What’s New in the Triangle Real Estate Market

Home ownership is the American Dream! A home provides shelter, safety, and an investment that forces savings and increases in value over time – allowing you to build personal wealth. Knowing how important a good real estate investment can be to your future, let’s take a look at how the 2014 Triangle real estate market performed and the outlook is for 2015.

Trends and hot topics will be discussed, and we will answer frequently asked questions.

Included in the topic lineup:

• Available housing
• Luxury market
• Distressed properties (short sales and foreclosures)
• Interest rates
• Home values

Housing Supply in the Greater Raleigh Area

The inventory of homes for sale is low in most segments of Wake, Chatham and Durham Counties. If you are considering selling a home in the greater Raleigh area, now is the time to list and sell for top dollar while there is less competition.

Traditionally, sellers wait until spring to list properties, which means they will have more competition and their odds of selling for top dollar is reduced. Home prices rise as inventory shrinks, and it is currently down 20%. If you are buying a home, this shrinking inventory means you have less to choose from and could find yourself in competition with other buyers for a home.

When more homes enter the market in the spring, a small window of more choices is created for the buyer, but more competition among sellers. Bottom line…if you are selling a home, list it now. If you want to buy a home, prepare to act fast. When you see a home you really like, don’t wait, or another buyer may beat you to it. If the right home is not out there right now, wait until spring, and you may have more choices for 30 to 60 days.

The Triangle Luxury Market

The luxury market experienced a 24% increase in homes sold in 2014, according the Triangle Multiple Listing Service. The luxury market in the Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill) is $750,000 and up.

• 368 luxury homes were sold in the Triangle in 2013.
• The highest sale price for 2013 was a house in Wakefield, which sold for $2,875,000.
• In 2014, the Triangle Multiple Listing Service reported 470 luxury homes were sold.
• The highest sale price in 2014 was $4,800,000, for a home located in Chapel Hill.

One of the reasons for the increase in luxury homes sold, is because it is currently much easier to qualify for jumbo mortgages. Jumbo loan amounts start at $417,000. We expect even higher sales numbers for luxury homes in 2015, as confidence in the real estate market continues to grow and lending is made easier.

Distressed Properties in the Triangle

Distressed properties, which are short sales and foreclosures, made up 15% of our inventory of homes for sale at one time. Now that home values have gone up, many people are once again finding themselves in a much better equity position. Distressed properties make up approximately 6% of our total current market.

However, even with great improvements, we expect it will be another 4 years before this segment normalizes. Many people are stuck in mortgages with high interest rates, or mortgage balances higher than they can sell for due to 100% financing, equity lines of credit, or loan modifications. If you are one of these homeowners drowning in debt, give us a call. Our staff is certified and experienced at finding dignified solutions for homeowners. You have options. Let us help you find the right one.

Interest Rates at an All-Time Low

Interest Rates remain at a historical low, and my expert lenders believe they will even drop slightly lower before they start rising again in the fall. Interest rates have been so low for so long that it is hard to wrap your mind around interest rates in the double digits. When I began my career in 1985, mortgage interest rates were at 16%. In fact, the national average for mortgage rates is approximately 10%.

These low interest rates are allowing home buyers to afford more housing than in years past. With money so readily available, now is the ideal time to buy a new home. Interest rates are low, and home prices are going up – a combination perfect for building future wealth if you buy now.

Wake County Home Values

In the Wake County area, home values went up in 2014. Most home owners realized a gain of approximately 4%. If you want to receive a value specific to your home and geographical area, contact Linda Craft & Team, Realtors for a free analysis, or sign up for our super cool online tool. This free online service will provide both a market value for your home, and a market trend report showing your homes future potential.

Considering Buying or Selling a Raleigh Home?

Contact Raleigh real estate experts, Linda Craft & Team, to set up a free consultation with a buyers specialist who can help you navigate the exciting Raleigh market. Call 919.235.0007 today!