Tag: Citadel Property Management

Since the housing crash and financial crisis, a slow and steady recovery has taken place. Home prices, for example, have been rising now for a few years and, in some markets, have surpassed their previous peaks. But though there has been progress, there is an unevenness about the recovery. For example, the higher end of the housing market has rebounded much quicker than the lower end has. And, according to Zillow chief economist, Dr. Svenja Gudell, it’s led to some disparity between the two ends of the housing market. “Most new construction has been at the higher end of the market, so demand for the limited supply of entry-level homes is pushing up their values, but these homes also lost more value when the bubble burst,†Gudell says. “Many of these homeowners are still waiting to see their homes come back to where they were about 10 years ago.†So what does this all mean? It means limited supply will lead to more competition for the entry-level homes that are available. But, as demand pushes home prices higher, there may also be more current homeowners deciding to sell their starter homes in search of something bigger. As that happens, prices will level off and there will be more choices for buyers looking for an affordable, entry-level home. More here.

The market for newly built single-family homes is an important barometer for the health of the overall housing market. Where new homes are being bought and sold, home prices and inventory levels are usually more balanced and home buyers have more choices. For that reason, the National Association of Home Builders tracks how builders perceive the market now and what their expectations are for the coming months. In September, the NAHB’s Housing Market Index found builder confidence down slightly from the month before, though it remains at a high level. According to NAHB chairman, Granger MacDonald, the recent hurricanes may have something to do with the decline. “The recent hurricanes have intensified our members’ concerns about the availability of labor and the cost of building materials,†MacDonald said. “Once the rebuilding process is underway, I expect builder confidence will return to the high levels we saw this spring.†Regionally speaking, the NAHB’s survey found that the West and Northeast have seen confidence levels rise over the past three months, while the Midwest and South have experienced slight declines. More here.

Many people assume that renting is always going to be cheaper than buying a house. Mostly, this is because of the upfront costs associated with buying. Having to come up with closing costs and a down payment, in addition to taking on a monthly mortgage payment can be intimidating for someone who wants to buy but feels it’ll be easier and more affordable to rent. New data shows this is particularly true right now and it’s driving up the costs of renting a single-family home. Dr. Svenja Gudell, Zillow’s chief economist, says the current environment is causing the increase. “Those who want to buy are finding it difficult to find the right one, or may need a bit more time to come up with a down payment, but still want the advantage of space that single-family residences often provide,†Gudell said. “This, coupled with the foreclosure crisis turning millions of homeowners into renters, is a big reason why demand for single-family rental homes has risen over the last few years.†What this means is that, if you hope to buy but aren’t sure you’re ready, it’s important to research your options. In many markets, buying is still more affordable than renting, and may be especially so if you’re looking to rent a single-family home rather than an apartment. More here.

The American Dream is an abstract concept but always seems to include the idea of owning a home. Buying a home, for generations of Americans, has been seen as an achievement to strive for and be proud of. But do young Americans today feel the same way about homeownership? Well, according to one recent survey, they do. In fact, 81 percent of participating Millennials named owning a home when asked what they most associated with achieving the American Dream. Additionally, large majorities said they expect the idea to still be relevant to their children. To some extent, this is contrary to conventional wisdom, which often portrays Millennials as having been turned off of the idea of homeownership by the housing crash and financial crisis. Millennials, the thinking goes, are more interested in an urban, mobile lifestyle that makes renting a better fit. And yet, survey after survey shows young Americans are just as interested in owning their own home as their parents and grandparents were before them. Still, though Millennials aspire to become homeowners, they don’t expect it to be easy. In fact, they think it’s harder to achieve for their generation than it has been in the past. More here.

American homeowners may be overestimating their home’s worth, according to new data. The research shows appraisals in August were 1.35 percent lower than homeowners expected. There are a couple of reasons this could be happening. First, there has been a lot of attention paid recently to how far prices have risen over the past few years. But, while this is true, it is not necessarily true in every neighborhood, in every city, across the country. So, homeowners who have been hearing that prices are going up, may have a misperception of just how much their home’s value has risen. As evidence of this, data shows homeowners in the West thought their homes would appraise for less than what they eventually did, while homeowners in the Midwest were disappointed to find their appraisals didn’t meet their expectations. Another possible reason for the misperception is that homeowners are generally attached to their homes. And, if you’ve invested time, money, and maintenance into a property, when it comes time to sell or refinance, you’re naturally going to – not only hope for the best possible outcome – but expect that everyone else who looks at your house will see it the way you do and value you it just as much. Unfortunately, though, that may not always be the case. More here.