Greater Raleigh Real Estate Blog

It's no secret that the housing market is in flux. After two years of unprecedented change and an unbalanced seller's market, things are starting to shift once again. What does that mean for both buyers and sellers? Buyers can expect more variety and selection, while sellers must be more competitive in prices and terms.

This can be a confusing time to navigate the world of real estate, so it's important to have expert guidance as you move forward. Our experts at Chatham Homes Realty created this guide to help you understand the factors at play, so you can decide what's next for you.

Will 2023 Be a Buyer's or a Seller's market?

There's no question that the past few years have been a strong seller's market. Buyers faced stiff competition, leading to bidding wars that drove prices up. However, that's been changing recently because of a few important factors.

Inventory Increase

Part of the reason sellers held so much power recently was a shortage of available homes on the market. This was because of a handful of unique factors. Supply chain issues delayed builders from constructing new homes at the same rate. Remote workers discovered that they could do their jobs anywhere and bought houses in less expensive areas, increasing prices.

Now construction has recovered to the point that it has outpaced the demand. On top of that, homeowners are less likely to sell because interest rates are high, and they don't want to lose their low rate to only replace it with a higher one on a new house.

Is This Making Homes More Affordable?

When the supply of a product increases, the prices typically go down. On average, housing prices are a little lower than they were just last year, but that effect is being blunted by other things. High mortgage rates are one key factor. Prices may be falling slightly, but not enough to make up for the rate increases.

If inflation levels off and interest rates drop, it may improve prices for buyers. On the whole, however, the benefits aren't expected to change the picture very much on their behalf, at least as far as costs go.

Should I Wait Until Later in 2023 to Buy a House?

All of this uncertainty may cause some understandable hesitation in the minds of potential buyers. Yet it's important to know that upheaval can also be an opportunity.

It's been said that as a buyer, you're not purchasing the market; you're buying a house. The right agent can help you navigate the current environment and find the property you're looking for. You want to work with someone who's used to the ups and downs of the housing market and knows how to reach the best deal no matter what.

Keep two factors in mind if you're worried about inflation and interest rates. First, home ownership is one of the most effective ways to weather inflation. Cash will lose value as inflation rises, but property value grows. Second, interest rates may be high today but historically have always come down again. You will likely have the opportunity to refinance when they do.

Most importantly, if you're ready to buy a home, that has much more to do with your life than the market. With the proper guidance, you don't have to let the current environment block you from taking that next important step.

Chatham Homes Realty is Here to Help You Find The Best Options

If you're ready to explore home ownership, don't let the market changes hold you back. The experts at Chatham Homes Realty, in Siler City and Pittsboro North Carolina, have dealt with changes like this before, and we are confident that we can help you today.

For more information, contact us and see what we can do for you.

Image Credit: RenataP / Shutterstock

Owning your own home is one of the most reliable ways to build wealth over time. For many people, buying a house seems out of reach financially. However, when you know the facts about what you need to purchase your own home, you may find that it's much more of a possibility than you thought. The experts at Chatham Homes Realty have all the facts you need to make this dream a reality in North Carolina.

How Much Should I Save to Buy a Home?

The first question you need to ask is exactly how much you need to save to start down the road to homeownership. This involves determining how much you can afford to spend on a home, creating a budget plan to save for a down payment and closing costs, as well as exploring financing options to secure a mortgage loan. It may not be as difficult as you're expecting, so it's important to know about the actual costs you'll be facing. 

Knowledge is power, so here are some of the facts to consider:

Find Out What You Can Afford

Before you can make a plan, you must know the price you're able to pay. It's an excellent idea to get preapproved for a loan before you even begin the search for the right house. The lending institution will let you know how big of a loan you qualify for and how much the payments will be, including the down payment. 

Once you know how much you can borrow and what it will cost, you can get ready to make your dream a reality. 

Don't Fall For the 20% Myth

Many people believe that they need a down payment that is at least 20% of the loan's value, a number that seems impossible for most people to save. But this myth only stems from the fact that having that amount for a down payment means you don't have to pay for private mortgage insurance (PMI) with most lenders.

PMI can be costly − for a $300,000 house, you'll have to pay around $1,500 to $3,000 a year. Although, that amount is rolled into your mortgage payments, and it's much easier for most people to afford that than to come up with a $60,000 down payment on the same house.

It's Possible to Pay Just 3% Down − Or Less!

If both your income and credit score meets the qualifications, getting a conventional loan that only requires 3% down is possible. If that's still not low enough, it may be possible to pay even less. People who qualify for a loan through the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) or the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) can purchase a home for no money down. 

If neither of those options works for you, check into the first-time homebuyer assistance programs in your area. You may qualify for financial assistance with your down payment. In some programs, the money they loan you doesn't have to be paid back as long as you keep the house for a certain length of time. 

How to Save Money to Buy a Home

Once you have an accurate picture of how much money you'll need to buy a home, the next step is to save up that amount. Putting money aside isn't easy, but when you have an exciting goal you’re working towards, it makes the process much more enjoyable. 

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Consider Downsizing

Is it possible to move into a smaller rental home? Do you have a family member you could stay with for a little while? It may not be the most comfortable solution, but that could fuel your drive to save every penny you can and help you save a significant amount of money on rent. 

Cut Back on Bad Habits or Eliminate Them Entirely

We all have those small indulgences that aren't doing us any good. Breaking up with your favorite food delivery service or quitting smoking will help you save money and make you feel better in the long run. You know you should invest in your health; let the dream of investing in a home as well be the extra motivation you need.

Ask For a Raise

Are you getting paid what you're worth? Are you sure? If you haven't gotten a raise in a while, or if your research suggests that you're underpaid for what you do, make a plan to discuss this with your boss. As long as you do it professionally and respectfully, asking doesn't hurt. 

Pick Up a Side Job

The gig economy may have drawbacks, but it makes it easy to pick up some extra work during your free time. Consider driving for a rideshare company, delivering food, tutoring students, or doing other side jobs to increase your income. Remember, this isn't something you'll have to do forever - just as long as it takes to reach your goal. 

Attack Your Debt

Paying down your debt has two advantages: it frees up money to save and boosts your credit score. Focusing on knocking out your highest interest rate debts first will save you the most money in the long run.

Automate Your Savings Plan

Sign up to have a set amount deducted from every paycheck and deposited in savings. You can do this easily with your employer or your bank. Does the extra money you have available at the end of the month always get spent? If you don’t see it sitting in your checking account, you can’t even be tempted to spend it.

Take the First Step Toward Owning Your Own Home in North Carolina

Hopefully, these tips will help you see that purchasing your own house is not impossible. When you're ready to take the next step, the experts at Chatham Homes Realty in Pittsboro and Siler City, NC are here to help you make your dreams come true. For more information, we invite you to contact us today. 

Image Credit: fizkes - jaturonoofer / Shutterstock

In a perfect world, you will get multiple responses from enthusiastic potential buyers as soon as your house hits the market then quickly settle on an amazing offer.  However, not every home-selling experience works out like this. 

Sometimes, a seller will watch their home sit on the market without much action while they worry and wait for that elusive offer to arrive. At Chatham Homes Realty, our brokers have a long history of helping people sell their homes fast and get the best price. We are also familiar with the most common reasons that some listings don't seem to get the attention they deserve. Here are the top home-selling issues that may be blocking the offers you have been waiting for and how to solve them.

The Price of Your Home is Too High

Unfortunately, this is the most common cause when a house simply won't sell. Choosing the right price for a home is more challenging than it may seem because it requires some intricate knowledge about the housing market. 

Of course, it's important to look at recent sales in your area, but you also want to consider closely what features those properties have, compared to your home. Some improvements are worth more than others, which can vary by neighborhood. 

You also need to keep a close eye on trends in home buying and whether the market is moving toward lower or higher prices. Home buyers tend to search for homes within price brackets, with about a $25,000 to $50,000 difference between categories. Because of this, a price of just a few thousand dollars too high can keep a whole group of buyers from ever seeing your property. 

How to Fix This?

Fortunately, if your house is priced too high, you can always drop the price, but some expertise goes into this decision. A skilled real estate agent should be able to help you decide how much lower you want to go. You don't want to reduce it more than you need to. On the other hand, you don't want to whittle away a tiny bit of the price week after week, creating a pattern that looks like you have no idea what the value of your home actually is. 

With the right guidance, you should be able to select a price that will capture the attention of buyers who are excited to see your property. 

You Have a Specific Problem that Needs to be Addressed

Of course, the barrier might be a specific problem with the property. It could be something as simple as a dimly lit entryway or an unappealing paint job. House hunting is an emotional experience; sometimes, an element of the property gives buyers a negative feeling.

Gather all the information you can to determine if this is the case with your home. Ask your agent to see if they can get feedback from the people who have seen the house. Speak to people you know to see if they have any insight into the problem. Walk through the home and look at it with critical eyes.

How to Fix Property Issues?

Many problems are far more simple to fix than you'd expect. You may never have considered investing a few hundred dollars on a new light fixture when you planned to live in the house forever, but the choice is easy when a sale is on the line.

Once you have a clear idea of what seems to be holding buyers back, make some calls and figure out exactly what it will cost to fix it. Your agent may be able to recommend contractors if you need them. You might be surprised how quickly you can eliminate a stumbling block for buyers. 

You're Getting Bad Advice

Getting bad advice is a problem that can be hard to recognize at first. After all, if you already knew everything you need to know about the housing market, you wouldn't need the expertise of a real estate agent at all! But when selling your home, you are vulnerable to the worst advice from well-meaning friends and self-appointed experts. 

Who To Listen to?

Ideally, you should be able to trust your agent to guide you and answer all your questions. They should have the knowledge you need about the home-selling process and your specific market. But if all their best advice isn't getting you any offers, you should reconsider whether or not you want to work with them.

It's Not Too Late to Get That Home Sold! Contact Chatham Homes Realty for Help!

If you're looking for a real estate agent with experience and skills, who is easy to work with, we urge you to consider Chatham Homes Realty. We're proud of our team of experts and their track record of success not only in Pittsboro and Siler City, NC but throughout North Carolina. For more information about who we are and how we can help, contact us today!

You are probably already well aware of how inflation impacts your grocery bill. However, if you are interested in buying or selling a home, you may not know what to expect. The truth is that inflation impacts the housing market, just like the rest of the economy. Here are the basics of what is happening in real estate and how the experts at Chatham Homes Realty can help you navigate the market during this complicated time.

How Inflation Affects Real Estate

There is no question that housing prices are up. But how does inflation drive up those costs? There is more than one way it affects the cost of homes. Here are some of the major ways inflation seeps into the housing market.

Income Generating Asset

Investors are always looking for assets that give them the best return at the lowest risk. During times of inflation, market turmoil makes other investments riskier, which makes real estate even more enticing than usual. 

Owning and renting property is a reliable, stable form of income. As investors buy more real estate, it reduces the number of available homes, making them more valuable. 

Limited Amount of Real Estate

One of the causes of inflation is a greater amount of money supply in the economy. The more money in people's hands, the more they can spend on things--including houses. This inflation reduces the pressure on the market to keep prices low. Only so many houses are available, so each one becomes more valuable. 

Housing Construction Costs Increase

Inflation increases the price of everything. As the cost of building materials, land, and labor climb, home builders must recoup their expenses when they sell houses. As a result, each new home is more expensive.

What Does Inflation Mean to Homebuyers and Sellers?

If you are interested in either buying or selling a home, inflation will complicate the process on either side of the equation. 

Buyers are staring down the prospect of spending more money to get the property they want. Not only are housing prices higher, but interest rates are also up, which will increase their monthly payments.

Although wages eventually catch up with inflation, they usually lag behind the rise in costs, meaning that earners have less money in their pockets, even if they are making the same amount. Because of all this, they may have to consider buying a smaller property than expected. 

For sellers, these pressures on buyers may make it necessary for them to lower their asking price. On top of that, they will be facing all the same issues if they're also buying a property after they sell theirs.

These pressures do not mean that it is impossible to purchase or sell property in the midst of inflation. After all, a property is a good asset to have as you weather inflation. But it is even more important to work with an expert you can trust during times like this. 

Why Working with Professionals is Important When Buying or Selling

During periods of inflation, pressures such as interest rates, climbing prices, and income that hasn't quite caught up with the surge in costs, buyers and sellers face more obstacles. Because of this, you want to work with a real estate agent who knows what they're doing when the market fluctuates. 

Experienced agents know how to navigate problems such as growing interest rates and a soft buyer's market and understand the different ways to adjust to the pressures. The process may not be as easy as it was a year ago, but it's still possible. 

At Chatham Homes Realty, we understand that the housing market is always changing. Periods of inflation call for different approaches, but our goal is always the same: satisfaction and security for our clients.

Chatham Homes Realty is Your Trusted Real Estate Connection During Inflation Periods

Our experienced real estate agents have seen plenty of ups and downs over the years, so we know that there's no reason to panic. We will help you get through the new demands on buyers and sellers and help get you to your goal. We will never pressure you into a purchase or sale that isn't right for you.

Home buyers and sellers have to cope with different challenges during this inflation time. But we know how to get through this, and we're here to help you. Please get in touch with us if you have any questions about what we can do for you. 

Christie is a wonderful example in every area involved in the process of purchasing a home.  God used Christie to take my wife and I from the point of feeling that we would never be able to buy a home to an honest mortgage company that assisted in securing the financial matters, to patiently   assisting us in locating a place we can call home, answering our hundreds of questions, and helping with our fears. Thanks Christie,

Dean & Sherry Johnson

My experience with Christie Brown was fantastic. She was very knowledgeable of the process of the home being sold, the value of the property, and how to present the property for the sale. She also became a friend during our time of contact while the property was on the market to be sold. I have enjoyed getting to speak with her every time we spoke to discuss the details of the property being sold. I have already recommended her to several people that are wanting to sell their property and are looking to buy also.  I will continue to recommend her now and in the future to anyone ready to sell a home or property.

Mike and Libby Crosby

Catherine Hobbs was a tremendous help in finding my first house. She was very knowledgeable about both the area and the home buying experience as a whole, which was reassuring for a first-time buyer like myself! She was also attentive, patient, and open to feedback as I was looking around, trying to find what I was looking for. Overall, I'd highly recommend her, and she'd be my first choice if/when I enter the housing market again!
Tim H

Catherine Hobbs did a simply excellent job preparing my house for sale, marketing the house and working through the entire selling process. She was extremely diligent, professional, and thorough with every detail. She was very patient as we worked through an extended closing period with a positive, optimistic attitude. She is a joy to work with and I highly recommend her!
David H

Rudy Vitaro at Chatham Homes Realty was just the experienced, calm,
 hardworking, meticulous realtor I needed in this crazy 2021 real
 estate market, where buying a house is so fraught with peril.
He was ALWAYS easy to reach. He had great advice, and he either had
 answers to all my questions or found them quickly.
My lending process had a couple of snafus having nothing to do with me
 or my finances, and Rudy worked so hard to make sure everything got resolved. I closed on a house in  many, thanks in large part to Rudy’s fine work.
I cannot thank him enough. I wholeheartedly recommend him.

Brad and I can't thank you enough for all of your hard work and constant communication.

Brad & Pearl