The New Spring Real Estate Market is Here.
Which month do you think most people who are considering buying a home actually start their search? If you’re like most of us, you probably think the surge happens in the spring, likely in April. Not anymore.
The same research indicates, “Historically, April launched the kickoff of the home shopping season as buyers would come out of their winter hibernation looking for their new home. However, the spring shopping season now starts in January for many of the nation’s largest markets.”
George Ratiu, Senior Economist at realtor.com says,
“As shoppers modify their strategies for navigating a housing market that has become more competitive due to rising prices and low inventory, the search for a home is beginning earlier and earlier.”
What will 2022 be like for homebuyers, especially first-time homebuyers?
Homebuyers have much to look forward to in 2022. After years of declining, the inventory of homes for sale is finally expected to rebound from all-time lows. Still, the housing market will remain competitive for buyers, particularly those looking for homes in entry-level price tiers.
With more than 45 million millennials in the prime first-time home buying ages of 26 to 35 in 2022, entry level buyers are likely to have a lot of company. Plenty of buyers mean rising home prices and when combined with rising mortgage rates buyers will face higher monthly payments. On top of this, homes are expected to continue to sell quickly, meaning buyers will need to make quick decisions in order to win offers.
How can homebuyers prepare?
To navigate these challenges, buyers will want to carefully consider their budget before embarking on their home search. Buyers can use online tools like the affordability calculator found in home listings on Realtor.com to get a sense of how much they can afford, and once they’ve set a price point, rate-proof that home purchase budget by running the numbers to see how higher mortgage rates could affect the monthly payment.
Bottom line for buyers: no matter what the calculator says, make sure it feels comfortable to you! Additionally, honing a list of must-haves vs. nice-to-haves can help shoppers keep their search focused. And buyers can also use personalization tools so that their online search is similarly dialed-in on homes that are the best fit.
What will 2022 be like for home sellers?
Homeowners who are ready to sell in 2022 are in a good position. Home prices are likely to notch a decade-long streak of annual gains early in the year, and the value of homes is at a record $34.9 trillion according to Fed data as of mid-2021, and likely to continue higher with next week’s release of new data.
Even as for-sale inventory begins to grow, meaning some sellers will face competition, well-priced homes in good condition will continue to sell quickly in many markets. And for sellers who have owned their homes for a while, this will likely mean that they walk away from the transaction with a healthy amount of cash.
While surveys show that many sellers recognize the advantage they hold in the current housing market, other data show that it’s the challenge of buying that is holding some back–more than 1 in 4 homeowners choosing not to sell reported this in our recent survey.
The first step for sellers will be to explore their options for selling. Whether it’s a first home sale or you’ve done this before but it’s been a while, you may be surprised to find out that there are more ways to sell your home than you’d imagined For many sellers, this is going to be listing their home with a Realtor® who can showcase your home on the market to a wide range of potential buyers, getting you the highest price.
Get advice from a professional
Ready to Sell? Reach out to a local Realtor® professional to talk about how you can take advantage of your rising equity to reach your goals. It’s a great time to get more money for your home, just when you need it most. Let’s find out your Motivation to move right now is. Contact The Wagner Team for consultation on your needs
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