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Atlanta Condos For Sale

Why You Shouldn’t Fear Today’s Foreclosure Headlines

February 1, 2023 by Thom Abbott

Why You Shouldn’t Fear Today’s Foreclosure Headlines

Why You Shouldn’t Fear Today’s Foreclosure Headlines | MyKCM

If you’ve seen recent headlines about foreclosures surging in the housing market, you’re certainly not alone. There’s no doubt, the stories in the media can be pretty confusing right now. They may even make you think twice about buying a home for fear that prices could crash. The reality is, the data shows a foreclosure crisis is not where the market is headed, and understanding what that really means is mission critical if you want to know the truth about what’s happening today. Here’s a deeper look.

According to the Year-End 2022 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report from ATTOM, foreclosure filings are up 115% from 2021, but down 34% from 2019. As media headlines grab onto this 115% increase, it’s more important than ever to put that percentage into context.

While the number of foreclosure filings did more than double last year, we need to remember why that happened and how it compares to more normal, pre-pandemic years in the market. Thanks to the forbearance program and other relief options for homeowners, foreclosure filings were down to record-low levels in 2020 and 2021, so any increase last year is — no surprise — a jump up. Rick Sharga, Executive VP of Market Intelligence at ATTOM, notes:

“Eighteen months after the end of the government’s foreclosure moratorium, and with less than five percent of the 8.4 million borrowers who entered the CARES Act forbearance program remaining, foreclosure activity remains significantly lower than it was prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. It seems clear that government and mortgage industry efforts during the pandemic, coupled with a strong economy, have helped prevent millions of unnecessary foreclosures.”

Clearly, these options meant millions of homeowners could stay in their homes, allowing them to get back on their feet during a very challenging period. With home values rising at the same time, many homeowners who may have found themselves facing foreclosure under other circumstances were able to leverage their equity and sell their houses rather than face foreclosure, and that trend continues today.

And remember, as the graph below shows, foreclosures today are far below the record-high 2.9 million that were reported in 2010 when the housing market crashed.

Why You Shouldn’t Fear Today’s Foreclosure Headlines | MyKCM

So, while foreclosures are rising, keeping perspective in mind is key. As Bill McBride, Founder and Author of Calculated Risk, noted just last week:

“The bottom line is there will be an increase in foreclosures over the next year (from record low levels), but there will not be a huge wave of distressed sales as happened following the housing bubble. The distressed sales during the housing bust led to cascading price declines, and that will not happen this time.”

Bottom Line

Right now, putting the data into context is more important than ever. While the housing market is experiencing an expected rise in foreclosures, it’s nowhere near the crisis levels seen when the housing bubble burst, and that won’t lead to a crash in home prices.

Filed Under: Atlanta Real Estate For Sale Or Rent, Blog, Real Estate Tips, Sellers Tagged With: atlanta relocation, Buyers, Intown Atlanta Real Estate, News, real estate FAQ, Seller Tips, Sellers

Why Is My Home Not Being Shown Multiple Times Per Week?

November 23, 2022 by Thom Abbott

Why Is My Home Not Being Shown Multiple Times Per Week?

As I have daily conversations with my Seller’s, as well as speak with other real estate professionals, and it is a continuing education class for Seller’s in the current market. Long gone are the multiple offers, offers over list price and no contingencies. In fact, gone are multiple showings in a day!

When Seller’s ask me, “Why is my home not being shown multiple times per week?” I have to remind and educate them that the real estate market in Atlanta (and pretty much every city from people I talk to) has made a dramatic shift. It’s not that Buyer’s don’t want to buy a home…it’s that many Buyers have been priced out of the market completely by the sharp rise in interest rates. 

This dramatic rise in interest rates can do a number of things to a buyer: 1) They can no longer afford the mortgage payment on the price point they were looking; 2) They are having to look at less expensive homes to meet their mortgage budget (hence not looking at yours?) or; 3) have left the market completely.  Other buyers, while they may still be able to afford the payment at a higher interest rate, have chosen to move to the sidelines while they see what happens to the economy.

The increase in interest rates is directly related to the number of times your home is being shown. And unless you have priced it below market value….yes…I said BELOW market value, it may be on the market for sometime before it sells. While we certainly have not shifted 100% from a crazy Seller’s market where we were last year or even at the beginning of this year, Buyers are looking for homes that the Seller is showing their willingness to price it such that it is a great value to the buyer.

As a listing agent, I can work to market your home in numerous ways. If your home is vacant, we can increase the amount of virtual staging we do in each room to help show the home in a better way. We reach out to agents in our marketplace that we know list and sell homes in the area to confirm they have seen your listing, and if they have any buyers that might be interested. But even with these efforts, when you have a reduced buyer pool to draw from, it’s going to take more than 3 days to sell your home. It is now quite common to see homes on the market for 60-90 days and even longer. 

Some Seller’s are showing their frustration by taking their home off the market. I had one Seller say, ” I’ll put it back on after the holidays when the market has improved.” Well, I don’t have THAT crystal ball, but if there are buyers out during the holidays, they most likely are strong buyers that ARE qualified, and you could miss that opportunity. 

I can talk to you and tell you about the market, but numbers don’t lie….as this statement about the volume of mortgages clearly says:

 

 

Filed Under: Atlanta Real Estate For Sale Or Rent, Blog, Interesting Stories, Random Topics, Real Estate Tips, Sellers Tagged With: atlanta relocation, Buyers, Intown Atlanta Real Estate, Midtown Atlanta Market Reports, News, Seller Tips, Sellers, So You Know

Don’t Be Afraid of Today’s Housing Market

October 21, 2022 by Thom Abbott

Don’t be afraid of Today’s housing market! Just think, there is a good potential that interest rates may go even higher than they currently are! So buying now, you could lock in a lower rate than might be around in say, 3 or 4 months. And with the equity that you have in buying a home (let’s make sure you don’t overpay…and that market has cooled enough to help us with THAT goal) you can look to refinance your mortgage when interest rates come down in the future. 

Of course, every person’s situation is different. We might even tell you that it does not make sense for you to buy a home right now. But, let’s sit down and talk and see what your options may be!!

 

 

If you would like to know more about the home buying process ….perhaps you are new to Georgia and the real estate buying process DOES differ from state to state …. check out our Atlanta Real Estate Buyers Guide. And if you still have questions….well that’s what we are here for! 

Filed Under: Atlanta Relocation, Blog, Buyers, Real Estate Tips, Sellers Tagged With: Atlanta Real Estate, atlanta relocation, Buyers, Intown Atlanta Real Estate, midtown atlanta real estate

Should You Still Buy a Home with the Latest News About Inflation?

October 20, 2022 by Thom Abbott

Should You Still Buy a Home with the Latest News About Inflation?

Should You Still Buy a Home with the Latest News About Inflation? | MyKCM

While the Federal Reserve is working hard to bring down inflation, the latest data shows the inflation rate is still high, remaining around 8%. This news impacted the stock market and added fuel to the fire for conversations about a recession.

You’re likely feeling the impact in your day-to-day life as you watch the cost of goods and services climb. The pinch it’s creating on your wallet and the looming economic uncertainty may leave you wondering: “should I still buy a home right now?” If that question is top of mind for you, here’s what you need to know.

Homeownership Is Historically a Great Hedge Against Inflation

In an inflationary economy, prices rise across the board. Historically, homeownership is a great hedge against those rising costs because you can lock in what’s likely your largest monthly payment (your mortgage) for the duration of your loan. That helps stabilize some of your monthly expenses. James Royal, Senior Wealth Management Reporter at Bankrate, explains:

“A fixed-rate mortgage allows you to maintain the biggest portion of housing expenses at the same payment. Sure, property taxes will rise and other expenses may creep up, but your monthly housing payment remains the same.”

And with rents being as high as they are, the ability to stabilize your monthly payments and protect yourself from future rent hikes may be even more important. Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), explains what happened to rents in the latest inflation report:

“Inflation refuses to budge. In September, consumer prices rose by 8.2%. Rents rose by 7.2%, the highest pace in 40 years.”

When you rent, your monthly payment is determined by your lease, which typically renews on an annual basis. With inflation high, your landlord may be more likely to increase your payments to offset the impact of inflation. That may be part of the reason why a survey from realtor.com shows 72% of landlords said they plan to raise the rent on one or more of their properties in the next year.

Becoming a homeowner, if you’re ready and able to do so, can provide lasting stability and a reliable shelter in times of economic uncertainty.

If you are new to the home buying process, check out our Intown Atlanta Real Estate Buyers Guide!

Bottom Line

The best hedge against inflation is a fixed housing cost. If you’re ready to learn more and start your journey to homeownership, let’s connect.

Filed Under: Atlanta Relocation, Blog, Buyers, Real Estate Tips, Sellers Tagged With: atlanta relocation, Buyers, Intown Atlanta Real Estate, News, So You Know

How do Buildings in Midtown Get Developed?

June 15, 2022 by Thom Abbott

Midtown Owners Manual Midtown Alliance

Midtown Owners Manual for Developers

I’ve been selling real estate in Midtown Atlanta since 2004. I’ve seen some pretty dramatic changes to the landscape over those years…and I think there may still be a few exciting new things in the future. As you walk down the street, you might be wondering, how some decisions were made with regard to a particular building. And you are having an interaction with that building as you look at it, or even visit a retail establishment or enter the actual lobby of the building. And it could be a residential (condominium) building, a student-focused apartment building (think University House, SQ5, The Mark) or one of the numerous office towers that dot the skyline. 

Atlanta has not had much of a flair to make their skyline stand out. Sure, you can pick up various buildings in various locations, but that’s the thing…they are all over the place. You have Downtown, Midtown, Buckhead, the Perimeter ( think Perimeter Mall area) and then the Cumberland/Galleria area. If all the buildings from those areas were grouped together say Downtown to Midtown, you could have a pretty cool looking skyline. But developers in Atlanta seem to like the 4 squares of glass. Many of the newer construction buildings are lack-luster…in my opinion. Go to a city like Miami and the skyline will blow you away. It’s like each developer it trying to outdo the last one. Sure, they have oceans and bays for views, so they have amazing balconies on all the buildings. (If you notice, in Atlanta, balconies are often pretty small…almost an after thought. 1010 Midtown and Plaza Midtown are an exception) 

But all of this goes through a pretty extensive design review process through the City of Atlanta, and in Midtown specifically, you have the Midtown Alliance and their Design Review Committee (DRC). And they have a pretty good road map for any developer to follow….but they don’t really say “hey, would you make something that will WOW us?” Mind you, I’m a residential real estate broker, not a developer or builder. So I will be the first to admit I’m lacking in knowledge on this type of construction and all that goes into it. But, I can say, if I was building a building, I’d want it to be one that people driving on the Downtown Connector would go, WOW, WHAT BUILDING IS THAT! 

But to help you understand some of the guidelines that the DRC works with, and expects developers to follow, take a look at the Midtown Owners Manual for Developers. It’s a pretty cool online book that will give you some insight into the design goals for Midtown Atlanta. 

And maybe, just maybe one day, you’ll see that 40 story building go up, be it residential or office…and you will go WOW! I know I’m waiting. 

Filed Under: Atlanta Relocation, Blog, Midtown Atlanta, Midtown Atlanta Apartments, Midtown Atlanta Condos For Rent, Midtown Atlanta News and Events, Midtown Photos, Random Topics Tagged With: Atlanta Condominiums, atlanta relocation, Condominiums, Intown Atlanta Real Estate, midtown atlanta real estate, odds and ends, personal thoughts, So You Know

Interest Rate Update For the October 29, 2021

October 29, 2021 by Thom Abbott

We just wanted to share with you, from one of our Team Lenders, current interest rates. 

Of course, keep in mind that your rate is subject or your personal or specific credit situation, and they could vary. This is why we have all Buyers meet with a lender to have an accurate picture of their financial situation, and their buying power, BEFORE we go shopping for a new home! 

Let us connect you with Kevin, or any of our Team Lenders and get you pre-approved TODAY!

 

Interest Rates for October 29, 2021

Filed Under: Blog, Buyers, Interesting Stories, Random Topics, Real Estate Tips Tagged With: atlanta relocation, Buyers, Condominiums, Intown Atlanta Real Estate Buyers Guide, So You Know

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Thom Abbott

Associate Broker, REALTOR(R)
905 Juniper Street, NE Suite 110
Atlanta, Georgia 30309
770.713.1505 Direct
404.876.4901 Office

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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