What nesting (and investing in a home) requires.
[SPONSORED]
The personal stories of one Realtor’s battles and triumphs in the highly-competitive Bay Area Real Estate Market, seeking to illuminate and humanize the very real ups-and-downs of homeownership.
Here we go again . . . I spy the tell-tale signs of a bird’s nest under construction on a rafter high above my exterior side stairs. This feathery duo return each spring (like the swallows of Capistrano) to build their roosts.
Theoretically, I don’t object to birds nesting around my house . . . it’s just that these birds are slobs (truly, they make a MESS). It begins with twigs, straw, strings and grass littering the steps, then once the chicks are born and on a 24-hour feeding schedule, it gets really ugly, really fast . . . (need I say more?).Unfortunately their chosen rafter is too high to chase them away, and I’m not sure I’d have the heart to do so even if were lower (although it might prove tempting). Regardless, for such small animals, they create a tremendous amount of clutter.
If Springsteen was born to run, I was born to sweep.
We’re in the heart of the spring season, and like the birds, Buyers are “nesting” big time. In spite of less-than-favorable news on interest rates, the stock-market plunge, unprecedented tariffs, and tremendous loss of confidence in the American treasury (just to name a few), there still seems to be good activity for the right properties in our marketplace. Still, without a clear and sound fiscal policy moving forward, there’s a good bet that we may be seeing HIGHER interest rates down the road – not lower. In other words, when we look back at this period six months from now, this may prove to have been a great time to buy.
But for most of us hardworking folk, the reality of building our nests is that homeownership is rarely ever about correctly timing the marketplace. The decision to buy a home is more often deep-seated and driven by our needs, desires, abilities, and opportunities. If the goal is to hold the house for several years, the vagrancies of the marketplace has little to do with the decision you make today. So the question of whether to buy this year or next is entirely dependent upon your life circumstances, and whether or not it makes sense for YOU at this moment in time. (Does it?)
That isn’t to say that the market won’t correct between now and next year (it may or may NOT). But if the house that fits your needs happens to be on the market today, it most certainly isn’t going to be available next year just because you decided to roll the dice and take a wait and see approach (although there will undoubtedly be others). If you have the wherewithal, AND if you’re staying put for the next 7-10 years, don’t let the “yips” get in the way.
However, if you’re unclear about your future plans, or you’re in flux, or you’re between jobs, or you’re potentially moving out of state, this ISN’T a good time to bank on a home that may not increase in value in the short-term (depreciation may well be on the horizon). As I’ve said often (and loudly) REAL ESTATE IS MEANT TO BE A LONG-TERM INVESTMENT!
That being said, there should be some consolation in understanding that Real Estate markets are relative. Therefore, if prices adjust, correct, improve, or change, (four euphemisms that all mean “reduction”) that’s going to undoubtedly be true for both sides of the equation. In other words, if you buy for less, you should also expect to sell for less, and visa-versa. (Make sense?)
So gather some cotton and feather your nest however you see fit, WHEN it makes sense for you, and WHEN it aligns with your personal goals, (I’m not here to dissuade you), knowing that whenever you decide to make a change, Sarah and I (and our fantastic team), will be here to support you along the way. In the meantime, I’ve clearly got some sweeping to do.
How can we help you?
Julie Gardner & Sarah Abel | Compass Realty
Not just Realtors, but consultants in all things house and home, we’re here to educate, explore, examine and refer . . . In short, you may count on us to take care of your home as if it were our own and anyone who knows us, knows we take pretty darn good care of our homes.
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