Archives for January 2017

2017 Great Year to Buy a Home?

46118737 - real estate sign in front of new house for sale

46118737 – real estate sign in front of new house for sale

Just over 1000 homes are currently on the market in Corpus Christi. If the housing market doesn’t change, it would take just over four months to sell all those homes.

Real Estate Agent, David Garcia, who’s been selling homes for 16 years, says this is good news!

“It’s an excellent time to buy, you definitely want to take advantage of the low interest rates,” Garcia said. He says the housing market is based on supply and demand.

Out of those 1000 plus homes for sale, roughly 21% of them fall in the high demand category. Garcia says the most frequently purchased homes in Corpus Christi are right around $250,000. Although the supply for those homes is low, the demand is high.

Meaning, if you put your house on that market around that price range, it will sell very quickly.

Garcia says a recent survey found the median home price went up about 7% from 2015 to 2016.

He says that translates into a good return on investment. That’s not the only advantage to buying a home.  Buyers also build equity and reap tax advantages

“Your net worth is 45 times greater owning a home vs renting,” Garcia said.

Another incentive to buy? Rent has gone up over the last year. On average, renters will spend slightly over 1000 a month for a single family.

“A lot of the industry experts are predicting 2017 to be a very good year in terms of sales,” Garcia said.

via KrisTv.com

6 New Years Resolutions For Buyers/Sellers

new-years-day-smallHere is our top 6 tips for the New Year

  1. Eliminate & Simplify Your Home – Buyers out there are saving for their spring purchase,  but why not start your efforts in January? This is an especially great time after the heaps of gifts that they have received. Plus, if they plan to sell your home, it will make selling the house and moving that much easier. It’s simple just start small and go room by room, designating areas for donations, things to be fixed and things to sell. The sooner you start, the better you’ll feel!
  2. Make Your Home Safter – Do you have kids (even if they don’t!), then making your home safer all around is a great resolution to make. Commit to a regular safety maintenance schedule by checking smoke and carbon monoxide alarms monthly, ensuring you have fire extinguishers and preparing the family for emergencies such as weather disasters and fire. Always replenish emergency kits, bottled water and non-perishable food items throughout the year, too.
  3. Make Your Home Smarter – Yep, that’s right!  You may have just missed the boat on making your home safe when they bought your home, but it’s never too late. Some ways to make homes “smarter”? Smart home hubs like Amazon Echo, security video monitors like Ring and smart thermostats like Nest, and even smart plugs and bulbs to bring your home into the 21st century.
  4. Consider Refinancing – Maybe its time to decrease your payments or lock in a low fixed mortgage rate through refinancing. Shopping around for the best rates is a great way to find one the lowest one that works for you and will make your wallet feel a lot better come 2018.
  5. Get a Green Thumb – No, not go out and garden although an argument could be made for that as well. Change your light bulbs to energy-efficient LED ones. This will also help you save money. Another way to be greener is to clean the house with reusable cloths or old, clean rags versus wasteful paper towels (however, use good judgement for especially dirty messes).
  6. Do Something to Help Someone – Yes, it is 2017… the election is over and we are still all just human beings.  We must let go of the past no matter what side of the fence we sit and come together as a nation more than ever now.  If all else fails and you can’t find anything you could do to help your fellow man, than for goodness sakes just smile a ton.  Your mind will come around sooner or later!

Share these five tips with your friends and family and help them be better homeowners and prepared sellers when the time comes!

Happy New Year from your Coastline Properties Family!