It’s easy to question whether now is the time to make the leap and buy or sell real estate in Murphy, North Carolina right now. If you are in a position where you have to buy or sell a home in Murphy right now, you’ve got an easy decision. Fact is – you have to sell because your personal circumstances say you do. Perhaps you’ve got a job relocation, move to get closer to family, health conditions, or whatever the case, it’s a good reason. Where the question really comes in to play is if you don’t have to do anything right now.
It’s easy to get caught in the mainstream news – look out!! The sky is falling! Albeit a favorite fable, we’re living in a world with a lot of Chicken Little’s. Every time I watch, read, or listen to the news, there is a good reason to crawl into a concrete bunker and never come out. Between the so-called housing market slump, the presidential election, consumer confidence, and anything else you can throw in, it’s a good time to be nervous about buying or selling real estate.
Here’s the truth: sometimes it pays big dividends to be a naysayer. Depending on your situation, market corrections are the best time to buy and sell.
If you are planning on upgrading to a new home, there’s no better time. Here’s why:
- You have to sell your current home which has a worth of $250,000. Because of high inventory and fewer buyers, you must reduce it 11.74% (Percent change from 2006-2008. Please read our last article in Country Roads for more details.). You sell for $220,650. You “lost” $29,350.
- The home you want to upgrade to costs $400,000. Those sellers too have the same impact from high inventory and fewer buyers. The 11.74% reduction brings it down a whopping $46,960. That means you “gained” $46,960.
- So if you “gained” $46,960 and “lost” $29,350, weren’t you able to buy $17,610 more home than you could buy in an appreciating market? This holds true for any move up, no matter how small or large the sale and purchase is.
Or if you want to buy and don’t need to sell a property, think of this: if rates go up, you won’t be able to buy as much home. FACT is, for every ½ point increase in interest rates, you loose $25,000 in purchasing ability. The Federal Reserve is constantly watching inflation and wants to make sure it doesn’t spiral out of control. With that said – have you bought, well, anything lately? Virtually everything is getting more expensive and that alone may force the Fed to increase rates and therefore cut back your purchasing power.
When it comes to selling property, now really is a great time to sell. Buyers are getting more active, and more importantly, your equity in your property is still quite healthy. If you’ve owned for a number of years – say 5 years or more, you have great opportunity. You can still profit from your investment because your property has had a great appreciation rate! The most recent one I evaluated appreciated at 4.88% per year since 1998 – and that was on an older, less desirable property! You won’t find rates like that at your local bank, and believe it or not, that’s one of the lowest I’ve seen in some time.
Despite all the negativity and uncertainty floating around out there, there’s a lot of opportunity right now for both buyers and sellers. Are you considering buying property in Murphy, NC and want to know what properties fit your wish list? Contact us or your local Realtor today! You can get daily or weekly email updates letting you know what’s going on in the market. Want to sell your property in Murphy, NC? Get a complimentary evaluation on your investment and make an educated decision! Call The Poltrock Team or your local Realtor today to find out why this is truly a great time to sell!
John Poltrock – The POLTROCK TEAM at RE/MAX Mountain Properties – www.MyMurphy.com – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – Call Toll Free at 1-866-687-7496