Interest rates add to Southern charm

In the past couple of years, living with mom and dad over the age of 18 has unfortunately become a reality for many American families. However, with the employment rate improving, people are now able to afford living on their own again. With the increase in gainful employment, more and more people are moving out of mom and dad’s house and venturing out on their own. Bloomberg News has reported the possibility of the housing market increasing by more than 50 percent even in the next year. The strongest sales growth was seen in the South, boasting a 10.1% increase since February.

As the spring season begins to peak, buyers are fortunate that they can enjoy some of the lowest rates seen in years. Mortgage rates have remained stable for quite some time, and remain low at 4.5% for a 30 year fixed mortgage and 3.75% for a 15 year fixed mortgage. Rates have been fluctuating around five percent for the past two years. With more and more buyers looking to strike while the iron is hot, some brokers are pricing their conventional loans pretty aggressively, which is another great plus for buyers.

Confused about when to buy? Get all the facts before you take the plunge. Call one of our real estate professionals today to get the inside track. Contact David Lever at 252-714-8827

Why you should list your house TODAY!

As the weather gets colder and people retreat indoors, many homeowners are questioning whether or not this is a good time to sell. Putting your house on the market can be a scary experience, but with the right Realtor and a positive attitude the process of selling your home does not have to be a daunting task.
One of the many issues that many homeowners have is that they are too concerned about what Naysayers believe in. If you listen to the masses online and on the news, you’ll find that many are adopting the ‘gloom and doom’ attitude. This is the segment of our population who has watched the real estate market suffer tremendously in their area. But what they don’t tell you is that the rise and fall of residential real estate is dependent on the area in which you live. Many of the smaller cities in Eastern, NC have not suffered as much as other cities around the country due to the surge of development in these Eastern NC cities. Cities such as Greenville, NC have experienced a surge in population due to the growth in business and industry. With that growth comes the need for affordable housing. Sellers in this area may be surprised to find that putting their house on the market right now is a better idea than they thought.
Another misconception that homeowners believe is that putting a house on the market in the winter months is a bad idea. While people may not be running in droves to go house hunting every weekend in December, there are still some buyers in need of finding a home for the holiday season. With the beginning of a new year, many people are starting fresh at a new job or a new school for their children. The change in seasons does not affect these potential buyers because their need for housing is greater than their desire for convenient house hunting weather.
What’s also great for homeowners to consider is the surge of new properties on the market for the spring. Warmer weather tends to result in a flood of new listings. For people who really need to sell, you do not want to get lost in the sea of new listings and Open Houses. You want to make sure that you and your Realtor have taken care of all the necessary steps to getting your house sold before the rush starts.  Getting your house on the market in the winter months may be the best thing for you to do right now.
For more information on how to get your house sold, or to list your house with one of our specialists, contact David Lever at252-714-8827 or by email at dlever@leverandrussell.com