Spring Housing Market Strong

Similar to tension in a spring, the lack of inventory available for sale in the Wilmington market right now is what is holding back the market. Many potential sellers believe that waiting until Spring is in their best interest, and traditionally they would have been right. Buyer demand has seasonality to it, which usually falls off in the winter months, especially in areas of the country impacted by arctic temperatures and conditions.

That hasn’t happened this year.

Demand for Wilmington housing has remained strong as mortgage rates have remained near historic lows. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) recently reported that the top 10 dates   sellers listed their homes in 2016 all fell in April, May or June. Those who act quickly and list now could benefit greatly from additional exposure to buyers prior to a flood of more competition coming to market in the next few months.

Looking to Move Up to a Luxury Home?

If your house no longer fits your needs and you are planning on buying a luxury home, now is a great time to do so! We recently shared data from Trulia’s Market Mismatch Study which showed that in today’s premium home market, buyers are in control. The inventory of homes for sale in the luxury market far exceeds those searching to purchase these properties in many areas of the country. This means that homes are often staying on the market longer, or can be found at a discount. Those who have a starter or trade-up home to sell will find buyers competing, and often entering bidding wars, to be able to call your house their new home. The sale of your starter or trade-up house will aid in coming up with a larger down payment for your new luxury home. Even a 5% down payment on a million-dollar home is $50,000. But not all who are buying luxury properties have a home to sell first. In a recent Washington post article, Daryl Judy, an associate broker with Washington Fine Properties, gave some insight into what many millennials are choosing to do:

“Some high-earning millennials save money until they are in their early 30s to buy a place and just skip over that starter-home phase. They’ll stay in an apartment until they can afford to pay for the place they want.”

                                                Real Estate Still A Hot Investment




HOT! HOT! HOT!  Investing in real estate can be a great way to create income and build wealth, but owning rental property isn't for everyone. Many people simply don't have the time and patience to be a landlord, while others are turned off by the thought of inconsistent income. Because of this, the smartest way for most people to add real estate to their portfolios is through equity REITs. Because of the high income potential combined with property value appreciation, the right kind of REITs can deliver consistent market-beating total returns over time. In fact, all five of the REITs mentioned here have handily beaten the S&P 500's total return over the past 20 years

Call me if you have any questions about an Investment property you see available on the market. I’d be glad to provide you with all the information and guidance you need. Email me with any questions.

Wilmington NC Real Estate
Currently on the market there are 1413 single family homes in the greater Wilmington area  and 672 under contract.  In the last month there were 3012.

Wilmington Rental Market
Wilmington boasts a very competitive renters market. Rental property is in high demand and availability is low. Rent prices have not changed over the past 3 months. This is 8 percent lower than the county average of $1,324 and same as the state average of $1,218. Those that do turn to renting should expect to pay about $1,228 a month in rent.

Funnyman Vince Vaughn Picks Up Kate Bosworth’s Canyon Digs for $2.375 Million

Comical actor Vince Vaughn has reportedly dropped $2.375 million for fellow film star Kate Bosworth‘s Los Angeles estate. The 2,890-square-foot residence was purchased by the Blue Crush blonde back in 2005 for $2.1 million and listed by the beauty for just shy of $2.5 million this past spring.




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The Cost of Renting vs. Buying

Penthhouse Sales on The Way Up

The year started with the now-famous $88 million sale of a penthouse at 15 Central Park West, and before 2012 was done, city-wide records for condo, co-op and townhouse sales had all been broken — some more than once.

In 2012, there were 10 sales over $30 million, compared to six in 2011, according to data from the listings website StreetEasy. And at $88 million, 2012’s most expensive sale dwarfs 2011’s $48 million record and 2007’s $50 million top deal.
Brokers attributed 2012’s jaw-dropping prices to limited inventory and a seemingly insatiable appetite for high-end product.

Luxury Homes Spike the End of 2012, Cause? Wilmington NC is Trending the Same.

 

 

Wilmington Luxury Homes Sales jumped as it did Nationaly. Why?

Sales of luxury homes spiked in the final months of 2012 as high-end homeowners rushed to take advantage of lower tax rates before January 1.

Many sellers wanted to cash in on their homes before a widely expected capital gains hike -- to 20% from 15% -- that was part of the fiscal cliff budget deal. High-income earners (singles with income of $200,000 or more and couples making more than $250,000) also wanted to close sales ahead of a 3.8% Medicare surtax on investment income that was already slated to go into effect this year as part of the Affordable Care Act.