In most cases, when you buy something, you don’t get to negotiate the price. If you’re buying a refrigerator, for example, you don’t make an offer. You pay whatever the store says it costs. Buying a house works a little bit differently. That’s because, the price a home lists for isn’t necessarily the price it sells for. Depending on market conditions, buyers may be able to get a house for less than its list price or, at other times, they may have to pay more. That’s particularly true in today’s market. A lower-than-normal number of homes for sale means buyers these days often have to compete with other buyers to get their offer chosen. Most often, that means paying more than the homeowner’s asking price. But how often should prospective buyers expect to have sweeten their offer to get the home they want? Well, according to one recent analysis, at the end of May, more than half the homes sold were sold above list price. In fact, 51 percent of homes sold for more than their list price, that’s up from just 26 percent last year at the same time. (source)
Archive for June 2021
Buyers Who Relocated Say They’re Happier Now
Last year, after the coronavirus’ onset, there was a lot of talk about how Americans were looking to move from city centers into the suburbs and exurbs. The pandemic had us staying at home more and more time in the house led to a wave of home buyers with a freshly updated wishlist. Space, privacy, and affordability led the list of features buyers were now focused on finding. In short, they wanted a bigger place with more outdoor space and a lower monthly cost. So how’d they do? Well, according to one recent survey, pretty well. In fact, 80 percent of those buyers said they’re happier now and had no regrets about their decision to move to a new area. Many of them also reported having more disposable income and lower housing costs than they did before they moved. And while about 15 percent said they had some regrets about their move, that’s remarkably low considering these buyers were making an important decision about their future during a chaotic time. Now the question is whether or not the trend will last as the pandemic’s impact begins to recede. (source)
