Carol Partee

2013 was a turnaround year for residential sales after peaking prices in 2006 followed by years of declining value, surplus inventory, increasing foreclosures and short sales. 2014 continues the trend of low but rising interest rates, increased confidence in the economy, and rising home prices. The lack of available inventory continues the favorable trend for current sellers.

Is this a good time to buy or sell? This is the question I hear most often these days. The short answer is, it depends. Real estate is not only local vs. national, it is also very personal. No matter who's President, what the economy looks like, or what the current interest rate is, there are always homes going on the market. People are downsizing, buying up, being relocated, getting married, getting divorced, there are literally dozens of reasons sellers decide to sell. Buying is very much the same, a personal decision based on a variety of factors. From a purely statistical standpoint, now is the time to put your home on the market. For buyers, interest rates can only go up from here.

I would be happy to take the time to review your home buying/selling goals in the context of today's market, current inventory and interest rates. The best client is an educated client. It is my goal to always obtain the best result, even if that is a decision to delay the buying or selling process.

2014 continues the trend as the year of the investor. Investment properties are worth researching. There are many, many tax advantages to owning income producing properties. Please contact me if you are at all interested in exploring these opportunities. There are resources available to help you decide if real estate investing fits your financial profile.