Archives for March 2013

Real Estate Market Trends for 2013

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The first quarter of 2013 is almost over and so far, a few trends have emerged in real estate.  These trends are not set in stone, nor can we be sure that they will continue on the same trajectories throughout the rest of the year.  As with any other major part of the economy, much of real estate depends on external factors such as employment, interest rates, and general economic conditions.

With that being said, the first quarter of 2013 has established a few trends in the national market that extend into regional and local markets and could point to broader movement throughout the rest of the year.

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The U.S. Real Estate Market is Back! [infographic]

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As we all know, America's housing market has been in a slump for many years.  Years of negative news made home buyers and real estate investors nervous about the future of the U.S. housing market.  However, the following infographic should bring optimism back to most people.

This infographic reports the opinions of real estate professionals, and their predictions look extremely promising!  Most feel positive about the direction the economy and the real estate market is headed.  If the trend continues, which it is expected to do, then this would be a great time to be investing in real estate.

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Real Estate Investment Outlook for 2013

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For a good number of real estate professionals, 2012 wasn't a great year. We were still on a downward spiral towards the bottom of the real estate market. This wasn't exciting news for real estate investors looking to make profitable deals investing in real estate. But as we move deeper into 2013, it's becoming abundantly clear that the tide is turning.

In previous years, buyers were getting used to having the upper hand. The market was like a poker game with the buyer being in possession of all the chips. Sellers are now in a position to reclaim not only the chips, but the pot as well. We are moving into a seller's market where the seller, not the buyer, will have the unfair advantage. Opportunity is knocking and it's been a long time since investors were able to capitalize on current and future market conditions.

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National Economic Outlook (March 2013)

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The budget shenanigans in Washington so far haven't had an effect on the recovery, but an extended period of lower government spending and job cuts will quickly lead to economic stagnation.

The economy is a self-reinforcing mechanism, a small dip in growth will be followed by further declines, even if the first dip was meant to be temporary. With jobs growing at a very modest rate, it won't take much to bring growth to a halt.

Aside from the very real possibility of a government-induced slowdown, the economy is doing well – in the modern sense that it's growing modestly. The number of jobs in February was 1.5 percent higher than last year, a small improvement over recent months, and unemployment fell to 7.7 percent. As usual, the heavy lifting was done by the health care sector – jobs up 2.1 percent – and business services, where jobs increased 2.8 percent. Government jobs were essentially flat, and retail jobs were up 1.8 percent.

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The Real Crash is Coming!

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Well, well, well… what an interesting year 2013 is shaping up to be!

The U.S. is still, at least according to the U.S., the world's largest economy. Super!

Of course, U.S. gross national production includes the value of goods and services Americans produce regardless of their location – even overseas!  But where do those employees live, rent homes, and spend money with local businesses (who rent homes and office space locally)?

Real estate investors typically care where the people are because people and their income is what gives real estate its value.  After all, there's lots of land on the moon, but it isn't worth much because there aren't any people there… at least not yet!

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