Saturday, December 28, 2013

I have heard home inventory is expected to be tight again this year. What does that mean?


 “Inventory” refers to the available homes for sale. You sometime here new home inventory and resale or existing home inventory. All real estate markets are different so you really need to find out what is going on in your own particular market.

In the Austin Texas market there is simply a higher demand for “Housing” in general. There are areas where there are homes for sale waiting for buyers and there are areas where anything that comes on the market is snapped up. One contributing factor to this later example is the influx of new people into the Austin market.

We have a fairly good economy when compared to other markets in the US. Fueled primarily by good job growth, lower cost of living (compared to more expensive areas) , access to well educated employee pool and good school/education systems.

Also thrown into this mix is the fact that home builders cut back production drastically in 2009/2010 in response to the market correction that affected most of the US. The builders have done an excellent job managing growth since then. They have been only starting new construction to meet approx. 80% of demand, thus pushing a % of buyers into the existing home market. This helps keep demand for their future products and helps keep prices at a level where they can make money.

The existing home inventory then has traditional buyers who prefer not to purchase new and those who want new. So you will see areas in sought after school districts or w/in reasonable commutes becoming more desirable and upward pressures on those homes.

For  2014 in the Austin market. There is no drop off in demand and no noticeable increase in inventory (new or existing) being seen. So in a perfect storm if you are a seller looking to reduce your expenses (downsize) and you can afford to do so now would be an excellent time to buy your smaller home and sell into a strong market in the spring market (Feb-June). If you are in the process of planning a move to the Austin area you will want to reach out sooner rather than later to an experienced Realtor to start looking at your alternatives.

There are other real estate markets in the U.S. where inventory and demand are at different levels.  Check with your locale Realtor to see how the market looks to either buyer or seller. Find a Realtor that is going to give you the right information! Unfortunately there are Realtors that are going to tell you what you want to hear so don’t give them too much info on your expectations. Let them do an honest comparative analysis to see where your market value is.

 Call me if you have any questions or need any referrals

Mobile: 512-922-4922


Bob Kenney, Realtor

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