Pinetop White Mountain Blog

Good Afternoon Everyone,

The headlines read:  Housing Prices will continue to decline.  Sales are slow.  Real Estate is still troubled.  Etc. Etc. Etc. 

One of today's headlines in the Arizona Republic is all about negative news in the Real Estate Market.  DON'T LISTEN TO THEM! DON'T READ THIS STUFF!, because that is what it is "STUFF".  And the kind of stuff you step in when you are walking your dog if you aren't careful.

Yes, prices may fall a bit more but not everywhere.  In Phoenix, perhaps, in the larger cities, perhaps, but it isn't happening in the White Mountains.  In the past month the average sale price has increased! That is right it has increased, marginally to be sure, but prices are starting to go back up.

Why, because the junk is gone.  The garbage the banks dumped on the market last year is gone, gone, gone!  Thank goodness.  There are still some foreclosures and Short Sales out there but they aren't low end junk.  They are nice homes in nice areas and they are going quite quickly.

Most bank owned properties at good prices are seeing multiple offers on them.  Buyers are having to up their offers and sweeten the pot to get their offers accepted.  You are not going to steal something in the White Mountains any more. 

Does that mean you can't get a good deal?  Absolutely not!  Prices are the lowest they have been in our market in almost 8 years.  We are back to pre-boom prices for the most part, and the sellers really are motivated to move their properties.  When they say "Bring an Offer" they mean it.  They want to sell it to you!  

Take a look, make an offer, make a move of some kind, because if you don't the deals of today are going to be gone tomorrow.  Add to this the low interest rates and you have the perfect opportunity to get in to a great home at a great price. 

Don't listen to the news, get out there and make some moves.  The economy is improving and it would improve a lot more if everyone would quit waiting! Waiting for what I don't know, maybe 2012 and the end of the world.  Economies don't grow unless people are willing to spend what they make, at least to an extent.  Right now everyone is sitting on their wallets afraid to make a move because the media keeps telling us how bad everything is. 

Well, it isn't going to get any better as long as that thought process prevails.  It is time to get out and do some of the things you have been putting off, including buying property.  It is still one of the strongest investments you can make, it just isn't going to be the windfall it was at the height of the market.  In the words of Gerald O'hara in "Gone with the Wind"  "...Katie Scarlett, Land is the only thing that lasts!..."

Talk to you soon.

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

(928) 242-0300