Realty World – Success Plans, Inc.

Home sales have declined in some areas and its due to high demand, low interest rates and a shortage of homes to buy.  This creates a change in the market place.  Not good for buyers but good for sellers.
Buyers around the bay area are going to be happy to see more homes on the market.  Currently homes that are under $400,000 are experiencing a seller’s market.  Most sellers are receiving multiple offers for their home.  Every home that I have made offers for my clients have had more then 1 offer.  One house in Hayward had 18 to 20 offers.  Another house in San Bruno had 6 offers. My listing in So. San Francisco received 2 offers above the asking price, right after my open house, and 1 was all cash.   My other listing in Pacifica received 8 offers, all over the asking price.  It’s like that all over the Bay Area.  It’s pretty discouraging for buyers today.
Maybe there is some relief coming soon.  There is a shadow inventory due to be release around summer.  I hope this will help the buyers that are trying to get into their home.
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There has been more then 610,000 foreclosures last month and represents a 1% increase then the previous quarter.  On average it took 336 days to complete the foreclosure process nation wide.  New York took 986 days to complete the process while Texas only took 86 days.  Wow, Texas seems to be doing something different. 
President Obama is expected to help struggling homeowners with their mortgage payments.  The Wall Street Journal reports,  ”The administration’s plan is expected to eliminate “appraisals and extensive underwriting requirements for most borrowers” who are up-to-date on their mortgage and want to refinance at a lower rate”.  This should help those who have been keeping up with their payments and were looking for assistance in avoiding foreclosure. 
While most the country is having foreclosure problems, there are areas that are still doing well.  These areas are the most expensive areas in the United States.  The economy today doesn’t seem to hurt these types of properties.  In fact, it seems to have increased the sales activity  in this  price range.

California home sales are looking at a 1% increase in 2012 and the sales price may also increase 1.7%.   Employment , low interest rates and an increase of affordable homes are going to fuel the sales activity and help get the recovery going.  “It will take as long as five years for the state’s inventory of foreclosed properties to be absorbed” according to  Leslie Appleton-Young, chief economist for the California Association of Realtors. 
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