Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Summer Stats!

Our upgrade to the “LA Area Real Estate” iPhone application should be available in the iTunes App Store any day now. The app is free and we welcome your feedback. This new version includes links to our Facebook and Twitter accounts. We look forward to trading posts and tweets! We will also make an announcement here on our blog when it is available. If you are an iPhone or iPod Touch user and have not downloaded the application, check it out here: http://www.teamgreenrealty.com/iphone_app.htm. On to business…


The First-Time Home Buyer’s Tax Credit specifies that you need to close on a property by December 1st to qualify for the $8,000 credit. If you are planning on taking advantage of this great tax break, you better get moving. The average escrow is 64 days in today’s market. This means that you need to not only find a place, but get it into escrow by October 1st to comfortably make the requirement.

Let’s talk stats:

July and August are traditionally two of our busier months and this year was no exception. Competition is still fierce for buyers, so if you are contemplating a purchase, be prepared to listen to your agent and trust their expertise. Unfortunately we have seen a trail of broken hearts this year as buyers, especially first-timers, enter the market with their own perceptions based on doom and gloom media coverage. They think that they can purchase a mansion for pennies on the dollar. Many of them do not listen to their agent’s advice about our competitive market and end up falling in love and ultimately losing several properties before they “get it.” Houses listed in our area under approximately $800,000 are moving very quickly. There are still plenty of “all cash” and “half cash” buyers in almost every corner of our local market and they have been driving up prices through bidding wars and strong offers for several months now and there is no end in sight. This is a fantastic time to buy as long as you have a great agent who can guide you through the deal and help you strategize. There are plenty of really great deals out there so let your agent and your research guide you.

For our sellers you can expect reasonably fast sales as long as your agent does their homework and helps you price your home competitively. There is plenty of competition so pricing is everything. You should expect a fair amount of activity and you will need an experienced agent to help you determine which offer is the strongest. Remember that the strongest offer is not always the one with the highest price. There are many other factors at play as well. Find a great agent and trust their advice. If you don’t already have one, give us a call. We’ll be happy to serve you.

Overall houses in the Los Angeles area sold faster in August than any other month this year except for June. Our average days on market (how long it took to sell) was 64! That’s a great number. In the Northeast San Fernando Valley the average DOM was only 50 days…wow! That’s some of the best news we’ve had all year.

On the flip side of that, our numbers for August show a general slowing after steady improvement all year. The decrease in overall prices in our area, combined with the increasing accessibility of credit has kept the market very active all year. It is difficult to say exactly how much of the increase in sales during the summer months was just seasonal activity or if we can expect a steady volume of sales into next year. Hopefully the soon-to-expire first time buyer tax credit will keep the summer momentum up.

Totals-Greater Los Angeles Area

Individual Locales

As you can see, this is a great time to buy or sell real estate. Let us know if we can be of service to you.

If you are considering selling, visit our free offers page by clicking here to get a free evaluation of your home. Buying or selling, if you are ready to make a move call us at 818.LVTMGRN (818.588.6476) or click here to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you.

Still not sold on us? See what our clients are saying about us by clicking here.

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Wednesday, March 11, 2009

February Market Statistics

March madness is upon us and so is spring. It is time for spring-cleaning and revitalization of many areas of our lives. The economy is still a bit sluggish, but there are a few positive signs around, despite what the media has to say. Sometimes I think that if it were left to them, things would never get better. Regardless of what happens, we are thankful to be in a position to help our friends and clients with their real estate needs. We have good news with this month’s statistics that might cheer you up, so without further adieu…on to business…

February came and went quickly and we have some compelling new statistics to show for it. Overall, the greater Los Angeles area did pretty well. More new houses came on the market in February than in January and more sold! One number that I was very happy to see decrease was the number of expired listings, as well as the monthly supply. These are fabulous signs that prove things are improving in our area. I am also proud to say that the average days on market (the time it takes to sell a house) decreased by over a week.


Totals-Greater Los Angeles Area



Individual Locales




As you can see, REOs (Bank Owned Properties) and Short Sales are still accounting for more than half of all sales. This is a great time to buy real estate and if you have a need to sell, it takes a great agent to get the job done because it requires more work than in previous years. Our team is up for the challenge, so let us know if we can assist you.

For our Sellers: Determining the value of a home continues to be an art form that takes a true professional to master. Many factors affect your home’s value, including your motivation. REOs and Short Sales in your immediate area can affect your market value. For those of you considering selling, visit our free offers page by clicking here to get a free evaluation of your home.

For our Buyers: Now is an outstanding time to purchase real estate. Interest rates are still incredibly low and prices are fantastic. Make sure to pre-qualify for a loan BEFORE house shopping. This will save you headache and heartache. We are happy to help you with this process.

Buying or selling, if you are ready to make a move, call us at 818.568.8402, or click here to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you.

Still not sold on us? See what our clients are saying about us by clicking here.

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