7 Housing Considerations When Retiring In Westlake Village
As more and more Westlake Village home owners enter retirement age, the question of whether or not to sell their homes and downsize is becoming a hot topic. In the current Conejo Valley housing market, with low available inventory in the starter and trade-up home categories, it makes sense to evaluate your home’s ability to…
Demand For Homes To Buy Continues To Climb in Westlake Village
Across the Conejo Valley from Westlake Village to Thousand Oaks, there is a severe mismatch between the low number of houses for sale and the high demand for those houses! Homebuyers are out in force and are being met with a highly competitive summer real estate market. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the inventory of…
The Surprising Reason Home Sales are Down 3%
Since the beginning of the year, mortgage interest rates have risen over a half of a percentage point (from 3.95% to 4.52%), according to Freddie Mac. Even a small rise in interest rates can greatly impact a buyer’s monthly mortgage payment. First American recently released the results of their quarterly Real Estate Sentiment Index (RESI), in which they surveyed title and real…
Are Home Prices In Westlake Village Overinflated?
Recently the National Association of Realtors (NAR) released their most recent Existing Home Sales Report. According to the report: “The median existing-home price for all housing types in January was $240,500, up 5.8 percent from January 2017 ($227,300). January’s price increase marks the 71st straight month of year-over-year gains.” Seventy-one consecutive months of price increases may have some concerned…
Short Housing Inventory Pushes Home Prices Up in Westlake Village
The housing crisis is finally in the rear-view mirror as the Westlake Village real estate market moves down the road to a complete recovery. Conejo Valley home values are up, home sales are up, and distressed sales (foreclosures and short sales) have fallen to their lowest points in years. The market will continue to strengthen…
4 Best Home Improvements for Resale Value in Westlake Village [Infographic]
Whether you are selling your Westlake Village home, or just purchased a new home and are planning to stay put for a while, there is value in knowing which home improvement projects will net you the most Return On Investment (ROI). In the Conejo Valley real estate market, bathroom renovations can go a long way toward improving…
5 Reasons To Sell Your House This Summer!
Here are five reasons listing your home for sale this summer makes sense. 1. Demand Is Strong The latest Buyer Traffic Report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows that buyer demand remains very strong throughout the vast majority of the country. These buyers are ready, willing and able to purchase…and are in the market right now! More…
Selling Your House on Your Own Could Cost You
In this extremely hot real estate market, some homeowners might consider selling their homes on their own which is known as a For Sale by Owner (FSBO). They rationalize that they don’t need a real estate agent and believe that they can save the fee for the services a real estate agent offers. However, a study by Collateral Analytics reveals that FSBOs…
5 Ways Tax Reform Has Impacted The 2018 Housing Market
Starting late last year, some predicted that the 2018 tax changes would cripple the housing market. Headlines warned of the potential for double-digit price depreciation and suggested that buyer demand could drop like a rock. There was even sentiment that homeownership could lose its coveted status as a major component of the American Dream. Now…
Americans Choose Real Estate as Best Long Term Investment
Every year, Gallup surveys Americans to determine their choice for the best long-term investment. Respondents are given a choice between real estate, stocks/mutual funds, gold, savings accounts/CDs, or bonds. For the fifth year in a row, real estate has come out on top as the best long-term investment! This year’s results showed that 34% of Americans chose real…
How Much Has Your Home Increased in Value This Year?
Home values have risen dramatically over the last twelve months. In CoreLogic’s most recent Home Price Index Report, they revealed that national home prices have increased by 6.7% year-over-year. CoreLogic broke down appreciation even further into four price ranges, giving us a more detailed view than if we had simply looked at the year-over-year increases in national median home price. The…
Time To Think About Downsizing Your House
Are you an empty-nester? Do you want to retire where you are, or does a vacation destination sound more your style? Are you close to retirement and not ready to move yet, but living in a home that is too big in size and maintenance needs? How can you line up your current needs with…