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Liz Warren

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Is it Time to Sell Your Property on Mt. Hood?

by Liz Warren

Thinking of Selling Your House? Now May be the Right Time

Thinking of Selling Your House? Now May be the Right Time | MyKCM
 

Inventory is arguably the biggest challenge for buyers in today’s housing market. There are simply more buyers actively looking for homes to purchase than there are sellers selling them, so the scale is tipped in favor of the sellers.

According to the latest Existing Home Sales Report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), total housing inventory is down 18.8% from one year ago. Inventory is well below what was available last year, and the houses that do come to the market are selling very quickly.

Sam Khater, Chief Economist at Freddie Mac notes:

“Simply put, new housing supply is not keeping up with rising demand. We estimate that the housing market is undersupplied by 3.3 million units, and the shortage is rising by about 300,000 units a year. More than half of all states have a housing shortage.”

Why is inventory so low?

There are many reasons why it’s hard to find a home to buy today, stemming from an undersupply of newly constructed homes to sellers pressing pause on their moving plans due to the current health pandemic. One of the key factors making it even more challenging, however, is the amount of time current homeowners are staying in their homes. There has truly been a fundamental shift in the market that started about 10 years ago: people are staying put longer, and it’s contributing to the shortage of houses for sale.

In the 2019 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, NAR explained:

“In 2019, the median tenure for sellers was 10 years…After 2008, the median tenure in the home began to increase by one year each year. By 2011, the median tenure reached nine years, where it remained for three consecutive years, and jumped up again in 2014 to 10 years.”

As shown in the graph below, historical data indicates that staying in a home for 5-7 years used to be the norm, until the housing bubble burst. Since 2010, that length of time has trended upward, toward 9-10 years, largely due to homeowners aiming to recoup their equity:Thinking of Selling Your House? Now May be the Right Time | MyKCMThankfully, with the strength the market has gained over the last 10 years, today’s homeowners are in a much better equity position. Now is a fantastic time for homeowners who are ready to make a move to break the 10-year trend and sell their houses, especially while buyer demand is so high and inventory is so low. It’s a prime time to sell.

In addition, with today’s historically low interest rates, there’s an opportunity for sellers to maintain a low monthly payment while getting more house for their money. Think: move-up opportunity, more square footage, or finding the features they’re really looking for rather than doing costly renovations. With more new homes poised to enter the market this year, homeowners ready to make a move may have a golden opportunity to do so right now.

The Mt. Hood area has only 30 active listings! Take away three forest cabins on leased land and four mobile homes with monthly rents at the Mt. Hood RV Village gives us 23 deeded properties for sale today! Multiple bids are common place these days so it has never been a better time to put your property on the market!

Bottom Line

There are simply not enough houses for sale today. If you’re ready to leverage your equity and sell your house, let’s connect today. It’s a great time to move while demand for homes to buy is extremely high.

Still Creek Cabin in the Mt. Hood National Forest

by Liz Warren

        Still Creek Cabin in the Mt. Hood National Forest

Here's a great gem in a secluded location in the Mt. Hood National Forest near Rhododendron Oregon. Open floor plan with everything you need in your getaway. Two bedrooms upstairs and one is a bunk room! The master has its own deck that looks out over the woods. Modern kitchen with a dishwasher too. Laminate flooring. Comfortable covered porch in case there's a sprinkle or two plus a big spacious deck with benches on the back side. Steps to two premium swimming holes on kid and dog friendly Still Creek. Shared gated driveway to the cabin. Mountain bikers will enjoy the trek up to Trillium Lake. Only about 30 minutes to Mt. Hood for the only summer skiing in Oregon!   $235,000

Still Creek Cabin Living Room           Open floor plan in a Still Creek Cabin

Still Creek in the Mt. Hood National Forest with a great swimming hole

Time to Sell Your Mt. Hood Property?

by Liz Warren

Best Time to Sell? When Competition Is at an All-Time Low

Best Time to Sell? When Competition Is at an All-Time Low | MyKCM
 

In a recent survey of home sellers by Qualtrics, 87% of respondents said they were concerned their home won’t sell because of the pandemic and resulting economic recession. Of the respondents, 51% said they are “seriously worried.” That concern seems reasonable considering the current condition of the economy. The data, however, is showing that home purchasers are still very active despite the disruptions American families have experienced this year.

The latest Existing Home Sales Report published by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) revealed that 340,000 single-family homes sold in this country last month. NAR’s most recent Pending Sales Report (homes going into contract) surpassed last month’s number by over 44%, which far exceeded analysts’ projections of 15%. ShowingTime reported that appointments to see homes (both virtually and in-person) have increased in every region of the country and are up 21.4% nationwide over the same time last year.

While buyer activity is surging, the number of listings has fallen to an all-time low. Zelman Associates, in their latest residential real estate report, revealed that housing inventory as a percentage of households has fallen to 1.2%, which is half of the long-term average and lower than any other time in our history.

Bidding Wars Heating Up Again

With buyer demand growing and the supply of available homes shrinking, purchasers are again finding themselves needing to outbid other buyers. NAR, in a recent blog post, revealed:

“On average, there were about three offers on a home that closed in May, up from just about two in April 2020 and in May 2019 (2.3 offers).”

Bidding wars guarantee houses sell quickly at a price near or even slightly over the listing price.

The Mt. Hood Market has only twenty seven properties for sale as of today! There are only fifteen homes on the market under $400,000! In thirty five years I have never seen such a low inventory. 

Bottom Line

If you’re thinking of selling, don’t be concerned about putting your house on the market right now. There’s no better time to sell an item than when demand for it is high and supply is low. It is exactly at that time when you will negotiate your best possible deal.

Craftsman 1920's Mt. Hood home on nearly Half Acre

by Liz Warren

You will love this refurbished 1920's craftsman style cabin on nearly a half acre of land near Brightwood.  Vaulted ceilings and wood beams in the great room complete with stone fireplace. Wood floors and updated windows makes for a cozy getaway or for full time living. Master bedroom has it's own sitting porch! Second bedroom is spacious with barn doors and tons of light. 

The kitchen has everything you would need. The bathroom is huge with walk in shower and laundry area too. 

Completely landscaped with two new patios and fire pit. Seller added an outbuild too. Kids will love the yard and there's plenty of parking too. 

Just down the road is the Mt. Hood National Forest and Sandy Ridge Mountain Biking Park. $420,000.

Mt. Hood Craftsman Style Two bedroom cabinMt. Hood Craftsman style living room                Bedroom in 1920's cabin


 

Mt. Hood Classic Cabin on the Zig Zag River

by Liz Warren

They don't come along that often but this is a classic original cabin located right along  the Zig Zag River near Government Camp. High vaulted ceilings with beams and a beautiful stone fireplace are highlights of this cabin. Original paned windows let lots of light in. The kitchen and bath are original. One bedroom on the main level has a set of bunks and a bed. A charming loft is over the living room area with the perfect perch for sleeping. A pull down ladder takes you to the tucked away third bedroom. 

Overlooking the Zig Zag River is a spacious deck. The river is just a stone's throw from the deck. The cabin also has a near by outbuilding for wood. The cabin has a gated driveway shared by a neighboring cabin. This one won't last! $299,000!

    Classic cabin on the Zig Zag River            Stone Fireplace in a Government Camp CabinClassic 1930's Cabin on the Zig Zag River

Priicing Your Mt. Hood Property

by Liz Warren

           

Buying or Selling on Mt. Hood?

by Liz Warren

         

Is It Time to Sell your Mt. Hood Vacation Home?

by Liz Warren

                  Is it Time to Sell Your Vacation Home?

     Mt. Hood Vacation Cabin     Mt. Hood Vacation Home
 

The travel industry is one of the major sectors that’s been hit extremely hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, it’s hard to know how long it will take for summer travelers to be back in action and for the industry to fully recover. Homeowners who rent their secondary properties on their own or through programs like Airbnb, which has over 660,000 listings in the U.S. alone, have been impacted in this challenging time. Some of these homeowners are considering selling their vacation homes, and understandably so.

A recent CNN article indicated:

“With global travel screeching to a halt during the pandemic, a number of Airbnb hosts are planning to sell their properties…These desperate moves come as hosts face the possibility of losing thousands of dollars a month in canceled bookings while bills, maintenance costs, and mortgage payments pile up.”

If you’re one of the property owners in this position, you too may be feeling the pain of decreased travel, especially as we prepare for the typical busy summer vacation season. A recent survey notes that 48% of Americans have already canceled summer travel plans due to the current health crisis. In addition, 36% indicated they don’t have vacation plans, and only 16% said they did not cancel their summer travel.

The same survey also asked, “How long will you wait before traveling again?” Not surprisingly, only 29% of respondents are planning to travel within the next 6 months. That means 71% are putting their plans on hold for at least 6 months, or are still unsure about future travel. That can continue to add to the significant income loss that many property renters felt this spring.Is it Time to Sell Your Vacation Home? | MyKCMIf you’re considering selling your rental property, know that there are two key factors indicating that selling your vacation home now may be your best move as a homeowner.

1. Inventory Shortage

The inventory of overall homes for sale is well below the demand from potential buyers, so many eyes may be searching for a home like yours. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), total housing inventory, meaning homes available to purchase, is down 19.7% from one year ago (see graph below):Is it Time to Sell Your Vacation Home? | MyKCMInventory across the country continues to be a challenge, with only a 4.1-month supply of listings available at the current sales pace. For a balanced market, where there are enough homes available for interested buyers to purchase, that number would need to bump up to a 6-month supply. This means we don’t have enough inventory for the number of buyers looking for homes, so selling in this scenario is ideal. Buyers are looking now, and some vacation homes make a great primary residence or second home for those eager to escape from more populated urban areas.

2. Home Prices

The lack of inventory is also keeping homes from depreciating in value. Today, prices are holding strong and experts forecast home price appreciation to continue throughout this year. Selling your home while prices are holding steady is a sound business move. You’ll likely have equity you’ve earned working for you as well. If your home has been vacant for the past few months, the forced savings you have built in your equity may help balance out possible rental income loss due to the slowdown in the travel industry.

Bottom Line

We don’t know exactly when heightened summer travel will return or what it will look like when it does. If you’re considering selling your vacation home, let’s connect today to determine your options in the current market.

Listings and Pending Sales in Portland Metro

by Liz Warren

Here are some stats showing COVID impact on new listings for the Portland Metro area for 2020 in RED. Prior two years are in green and blue. The second chart is for Pending sales for 2020.

Summer will be the new spring for sales this year. Listings are starting to fill in on Mt. Hood with twenty nine current properties for sale. This is the lowest inventory on the mountain ever!

Three Years of New Listings in Portland Oregon


Pending Sales for Portland Oregon in April 2020

Virtual Tours

by Liz Warren

                      

Displaying blog entries 471-480 of 1850

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Liz Warren
Merit Properties Group - Keller Williams Realty PDX Central
Box 131
Welches OR 97067
Direct: 503-705-3090