Archive for: June 2008

So if trying to time the bottom of the real estate market is not the best strategy, what should a home buyer evaluate before buying a new home?  Here are some considerations that can help you assess whether this is a good time for you to buy property.

New home buyers…if the dismal news on the housing market has you waiting on the sidelines or trying to time when we’ll hit bottom, you may want to rethink your strategy about buying a new home.
Timing the Market Bottom May Not Be Wise Home Buying Strategy
The fact is, even the economists have a hard time agreeing on when the U.S. real estate market will hit its low point.  Many financial analysts think we could experience at least two more years of depreciating home values.

Trying to time the market, be it the stock market or the housing market, is a difficult task - and depending on your local environment, it may be an unnecessary gamble. 

Will the economy, environmental concerns and demographics impact the size of new homes we build in the future?  Two recent surveys show that a downsizing trend in new home construction may already be underway.  

In its home design trend survey released last week, the American Institute of Architects indicates that the depressed U.S. housing market, affordability and rising home costs are causing many Americans to rethink the size issue.   How much living space do we really need?
Home Buyers Put New Home Amenities Ahead of Size
In past years, more people buying a new home would focus on getting the most square footage for the money, according to Gopal Ahluwalia, National Association of Home Builders vice president of research.  But that’s not the case anymore. In an NAHB survey released in February, a majority of potential home buyers revealed that if they had to choose, they would rather build a smaller home with more amenities than the other way around. 

Does the environment in your new home support healthy living?  When we think of places impacted by air pollution and dangerous contaminants, most of us wouldn’t consider that new homes may be at risk.  But the Environmental Protection Agency cites indoor air quality as one of the greatest threats to our health.