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The Rilliet Report May 2013

THE BUZZ

The housing market continues to improve, increasing 8% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.98 million in February. According to Lawrence Yun of the National Association of Realtors, sales of existing homes increased 10.2% in February 2013 from February 2012. Sales of homes valued at over $500,000 are up over 20%.

Inventories are up too, increasing 10% from January. Still, inventory is 19% lower than a year ago. Builders need to build 50% more homes to meet housing demands, but they are still facing stringent lending regulations that slow their progress.

There is a 4.7 month supply of homes for sale now. That number of months will rise because more inventory is coming onto the market. I referred to this last month as Shadow Inventory - homeowners now feel they can sell their homes in a better market.

For buyers, interest rates remain low. Affordability remains historically favorable. More sellers are planning to repurchase. Real estate is a good investment. Let’s talk. Now is a great time to be thinking about the next 10-15 years and whether your home will suit your needs... Think about a move up situation.


RECENTLY SOLD BY SHELDON


 

 

 

 

JUST ASK

Q: What’s the first thing a potential buyer looks for when entering a home?

A: Aside from the floor plan, size, location and upgrades, buyers almost invariably comment on the amount of light present during the daylight hours in a home. Abundant natural light is a necessity for most buyers.


To bring more light into dark spaces, consider installing an Energy Star-qualified skylight. You can also choose solar powered blinds for energy efficiency. Both the skylight and blinds are eligible for a 30% federal tax credit. The benefits of sunlight on mood are well-documented. You’ll enjoy your home more, even if you decide to stay put.

Q: Does it make sense to put additional money into a home prior to listing it for sale?

A: It certainly does. According to the Real Estate Staging Association®, "a 2011 study found that homes, not staged, were on the market 156 days, before the home owners decided to have them professionally staged. After staging, homes, on average, sold in 42 days. This equates to a total of 198 days. When staged first (prior to listing),homes averaged 42 days on the market."

It makes sense to do repairs prior to listing, you only have one opportunity to make a first impression. Take advantage of that.


 

MY TOWN

In real estate, is bigger always better? In the 1950’s, the average house size in the U.S. was 983 square feet. That seems quite small by today’s standards. By 2011, the average house was 2,480 square feet. The size of our homes has grown three-fold. So has the size of the average family grown too? Actually, in the 1950’s a home housed 3.37 people on average. By 2011, it housed about 2.7 people.

People want more spacious homes today. In fact, one recent study reports that in 75% of all homes, people can’t fit their car into the garage because the garage is filled with too much stuff. Is this a trend that will continue? Or is there a shift in the air where people are trying to simplify their lives? Are we possessed by our possessions? I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

 

FYI

Simplifying is not as easy as it sounds. It seems everyone wants to get organized, but no one knows quite how to do it.

  • Do you start projects and then get overwhelmed? The secret may be to take the project in spurts. For example, when cleaning out your closet, choose 10 things to give away and then stop for the day. Or don’t work for more than an hour continuously.
  • Stay on track. Place a “goes elsewhere box” in the doorway and then stay focused on the room you are de-cluttering. Put the box aside for another day and then return items when you have 15 minutes free.
  • Add a “needs cleaning box” too. One good chart for cleaning tips is from Martha Stewart. If things need to go to the cleaners, take that box to your car so that when you are out on errands, you will be able to check this off your list.
  • Do you have a storage unit that you pay monthly for? Then maybe it’s time to hire an organizing professional. Search online for local organizing services. There are professionals that do a super job of helping.

This spring, let’s simplify. Your home will look better and you will feel great.

 

PERSONAL UPDATE

Just thought that I would include a few recent pictures of my family for good measure....

As always with any questions I am and email or phone call away...

Sheldon@APR.com or 415-559-9691

Thank you,
Sheldon :)




Sheldon Rilliet

Realtor SF and Peninsula

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