The Changing Marketplace  

How to Cope and Who Can Help!

In the past several years the face of Real Estate has changed so significantly that it is barely recognizable.  We all are feeling those changes from the Seller to Buyer, from Lender to Consumer, and from The Title Officer to the Real Estate Professional.  The daily changes can be overwhelming and a little scary.

A few years ago, if you had a job, you had a decent income, and you wanted to buy a house it was so easy as to be almost unbelievable.  Today the exact opposite it true.  You need to have a Good Job, Longevity at that Job, plenty of money to put down, and your credit needs to be practically spotless.  Even Government backed loans like FHA, VA, & USDA have gotten much stricter in their lending criteria.

Sellers are having to face the reality that the value they thought they had in their properties is no longer there.  Even if a buyer makes a good offer, there is no assurance that the appraisal is going to bear out the value.  Appraisers are very conservative now after having helped to artifically inflate values during the housing boom.  From one extreme to another, that is the changing face of Real Estate.  

So as a Buyer or Seller, what should you do? 

If you are a Buyer your best asset is an experienced Agent who knows the market and can help you negotiate the world of lending in today's market.   You need an Agent who knows property values and can help you draft an offer that will be both acceptable to the Seller and to your Lender. 

As a Seller, you need an Agent who is going to "Tell it like it Is" even if it isn't what you want to hear.  Homes are no longer our piggy banks and we just have to face that reality.  It may not be a pleasant reality but it is what is happening in the market.  Holding out may work for you, but with the Economy still in a stagnant place, I don't see values accelerating very much for many years.  There are just too many factors working against us for that to happen.

In today's market you need an Agent with the the experience to help you negotiate the obstacles in the marketplace.  Those obstacles may seem insurmountable and at times, and sometimes they truly are.  However, if there is way around or over that obstacle, I will help you find that path.

Give me a call and let's talk, changes is not always a bad thing.  It may seem that way at times, but with the right Agent working for you something that appears negative can turn in to a Dream Come True. 

Sandra Paulow, Associate Broker, GRI, SFR, REALTOR®

(928) 242-0300

sandra.paulow@russlyon.com