Is Selling Your Charlotte, NC. Area Home in 2013 Easier?

For the past few years all that homeowners in the Charlotte, NC. area have been hearing is that selling their home is going to take a longer than average process in the Charlotte, NC. area. Since the first of the year that tone is starting to change. We have seen a dramatic drop in available inventory of homes and lesser and lesser short sales and foreclosures hitting the market. The average inventory levels right now are in favor of a balanced market (inventory being at 6 month supply). Not one that favors sellers or buyers. However; as inventory levels have decreased so drastically, so quickly that prices have not increased in correlation. So, right now we are looking at an adjustment in prices to catch up to the inventory levels. While this is happening sellers are receiving multiple offers on their homes and getting over in most cases what they are asking for their homes. What this is doing is adjusting the market. Soon we will be back at a balanced market and prices will stabilize…. So, how does this bode for a seller in today's market? Buyers are starting to hit the panic button slightly and offer asking price or very close to it in order to ensure they get the house they want with their initial offer. Just in January and February already I sold five of my listings; and all of them sold at asking price or above. Buyers I have taken out have gotten into multiple offer situations and have submitted prices over the asking price to still lose out on some of them. It does not mean that if you have a home in the Charlotte, NC. area that you should price the home over the value substantially in this market....it will sit. People are paying a little more for a home but are not paying more than 10% to 15% over what the average has been in the past 3 months based on the trends. But a home that is priced right and ready to sell and marketed properly will entertain offers quickly and will sell fast... You still need to make sure the house is ready to sell and shows well and your realtor is marketing it properly to ensure it will sell.... Dave diCecco Realtor/Broker Coldwell Banker United www.davedicecco.com

Is The Housing Market In Charlotte, NC. Shifting Toward Sellers?

A question every Realtor seems to be asking themselves this day in the Charlotte, NC. region is has the housing market is shifting away from the buyers and back to the sellers? The data seems to support that fact that I think we are now moving toward a balanced market. Inventory levels are at the lowest they have been in three years. In fact from last year through February available homes for sale are down 36% in the Charlotte, NC. area. and down almost 50% form two years ago. no matter how you look at it that is a huge reduction of available homes in a short period of time..... There are signs that you know the market is shifting one way or the other. One is the availability of inventory. I sent a couple of buyers homes that fit their criteria. One of the buyers said to me after looking over the list and deciding which ones she liked; she sent it to her husband who said all but one of the five homes you liked is still available. The reason for that is there is a scarcity of inventory right now....We actually have more buyers than we do homes available for them to buy. Another sign is the pricing of homes. I have noticed that house prices are going up and appraisals are coming in at higher numbers based on the lack of inventory out there. House prices are being driven up by multiple offers on homes. I had two homes in the past two weeks that went on the market. One was priced under $100,000 and the other one was over $200,000. So I am covering two different price points of Charlotte, NC. real estate market. Both homes went under contract in less than a week and both received multiple offers and sold for over asking price. In fact one had 15 offers and the other had 7 offers on it...... If you are thinking of buying a home or selling a home in the Charlotte NC. area now may be the optimal time to get in. Sellers are moving homes quickly and buyers are still getting good rates and fair deals.... Dave diCecco Realtor/Broker Coldwell Banker United www.davedicecco.com

Do You Help Buyers Find Homes Or Buy Houses?

A question came up to me the other day and it was interesting when I looked at the context in which it was asked. I was being interviewed over the phone by a potential home buyer looking to relocate here from out of the area. Most of the questions he asked were the ones I expect to hear.... but one threw me for a little bit of a loop when he asked it and I had to think about it before I answered the question. "Do I help buyers find homes in the Charlotte, NC area or do I help them buy houses in the Charlotte area?" My first inclination is to say both....But fortunately I thought about it before I answered and replied with I help buyers find homes. Some might say this is a play on words...but is it really? As a Realtor it is my goal to help buyers find the right house for their needs at this particular time in a budget that they can afford; in an area that they want to live. It is not always easy and sometimes you have to point out things to them that they overlooked and shatter what they thought was their potential dream home and keep looking for a home. But I love what I do and helping people find the right homes is a great feeling to have. If you are looking to buy a house; then it is let me show you these six or seven homes and pick one. Or let's settle for this because that is the best option of what is out there right now. I have worked with buyers that have taken me nine months to a year to find the right home for them and their family and have had some find it on the first trip out looking at homes...... It does not matter to me as long as they are happy and I know I have sent them as many homes that fir their criteria as possible and we looked at the homes they wanted to see before making an educated decision on a house... I am in the business of relationships and helping couples and families find a home that is right for them....So I help people find homes not buy houses.....Ironically they and I are working together and we an offer on a house....They told me I was the only Realtor they interviewed over the phone that did not answer both….And they interviewed seven agents over the phone….WOW Dave diCecco Realtor/Broker Coldwell Banker United www.davedicecco.com