Looking back at this past year in Real Estate

This past year was a very busy year. I showed over 700 properties. A lot of them were vacant bank owned properties. Of my 26 years in Real Estate I think this year I worked the hardest and made the least for my efforts.

There has been a shift in this business. A few agents have been able to get bank owned listings. These agents are listing so many properties they can't keep track of their business and have had to hire help. Now why can't the banks just spread this out to other people like me! I am supposed to be Fannie Mae approved but as of yet, no business. I did get awarded a HUD contract but that proved to be more frustrating and time consuming than it was worth.

I have become very adept at selling short sales. These are properties that are selling for less than what the owner owes the bank. It is better for the seller to do this than to get foreclosed. A short sale actually helps the market because the seller lives in the house up until the transfer of title. Most of the time the banks will give the seller relocation money so they can move. A short sale protects the property from vandalism and cuts down on vacant houses in the niehgborhood.

So if you know someone who might need to do a short sale I'm your gal!

The appraisers are all over the board. Stress sales are causing values to go down. The market has not equalized yet. There is still money out there to purchase, but you have to have a job and good credit. When a house is priced right it will sell. Unfortuanately what that price is, is never what the seller wants to hear.

If you have a mortgage that is 5 1/2% or higher REFINANCE now if you can!! Call me I will help you find the best deal out there. If you are in a stress situation call me, there is help out there.

All in all I feel this coming year is going to be better. I have more business going into this coming year than I had in the last few years. I am feeling very optomistic. Cleveland is having a little surge in growth with all the construction downtown. Ford is ramping up in Avon. So there are more job opportunites than there were last year. Hopefully the doom and gloom is in the rearview mirror.

It has never been a better time to buy a house. The rates are at their lowest and the housing market is thought to be near the bottom! Some other locations in our country are actually experincing growth. If you are selling one home to buy another, you will make up the loss you took on the new house. Don't think of it as losing money, think of it as trading assets and the value will return. I'm Sandy Maline if you want to talk real estate call me 440-554-2260