Builders Halt New Construction Sales

Costs are rising rapidly.  For instance, lumber costs have skyrocketed recently.  I found an article online that said the lumber price spike has added about $16,000 to the typical home nationwide.  Lumber is just one component in a home.  Home builders are literally outselling what they can build in SW Florida, and they must be careful.

If you outsell what you can build, it adds to the build times.  As you add to the build time, there is more chance for increased costs.  In a hot market you would hate to contract for a home and lose money on it by the time you get it built.  Even if they do not lose money, they want to maximize profit.

Homebuilders Selling Too Fast

One homebuilder said they were selling a home every 50 minutes.  We know of several builders locally that have limited what their sales agents can sell.  These limits can change daily.  Overselling is bad for two reasons.  You do not want to set the expectation it will take 6-9 months and deliver the home in 18 months.  Customers will not like that. Secondly, they do not know what costs 18 months from now will be.  Costs are going up, so they need to raise the home prices to cover those costs.

When shopping for a new home it pays to work with a Realtor that knows who can build and where the inventory is.  Occasionally new home sales fall out and the buyer cannot close.  If you work with an experienced Realtor with connections, you may find out about these homes first.  If you’re late, you’re last.

Resale Market Hot

The resale market is still a place to keep an eye on too.  New resales enter the market daily, but not enough to satisfy demand.  Speed is the name of the game when it comes to securing a new or resale home.  Make sure you are pre-approved for a mortgage.  If it takes you a day or two to get pre-approved, you have already lost.  Do that first before you go home shopping.

Remember, you are not negotiating against the home seller.  Your competition is all the other buyers shopping to get the same home you are looking at.  Structuring your offer to win is the key.  This is where an experienced agent can help.  What seems like good terms to you may not be the best offer to the seller.  An experienced agent knows how to make your offer look stronger.  Price is just one factor, and you can only bid so high.  There are plenty of other factors along with price that can make or break your offer.

Sellers Pay Attention

Sellers, it is time to pay attention!  There has never been a better time to sell your home.  I just put my own home on the market.  I am taking my own advice.  There is more demand than there is supply.  Buyers are forced to offer full price or more in many cases to win a home.

As builders raise their prices it will help pull resale home prices up with it.  We have seen home builders increase their prices over $100,000 in some neighborhoods in the past few months.

Interest rates are low. Demand is high.  If you are thinking of selling, call Brett or Sande Ellis 239-310-6500.  For a free instant value of your home check out www.SWFLhomevalues.com.  Not only will you get an instant price, our system will also email you each month your home’s value change in value.  That is a handy tool in this market.

If you are buying, go to www.LeeCountyOnline.com  It is updated in real-time which means you will have the best data.  Remember, speed wins in this market.

Good luck, and Always Call the Ellis Team at Keller Williams Realty with your real estate needs!

You’re Not Going to Believe This

New Listing in Reflection Lakes

13855 Bald Cypress Cir

Lakefront Home in Reflection Lakes

Video Tour

Real Estate Sales Price Increased 20.2% in Last Year

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Official Lee County real estate sales price statistics are out, and it reveals a 20.2% increase in the last year.  Median sales price rose from $262,000 December 2019 to $315,000 December 2020.  Average sales prices show an even greater gain.  December 2019 average sales price was $346,857 compared to $455,685.  That is over $100,000 gain and a 31.4% increase.

real Estate Sales Price Increased 20.2%

The rate of gain is not sustainable.  Do not expect prices to rise 30% year after year.  There is room for further price gains, but not at that rate.  Low interest rates are helping buyers afford more home.  High interest from out of state buyers is also fueling demand.  This trend picked up 4 years ago and we expect that to continue.

Florida a Work From Home State

Covid-19 has taught us much of America can work from anywhere.  With that being said, many are choosing to exit big cities and work in less crowded areas with better climate and lower taxes.  Florida stands out as an excellent choice.  I read an article yesterday that showed Florida is now the most attractive state for net migration from other states.

Fort Myers was also named the fasted growing city in America by Business Insider.  The Fort Myers/Cape Coral area has been undervalued for years.  If you go back and read our past articles, we talked a lot about Florida having 67 counties, and two saw price gains below the state average.  Those two counties were Lee and Martin counties.  Eventually this equalizes, and the world has taken notice.  If you are an out of state buyer looking for sunshine and a nice place to live, you are not necessarily tied to one area.

Naples and Bonita have always been expensive compared to rest of Lee County.  I remember the day when Bonita was not expensive, but recently it has been as growth filled in.  Growth is marching right up the coast and now Fort Myers is the bullseye.  Therefore, we are seeing price increases greater than some areas and it will continue.

Excellent Buys if You Know Where to Look

There are still some excellent buys out there, both in resale and new construction. We need more new construction to help with demand.  We are seeing builders raise prices dramatically on lots, home construction, and pool costs.  Some of that is demand, and some is increased costs for lumber and supplies.

New construction prices rising dramatically will help pull resale prices even higher.  When new homes go up $100,000, resales follow.  We expect 2021 to be another great year, but some buyers are getting priced out of the market.  The market does not care who buys the home.  An out of state buyer with more money may be able to pay more than a local buyer.

We are seeing buyers having to adjust where they want to live as some are getting priced out of their desired neighborhood due to real estate sales price increases.

Getting Top Dollar Not Easy For Everyone

We are also seeing For Sale By Owners giving up and hiring Realtors.  Getting top dollar is not easy if you do not know how to reach today’s buyers and you do not know how to close the transaction.  Anybody can find a buyer, but can you find many?  Today there is typically more than one buyer for every property, you just have to find them.  When you have more buyers to choose from, you will get a better price.

An experienced agent also knows how to select the best offer.  It’s not always price.  We are looking for the buyer most likely to close.  If you have questions on that, reach out to Sande and Brett Ellis at 239-310-6500

Some people like our Free Instant Home Price Evaluator. If you are thinking about selling, we can validate the price and make sure it is accurate.  Prices are changing by the week, so do not leave money on the table.  Always call the Ellis Team at Keller Williams Realty!

Top Dollar Listings Recently Sold at or Above Asking Price

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What do these eleven homes have in common? These eleven top dollar residential property listings recently sold at or above asking price with more pending sales on the way.  The Ellis Team listed each of these homes for top dollar and marketed them.  In most cases our marketing created multiple offers which results in a higher price for our sellers.

Top Dollar Listings Recently Sold at or Above Asking Price

When people hear the words “multiple offers” sometimes they assume the home was listed below market value.  The logic goes, if it’s a deal, of course everyone will want it.  At the Ellis Team, we believe sellers are entitled to top dollar, and the home does not have to be a deal to generate interest from multiple buyers.  The home simply must be marketed to more people, which generates more interest. More interest is what helped the Ellis Team sell top dollar listings recently.

Don’t Give it Away

If you are giving something away, many people will be interested.  You should not have to give something away to create interest.  I see the ads on TV.  Price sells cars, price sells appliances and price sells homes.  That is that company’s value proposition.  Buy from me, you will get a better deal.  That is fine when they are selling their products.  But what about when someone is selling your product?

Do you really want to list with someone who is going to give your house away? Do you really want an agent that will sell your home fast and for the least amount of money?  What if you could sell your home fast and for top dollar?  Doesn’t that sound like a better deal?

We have been conditioned as consumers we must be the lowest price to sell.  Think of it this way.  If you only had one buyer for a widget, would you get top dollar for it.  What if you had 10,000 buyers bidding on that same widget?  Do you think the seller would sell for a higher price?  Of course, the more interest in a product brings you closer to top dollar.  Minimal interest means you had better be the best priced.

So why list a home with a Realtor with minimal marketing?  If the Realtor’s marketing plan is put it on MLS and pray somebody sells it, that is not really marketing.  I know, some Realtors will tell you the MLS gets picked up by Zillow and Realtor.com so everybody sees it.  That is not true.  Everybody does not see it, and the ones that do simply look for the best priced listing online.  They look at metrics like $/sq ft which does not tell the whole story.

Upgrades Count

One home may have a pool while the next does not.  One may have quartz counter tops, upgraded flooring, cabinets, counter tops, etc. while comparables do not.  One seller may have maintained their home while recent sales may need some attention.  All this should be factored in.  When the buyer shows up and sees the home in real life, it matters.

Minimal marketing creates minimal interest and does not always produce top dollar.  Most Realtors do not aggressively market because it costs money.

One mistake sellers make is assuming all agents do the same thing.  If that were true, I would go out and hire the least expensive agent I could find and let the MLS sell my home.  Unfortunately, this is not true and the agent you hire matters.

We talked about marketing.  Another factor is hiring an agent with experience. Find an agent that does not take the first offer simply because they are worried another offer will not come along.  If they are aggressively marketing your home, you have the luxury of choosing the best offer, not the only offer.

Talk to Us Before You List!

Before you list your home, talk to Sande or Brett Ellis 239-310-6500  Hiring the wrong agent could cost you thousands.  We have the marketing and experience to get you Top Dollar.  Just ask the happy sellers of these 11 homes.  Or visit www.SWFLhomevalues.com for a free instant online estimate of your home’s value.

Ask us for a list of Top Dollar Listings Recently Sold by the Ellis Team.

Good luck and Happy Selling!

Conventional Loan Limits Increase to $548,250 in Lee County

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Good news for home buyers and home sellers in Lee County.  Conventional loan limits increase to $548,250 in Lee County.  The previous loan limit was $510,400.  Because sales prices have increased this past year the loan limit was increased.

Conventional Loan Limits Increase to $548,250 in Lee County
Conventional Loan Limits Increase to $548,250 in Lee County

If a buyer wished to finance over the $510,400 it made the loan a jumbo loan.  The interest rate may have been higher and the underwriting guidelines in some cases could be stiffer because jumbo loans are not insured by FNMA or Freddie Mac.

Conventional Loan Limits Increase

The increase to $548,250 means a buyer can pay more for a home and still meet conventional loan guidelines.  Interest rates are around 2.5% for people with good credit.  This eases down payment pressure for many buyers who need a conventional loan.

Let’s say a buyer wanted to buy a home for $600,000.  Under the old guidelines the buyer would have had to put $89,600 down to stay in a conventional loan.  Today the buyer could put down $51,750 and still meet conventional guidelines.  That would be 8.6% down payment which is acceptable.

With conventional loans the buyer can put down as little as 3%, but 5% is more realistic for most people.  The PMI rate (Private Mortgage Insurance) declines the more a borrower places in down payment, and it disappears entirely if buyers put 20% down.

Buyers Can Afford More Home

The bottom line is buyers can absolutely afford more home today than they could last year.  Down payment requirements are less and interest rates are less.  This is good news because prices have been going up, so this alleviates that pressure.

This is one more reason we believe there is still fuel to power prices higher.  Of course, low rates will not help if the economy crumbles or demand falls.  We do not see any signs of demand falling.  In fact, Florida is more attractive than ever to northern buyers in high tax states.  Companies are leaving northern states and relocating to Florida, so it is not just remote workers making the switch.

Conventional loan limits increase benefits sellers as much as buyers because more buyers now qualify for the same property.  We already have multiple offer situations on many properties, and the conventional loan limits increase may add to the demand for properties priced $535,000 and higher.

In the coming weeks we will report final 2020 real estate market numbers.  To date we have official numbers through November, and we expect 2020 to end with a bang.  Traffic on our roads is busy, and our team has been busy working with buyers from all over the country attempting to purchase a home.

By all accounts, 2021 should be another great year.  The only thing that may hold it back is lack of inventory.  Sales could decline simply because we do not have enough inventory.

Considering Selling?

If you are considering selling, please call Brett or Sande Ellis 239-489-4042 Ext 4.  Now may be the best time.  Our marketing is reaching local and out of town buyers, and they are making offers.  Our team is working harder than ever for our clients. We are getting sellers who list with the Ellis Team top dollar.  It is always more fun to sell when we attract multiple buyers for your home.  Sellers can sit back and select the best offer, but that is only possible when you saturate the market.  Advertising locally and nationally is the key.

Or you can check your home’s value instantly at www.SWFLhomevalues.com Prices are changing by the week so it pays to keep up.  Is there a price you would sell your home at?  If so, perhaps we should talk.  Always ask for Sande or Brett Ellis.  There is no substitute for experience.

January 2021 SW Florida Real Estate Market Update

 

Low Housing Inventory Levels Driving Prices Upward

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Low housing inventory levels in SW Florida are driving prices upward. Buyers struggle to find available homes in their price range and it is happening across the board.

Typically, only a few price ranges get hot when the market moves.  Later, more price ranges may catch fire, or the market may run out of steam before all price ranges are affected.  What we are witnessing here in Florida is an all-out assault on inventory levels, and it is affecting pricing.

Low Housing Inventory Levels Driving Prices Upward

Low Housing Inventory Levels Driving Prices Upward

If a contract falls out for some reason it may be sad for the seller, but in many cases, we put property back on the market and raise the price and it sells again.  In the time the home was tied up and off the market it still appreciated.

Some buyers get scared and begin to doubt their decision after they were the winning bidder.  Perhaps they question if they paid too much, or they have unrealistic expectations about the home inspection.  Others get nervous about HOA costs or insurance costs and find reason to talk themselves out of buying. For whatever reason, they panic and walk.  Buyers need a reassuring hand to tell them it is OK to buy.

What these buyers do not realize is when they walk there are dozens of other buyers right there to scoop it up.  Buyers from last year are kicking themselves they did not purchase and are amazed at what has happened.  Their agent probably told them we had a great market.  Inventory levels were going down before the pandemic hit.

Record Low Supply

Back in October 2020 our months supply stood at 2.15 months.  We had never seen it that low, and yet we knew it could go lower.  Today it stands at 1.77 months.   Today everything below $600,000 is below 2 months supply.  Back in October it was everything below $300,000.  Buyers are being forced to go higher or not get a home at all.

Interest rates are expected to stay low through 2023.  There is still room left for more appreciation.  Sellers should be cautious though, because holding out for higher prices on the selling end may cost you on the buying end.  If what you are selling today is going up in value, what you plan to purchase tomorrow may also be rising.

Florida is sitting in a good spot.  Not only do we have sunshine and a great economy, we also have low taxes and freedom.  Businesses are not shut down.  The vaccine is out and relief to people’s health is on the way.  What can never be fixed are all the business that shut down and closed forever.  Many businesses up north are shutting down and opening down here before they are bankrupt forever.  Florida is gaining residents from northern states, and it is adding to demand with little supply.

We see the Florida real estate market poised for another great run in 2021.  More sellers may decide to list and take profits, and that would be a good thing.

If you are a seller, we have some resources for you.  We have neighborhood market reports that will show you all the properties active, pending, and sold along with price, $/Sq Ft, and photos.  Yes, photos of the sold homes too, so you can see how your home compares.

Instant Price Analysis

You can also check out www.SWFLhomevalues.com It is a fast and Free way to get your home’s value.  While it is fairly accurate, we like to validate it in this fast-changing market.  Sometimes even the computers cannot keep up with the market. Low housing inventory levels might mean your home is worth more than you think.

If you are looking to buy, www.LeeCountyOnline.com is your best bet.  It has all the homes listed, and it is updated in real-time.  That is important in a fast-moving market like this.  You want to beat out other buyers to hot new listings, or listings that suddenly come back on the market.

Always call Sande or Brett Ellis 239-489-4042 Ext 4 for selling advice.  We’d love to help you.  We have a team of buyer specialists if you are looking to buy who can help guide you.

Good luck and Happy Holidays!

See last week’s article “Confusing Statements Lenders Make to Buyers and Agents“

Selecting Best Multiple Offer Tips From a Real Estate Pro

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Many properties listed today in SW Florida are receiving multiple offers.  How would a seller know which offer to take?  Today we offer our selecting best multiple offer tips for sellers.

Selecting Best Multiple Offer Tips From a Real Estate Pro

Selecting Best Multiple Offer

It is logical to assume the highest price would be the best offer, but that may not always be the case.  Of course, a seller wants to maximize how much they can get out of the home.  Of equal if not greater importance is the likelihood the buyer can perform.  It does no good to accept a higher offer that is unlikely to close.

It is important that the listing agents knows all facts about the home.  For instance, some homes may not qualify for an FHA or VA loan.  There could be some insurance uses, or property condition issues imposed by the lender.  Some buyers may not be able to cure deficiencies placed by their lender, and it has nothing to do with the buyer.

Purposely Bidding Up Home to Win Negotiation

Some buyers purposely drive up the price with their offer banking on the fact the lender will knock it back down with the appraisal.  If you are selecting best multiple offer based solely on price, you might be surprised later if the home does not appraise.  A buyer may have the option of buying the home above appraised value provided they are putting down enough to cover the difference for the loan they have applied for.

For instance, let’s say a buyer is putting 50% down.  Chances are they are going for a conventional loan needing only 20 or 25% down.  Because they are putting more than that down, they already have the difference if the home does not appraise by a little bit.  Now if the home only appraises at 50% of purchase price you would have a problem because the buyer would not have anything down.  Banks base their loan to value ratio off the value, not the purchase price.

Obviously, an all-cash buyer does not have appraisal worries, unless they add an appraisal contingency.  In that case, the home must appraise for purchase price or buyer is not obligated to complete the purchase.

Remove Appraisal Contingency

Back in the foreclosure crisis buyers were bidding up foreclosure deals and getting financing for the new purchase.  The seller (foreclosure bank) wised up and started adding language that if home did not appraise the buyer would be responsible for the difference.  This basically stopped buyers from outbidding each other just to score the deal.  Most of those buyers could not pay the purchase price because the new bank would not lend on it.  The seller would have been better off taking a lower bid with a buyer that could actually complete the sale versus buyers that could not.

The condition of the home may influence which buyer’s offer to take.  Knowing that a certain type of loan may not accept certain property conditions may save you from going down the road with the wrong type of loan.  All of this takes knowledge and experience, and therefore it pays to hire the best Realtor you can find.  Hiring the wrong Realtor can cost you thousands of dollars, even in a hot market.

Full-time agents that have thousands of deals for experience have seen a thing or two, and therefore know how to deal with issues before they become problems.  And when problems do arise, and they inevitably will, possessing that knowledge and experience pays off in solving the problem.

Bottom Line

The bottom line is an experience agent is more likely to get you top dollar and keep your deal together than an inexperienced agent, no matter how much determination they have.  There is just no substitute for experience.  This is not the market to experiment with an inexperienced agent.

If you have a home to sell, call Brett or Sande Ellis 239-489-4042 Ext 4.  Brett and Sande have sold over 5,000 homes, and we know a thing or two.  If you are looking at purchasing, our team of buyer agents work directly with Sande and Brett.  Our knowledge helps you structure the best offer.  Buyers can search the MLS at www.LeeCountyOnline.com   Sellers can visit www.SWFLhomevaules.com to get your home’s value online instantly.  Let us know if how we can help you!

October Real Estate Sales Prices Up Nearly 20%

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It is no surprise to anyone buying or selling in SW Florida that October real estate sales prices were up nearly 20% year over year.  We have written a great length each week about the factors influencing the market.  Let’s look beyond the headlines and unpack what is really going on and see if we can get a gauge into the future.

October real estate sales prices up nearly 20%

Median October real estate sales prices were up 18.8% while average prices were up 22.6%.  That is phenomenal growth. I would be a bit skeptical if just the average price was higher as a few high dollar sales can skew that statistic.  The other thing I look at is there a trend.  This was not a one-month phenomenon.

This is the 3rd straight month we have seen 20% gains in average price.  It is also the 3rd straight month median price has risen 16.5% or more.  That is telling us this pricing pressure is real and demand is truly outpacing supply.  This is not a joke.

New listings were down 2.5% in October compared to last year while new pending sales were up 38.8%.  This is putting a further drain on available inventory and making it harder for buyers.  Buyers are coming to town and finding few choices in their desired search. In many cases buyers are having to settle just to score a home.  It does beat being homeless and someday down the road they will be able to trade for a home they like better.  The goal today is to find a home that at least suits their basic needs.

Pending inventory was up 61.9% in October.  This is an indicator that closed sales in November and December will be high.  Even though sales were down 14.1% in April and 39% in May, sales are up 8.3% for the year.  If we have monster sales in November and December, we could be in for some record numbers.

Perhaps next week we will dive into inventory by price range.  Suffice it to say that all price ranges today have less inventory than last year.  Every single range.  Let that sink in.  This market rally is across the board and not limited to hot spots.

The Ellis Team has done an excellent job counseling buyers what it takes to win a bid for a home.  Buyers do not want to pay more than they must, but they also do not want to keep missing out on homes either.  Getting their 4th or 5th choice is not as much fun as getting their first choice.  The sad thing is because all the buyers are clustered around the best listings, when one goes, they all move to the next best listing.  The irony is, sometimes buyers end up paying more for #2 than they would have for #1, because now there is one less choice once #1 goes off the table.

Working with experienced agents like the Ellis Team at Keller Williams Realty not only can help guide you into scoring the best home for you, but we can save you money as well.  We have access to zero lender fee loans that may save you thousands of dollars cash at closing.  These savings require less money at closing, or they allow you to buy more home because the cash outlay is less.

Talk to a friendly buyer specialist on the Ellis Team and ask about savings we can pass along to the buyer. To search the MLS like a pro, visit www.LeeCountyOnline.com  It has all the listings, and it is updated instantly so you will always have the latest listings.  In a market like this, speed and accuracy wins.

Sellers, we have good news for you.  Brett and Sande Ellis are experts at marketing your home to local and out of state buyers.  This creates more demand for your home and in turn gets you a better price.  If you would like to talk to us about selling a home, call Brett or Sande Ellis 239-489-4042 Ext 4. Or visit www.SWFLhomevalues.com

Always Call the Ellis Team at Keller Williams Realty.  We love helping people, and market knowledge matters more than ever.

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Housing Market Indicators Flashing Full Speed Ahead

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Recent closed home sales have housing market indicators flashing full speed ahead, so what could cause that train to slow?  One of the best ways to judge a market is supply and demand, and yet supply is the one thing that may hold this market back.

Housing Market Indicators Flashing Homes Closed
Homes closed in SW Florida real estate market through October 2020

Housing Market Indicators Flashing

As you can see from the homes closed graph, 2020 home sales are outpacing the previous four years.  The thing is, the previous four years were good years in real estate, so 2020 is shaping up to be a phenomenal year.

What may limit a record number of home sales in 2021 could be supply.  If we do not see more listings entering the market the SW Florida real estate market will simply run out of fuel.  We believe however that more sellers will decide to list their home in 2021 than 2020, for a few reasons.

More Listings Coming?

The first reason is profit taking.  Home prices are up 18.8% over last year for October.  That is an unbelievable month over month price gain.  Each year sellers assess their situation.  One trend we are seeing are rental homes suddenly becoming available.  Typically, the landlords have not raised their tenants rent like other landlords because they have had years long tenants. Sometimes it is hard to raise the rent on longtime tenants, to the next easiest thing to do is sell the property.  Either way the tenant ends up moving unless a new buyer wants to keep a tenant.

The second reason we may see more homes on the market in 2021 is covid-19 relief.  Many sellers did not want people in their home in the middle of a pandemic.  As therapeutics and vaccines are released, this may change.  Whoever thought herd immunity is a term we would use in real estate or any other faction of society?

As we approach herd immunity, more people will be comfortable returning to a normal life and buying and selling real estate is a part of that return.  Some people put off their life plans for a whole year.  This may add to pent-up supply hitting the market in 2021.

Interest rates are low and should remain low for the balance of 2021.  We may have enough housing supply to get us through a few more months.  Last month we had 1,593 new listing come on the market, while 1,770 went pending.  We have a little over 2 months supply of inventory which is as low as we have ever seen it.

We believe we will see more listings enter the market in January, but who knows for sure.  Once Covid numbers abate and as the vaccine is released, we think more people will be comfortable placing homes on the market.

Sellers Looking for Top Dollar?

Sellers wishing to sell for top dollar may want to call us before other sellers enter the market.  Supply is limited and demand is high.  We have buyers coming here from out of state markets where their business and life is restricted.  We know how to market to these buyers and achieve top dollar for our sellers.

Nobody can time the market perfectly. If we could venture a guess, selling before May 2021 may be a great idea.  Many experts are predicting herd immunity by May.  If our theory is correct about sellers holding off for Covid reasons, this timeline makes sense for maximum leverage.  Of course, economic factors will be in play, a new administration taking office, new tax policies, etc.  Many things can affect the real estate market and the economy.

The bottom line is right now is a great time for home sellers.  We think it should last awhile as interest rates are expected to be low through 2021.  As usual, we will keep watching housing market indicators for you.

To find out your home’s value go to www.SWFLhomevalues.com or call Brett or Sande Ellis 239-489-4042 Ext 4.

Good luck and Happy Home Shopping!