The current economic climate can be a good time to buy as long as you know what you are getting into. According to theWall Street Journal, first time home buyers made up 41% of the housing market by the end of 2008. First-time buyers are enticed by the reduced home prices: prices are down anywhere from 25 to 40 percent depending on the market you are in. For some, the drop in price, thanks to the economic downturn, is the only way a first-time home buyer has the purchasing power to land the house they want. Add that to the tax credit being offered to first-time home buyers and 2009 is about as good a buyers market as it gets.
When an opportunity like this knocks, turn to a NAEBA (National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents real estate agent. NAEBA agents work solely for the buyer and do not represent sellers. Using a NAEBA agent, buyers have the ideal wingman on their team. Buyers can hit paydirt when purchasing one of the 2.4 million properties that will go into foreclosure this year.
The New York Timesreports, Absentee buyers, who can be either investors or individuals purchasing a vacation property, bought nearly 4 of every 10 homes sold in the Phoenix metropolitan area in April. This current trend is extending as fast as prices are falling. The economic climate is tough on those who have been laid off or forced into foreclosure, but investors positioned to snap up properties at these historically low rates, can create win-win situations: renters will have a lot of options for affordable homes to rent and buyers will recoup their investment on the properties they are renting out.
If you are willing to create your own luck, we can all overcome this together.
According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), buying a home is still the best investment you can make over time. Say you put 10 percent down on a $200,000 house, for an investment of $20,000. At a 5 percent annual appreciation rate, that $200,000 home would increase in value $10,000 during the first year. Earning $10,000 on an investment of $20,000 is an extraordinary 50 percent annual return. In contrast, putting that $20,000 down payment into the stock market and getting a 5 percent gain would only yield a $1,000 profit.
Comparatively, stocks are a riskier investment with an increased chance of fluctuation. The essential difference between the two investment vehicles-stocks and real estate-is that if you buy now, you get a less expensive house, a place to live (or rent out for others to live in to pay the mortgage) and a future investment.
Let NAEBA work with you to find what youre looking for in your area and price range. As a national company, we have extensive resources across the country and we are market experts. Now is the time to take action.
For information about NAEBA, contact Kimberly Kahl, CAE, NAEBA Executive Director at 888-NAEBA99.