Hi!  This is Christina Swain with Keller Williams.  The kids are back and school and vacation season is over!  The phones have been ringing off the hook with sellers ready to list their home.  
 
Yet, every time I turn on the TV these days, I Hear news about a recession.  The odds of a recession occurring in our area over the next year do not appear very high.
With all that said, there is definitely no recession in the local real estate market! The homes I’m listing are selling in hours, not days or months, all at a realistic price. I have indicators that show a strong housing market that I’m going to share with you today.
Let’s take FICO scores as our first example. There’s a common belief that you need an 800 credit score to qualify for a mortgage, but that’s just not true. If you’re an FHA buyer, your score can be as low as 580.  the average score is 675. 
Next, let’s look at the average days on market for the United States 
—As you can see, most of the United States’ average days on market is between zero and 30 days. So that means you’ll need to differentiate your home with our proven strategic pre marketing package so that your home will sell for even more money than traditional sales techniques.  
 
That’s why I plan with my sellers years in advance—to maximize their profit in either a buyer’s or a seller’s market.

In our next graphic you can see the forecasted year-over-year change in price. Pennsylvania and New Jersey are projected to increase by 5.2% and 5.9%, respectively.

This is all good news for the real estate market and for what could be the largest asset in your financial portfolio.
​
As your real estate adviser I’m now taking listings for 2020 and 2021. If you’re planning to sell your home within the next year or so, now is the time to take some pictures of your home’s exterior, as experts are predicting a hot fast paced real estate market for the spring. Since inventory is still low!  Imagine having exterior photos of your home taken in the summer that stand out when your competition will have snow and leafless trees in theirs.
Gain an edge and attend my home selling seminar detailing our proven systems that will put a sold sign on your lawn in hours, not months. Why work with a traditional Realtor who takes pictures with their cell phone, has no marketing or negotiating skills, and is only worried about their commission check?
Register today for my next home seller seminar at 6:30 pm on October 24 th at the Middletown twp building.
 
Also, as our client appreciation event this year we will be hosting an Antique's Roadshow style event.  Come out on October 19th at 11 am and bring an item of value for a free appraisal by our expert.  Sit and be entertained and hear what other's items are worth too!  
 
In the meantime, feel free to reach out to me with any questions you have. Hope to see you in October!

​This is Christina Swain with The Swain Team of Keller Williams. Here with your August monthly market update.  We saw a slow down in the housing market in July.  Most likely due to vacations.  As August begins I am sure we will see a pick up as it is our last summer month and the kids will be headed back to school.  

On July 31st the Federal Reserve lowered interest rates for the first time since 2008. Interest rates, which affect the cost of borrowing for mortgages and credit cards, are now set to hover between 2% and 2.25%.
When I checked in with one of my loan officers this morning she quoted me a rate of 3.375 for a conventional loan and 3.625 for a FHA loan.  

So what does this mean for our local housing market you may ask?  
It is a great time to buy.
And Land purchases and financing will be cheaper for homebuilders.  And an increase in building will lead to the increase in the overall supply of homes.

We are seeing a slow down in the increase in home prices as they have risen faster than income levels. 
Homebuilders also claim that mounting labor and supply costs have made it difficult to build single-family homes at affordable prices.

​Wow! 20,000 over asking price! The seller attended our Home Selling Seminar and began a year in advance to prepare the home for the market. To educate herself she interviewed other realtors, and she said by far we stood out. Not only was our level of marketing much greater but we also offer a free promotional pre market home inspection. We sat down reviewed it with her and made some repairs then marketed the home with the inspection report. The inspection report combined with the Coming Soon Campaign helped facilitate a stress free sale that netted her the most money possible. We started showings on a Friday and by Monday we had 6 offers! This buyer came in $20,000 over and waived inspections allowing the seller to just focus on packing.

The summer market has continued to be crazy!  There are a number of buyers out there that are getting desperate because they have been putting offers on homes and have been rejected multiple times.  The level of inventory is still too low to support the number of buyers out in the market now.  Quite often, there are multiple bids on a home for sale making it extremely difficult to buy your dream home.  
Every buyer is scrambling trying to figure out an angle to get a house before it goes on the market or what drives the sellers motivation and capitalize on that.  It’s not always about the highest price  although in most cases it is.  

Because of this demand the average sales price has increased in PA when we compare June 2018 to June of 2019.   We have seen a decrease in NJ although demand there for homes has continued to be high as well.
Lets take a look at the average sales price in June 2018 vs June 2019.
Obviously , as I say every month it is a great time to sell.  The demand is high.  If you are thinking about selling in the future come out to our next home selling seminar at the Warwick Twp at 6:30pm on August 21st.  We will review many important changes in the market as well as innovative marketing methods designed to net you the most with the least hassle.

For buyers rates have remained low!  If you are thinking about purchasing in the future it does not hurt to start exploring your options now.  It is important to educate yourself to the process.  Come out to our next home buying seminar at the Warwick Twp at 6:30pm on August 22nd.  We will review the different types of loans, the purchase process and tips on how to save the most.  

​

Better than a flip!

This gorgeously remodeled 3 Bedroom/2.5 bath twin home in Roxborough is a must see! Upon entering you will immediately appreciate the HUGE remodeled eat-in kitchen (2018) with a modern open concept, making it ideal for your holiday gathering.  The kitchen features newer cabinets, recessed lighting, Quartz countertops, SS appliances, an island with seating and new floors that run throughout the first floor (2018).     

The living room is accented by a newer sliding glass door (2015) leading to the back patio with a sizable fenced rear yard (PVC 2019) that is perfect for your next BBQ. Upstairs  3 bedrooms and 2 full baths with newer carpet (2018).  The master bedroom is sure to please with LED recessed lighting and a remodeled private master bathroom (2015).  The main bathroom has also been updated.  

The fully finished basement (2018)  with recessed lighting is perfect for leisure and entertainment with new flooring and interior garage access.   

In addition, this home features newer energy efficient windows, new bay window (2015), roof 2019, and hot water heater 2019. There is plenty of off-street parking. It is also conveniently located near public transportation & major highways. Enjoy all the parks, trails, restaurants & shopping centers that Manyunk has to offer nearby. Easy access to I-76, City Ave, Henry Ave & Kelly Drive. This home has it all and will not last! Schedule now!!

Sellers are looking for a beginning of Sept settlement.  Call us today at 215-757-7257 or email us at TheSwainTeam@gmail.com to schedule a showing.

Do you have a family heirloom that you'd like to know the value of? Or looking to see if anything in your garage is worth a little bit of money? Join us for our Antiques Roadshow-inspired event at the Middletown Township Building on Saturday October 19th, at 11am. 

Each participant will be eligible to have one item appraised at no cost. ​Reservations are required, so make sure you contact us today at 215-757-7257 or email us at TheSwainTeam@gmail.com to secure your spot! ​Space is limited!

Today I want to go over the three things you need to do to net the most for your home. Low inventory means that homes are selling quickly and sellers have the advantage, but why not aim for getting even more money in your pocket?

When you’re thinking of selling one, two, or even three years from now, there are three things you can do to ensure your success down the line. 

1. Plan in advance. Start earlier than you think.  Especially if you have been in your home for years.  Chances are you have accumulated stuff and repairs may need to be done. Preparing your home for the market will take longer than you realize.  I guarantee it.

Come to one of my home seller seminars, where we’ll teach you how to sell for the most with the least stress in the least time. These proven methods will guarantee you a quick sale and more money in your pocket. People who come to our seminars are getting their homes off the market in just seven days or less and for at or above list price. 

2. Be the best home on the market. There will be other homes on the market. We want to outsell the others.  We want your home to be the best.  Start to think competitively. There are other homes out there that want to sell too; you need to make sure that your home is better than the rest. 

3. Create Demand and Line up Buyers. Utilize our exclusive marketing strategies to create demand in advance for your home. Remember, I always say High Demand = Highest Selling Price & Sellers in Control of Negotiations  
 
You can learn all of these things at my upcoming Home Selling Seminar on August 21, 2019 at the Warwick Township building at 6:30 pm.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call at 215-757-7257, or send me an email.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.