Tuesday, March 29, 2016

January/February 2016 Home Sales



Well, Spring has arrived and with it a crazy Real Estate Market.  Houses on the near West Side of Madison are selling quickly, many with competing offers.  Inventory is still very tight and it's a seller's market.  That is clear from the number of homes that have sold in January and early February; fewer than in recent months.  Another indicator of the low inventory.

If you are thinking of selling, now is a great time to get your house on the market!

Below are sales in January and early February, 2016.

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Millennials Buying!

It would benefit all of us to prepare for a new wave of homeowners. Yes, the Millennials are coming and indicators suggest they're ready to buy. 

Older Millennials (ages 25-34) could potentially claim up to a third of for-sale housing in 2016, which nationally may mean up to 2 million home purchases by this demographic alone. To help these folks in the process, Restaino & Associates has an extensive video series. On our website, we offer one minute videos on a wide range of topics from banking terms to understanding mortgage rates and dozens of topics in between. Whether you are a "seasoned" buyer or seller or new to the process, these videos are designed to educate and create peace of mind as you navigate the busy real estate wave expected this spring.

2016 will be a fantastic year for buyers, sellers, mortgage professionals and anyone else invested in the Madison area real estate market. As always, I am here to assist you on any and every level.

Monday, March 7, 2016

WINTER WAS EASY, NOW THE "REAL" FUN BEGINS!

That wasn't so bad, was it? Winter 2015-16 barely made a blip on south-central Wisconsin's radar. So into March we go without having the typical task of shaking off the winter-time blues. We can collectively head into spring with a positive outlook because there doesn't seem much in the weather department for us to be pessimistic about. Same is true in the real estate industry. Conditions are good!

As an effective indicator, January 2016 saw an uncharacteristically robust year-to-year growth in housing. This was marked by national increases in median list price (up 8%) and the 100-day rate homes sold on the market (up 4%). This could be the most successful spring and summer the real estate market has experienced since 2006. We must keep a close eye on inventory, though. With an anticipated increase in buyers, the number of houses on the market needs to sway higher to offer potential new homeowners more satisfying choices.  Smart Buyers should be looking now.