Housing Market Shows Signs of Life - RE/MAX
Thursday, January 19, 2012
According to their recently released Housing Market Outlook and Forecast, 2011 was a year which offered stability to the formerly highly volatile market. RE/MAX of New England attributed this relative steadiness to “[h]istorically low interest rates, renewed interest by investors, and job growth.”
The public can expect this stability to be intact for the remainder of 2012 as the Federal Reserve, in an effort to steady the housing market and the economy has pledged to keep interest rates at record low levels until mid 2013. Although consumer confidence remains low, there is hope that interest rates hovering at 3% will attract more people to purchase homes.
Home values continued to slip in 2011, but the devaluation of New England Homes occurred at a much slower pace. The Clear Capital Home Data Index reported that the average homes sales price across the United States declined by -2.1%. Rhode Island, although experiencing one of the nation’s highest unemployment rates experienced a -1.8% decrease in single family home pricing. In 2010, the average Rhode Island single family home was $271,370.
Currently, that figure stands at $266,256. Condominium sales dropped as well, falling -4.2%. The only living which saw an increase was multi-family homes which showed an uptick of 0.2%. This rise is due to interest from investment buyers in Providence and other urban areas.
Hummer has urged the public to recognize the shift in the market and states in the report that “this is a great investment opportunity and if they don’t take action, they very well may look back at this time with regret.” It may indeed be the time to buy.
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Comments:
David Beagle
9:43am on Thursday, January 19, 2012
Low interest rates are great, but its pretty obvious by now that rates aren't the driving force anymore. Joblessness and overly cautious banks are the real drag.
pearl fanch
3:07pm on Saturday, January 28, 2012
I bought my house 6 yrs ago for $290,000 and the current valuation (from a re-finance inspection) is $240,000. This comes after investing about $30,000 into the property.
Stop writing fiction, about the housing market coming back to life.
This is the best time in decades to buy a house, and sales are still non existant. Prices are low and interest rates are low. The market isn't getting better any time soon. Please, stop writing fiction.