Tag: housingmarket

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Mortgage News Matters

Pros and Cons of Holding an Open House

What is an Open House?

An open house is a scheduled time set for potential buyers to walk through a property that is for sale. Typically hosted by a broker, the owners or renters of the property are absent from the viewing and many potential buyers are welcome to tour the space.

How Does it Work?

Typically scheduled during weekends, brokers welcome potential buyers to leisurely view the property and ask questions, they would otherwise not have the opportunity to do so without a broker present. It is customary for brokers to provide drinks and small plates for those who attend, and many provide collateral that buyers can take with them and refer to with information on the home, such as square footage, number of rooms, and information on the surrounding neighborhood.

The goal of an open house is to secure interest from buyers by providing a rare opportunity to take their time looking at a property closely, before placing an offer.

Advantages of Holding an Open House:

  1. Provides an opportunity to attract potential buyers. When an open house is planned correctly and properly marketed, it can provide a great opportunity to attract potential buyers, and possibly even lead to an offer. Many realtors suggest sellers hold an open house the first weekend that the property goes on the market – to generate the most buzz.

    Open houses can also bring in potential clients who may not have even planned for such an event but happened to be driving by. It’s a great way to appeal to potential buyers in a more casual way and low-pressure scenario.

  2. Provides feedback to realtors from visitors. Another benefit of holding an open house is for the potential for realtors to gain real feedback from visitors – both positive and negative.

    Many realtors find that potential buyers often share their feedback out loud as they walk through the home. This can give realtors crucial insight into buyers’ perceptions and any issues that could keep the owners from making the sale.

  3. Can lead to an immediate offer. If done properly, and by generating enough buzz, an open house can sometimes lead to an immediate offer. When potential buyers are browsing a home with many others also looking to buy, they can get a good sense of their competition. If competition is high, this may encourage them to make an offer much quicker than they ordinarily would otherwise.

    This is beneficial to sellers and buyers alike, as it gives the buyers a realistic idea of how many others like them are also looking to buy in their desired neighborhood.

  4. Allows sellers to cast a wide net. Showing a home to multiple buyers, rather than one at a time only widens the reach of potential buyers for the seller. It is also much more efficient to spend the same amount of time showing a home to a group of people, rather than an individual.

    This, in addition to potential feedback from viewers and an understanding of competition in the market, are huge benefits to holding an open house.

So now that we’ve covered its advantages, what are some of the disadvantages to holding an open house?

Disadvantages of Holding an Open House:

  1. Requires much effort – sometimes more than it’s worth. Planning and executing an open house is not an easy task. In addition to coordinating a time that works best for the owners to be out of the house for an extended period, making accommodations for pets or children, and removing all personal items throughout the home, putting on an open house requires money and time spent on marketing to bring viewers in. And if no offer is made – it can feel like a huge waste.

    That’s why it is important to take the time to properly plan, market, and organize for your open house, if you decide to hold one.

  2. Compared to online listings, an open house requires more time to reach potential buyers. Nowadays, most homes for sale are listed online before they even schedule an open house. And most buyers go online and browse properties from the comfort of their own home.

    Buyers can find almost all the same information online as they would at an open house, like the condition of the home, its details, and even view photos of the property from every angle. This alone, can make open houses seem unnecessary and even antiquated.

  3. Owners are typically required to leave their home for a designated amount of time. Typically, when holding an open house, the homeowners are asked to leave their home and take with them any personalized photos or memorable that can be found throughout the home.

    This can be tedious and difficult to plan for with the daily bustle of normal life. Some would rather avoid having to deal with this added stress and simply list their home online.

  4. Can open the home up to potential theft. Though there are benefits to opening your home for sale to many individuals – with hopes that with increased awareness, comes increased offers – doing so can open you up to potential theft. Open houses can give opportunities for criminals to explore a property and plan a break-in.

    If you are considering hosting an open house, make sure to hide any valuables, or take with you anything that you would not want to get stolen or damaged.
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Mortgage News Matters

What are the Benefits of Working with a Real Estate Professional?

Working with a real estate professional can be extremely helpful – especially for first-time homebuyers with little to no experience. They can help save time, money, and the stress that can come with navigating the unknown of the real estate market.

To help, we’ve listed the 4 MAJOR BENEFITS of working with a Real Estate Professional:

  1. Paperwork. Real estate professionals provide assistance with all the necessary paperwork and disclosures required in today’s heavily regulated environment. Their expertise can help save time by avoiding common errors made by those who are unfamiliar with the laws and regulations.

  2. Experience. Highly educated and with years of real estate experience, a professional knows the ins and out of the entire sales process, saving you both time and unnecessary distress.

  3. Negotiations. Real estate professionals often act as “buffer” in negotiations with all parties throughout the entire transaction. Which can be helpful and even necessary when negotiations become more complex.

  4. Pricing. Lastly, real estate professionals can look to their understanding of today’s market when setting an offer price. Not only do they have the years of experience behind them, but they also have access to online tools and resources that are only available to industry professionals.


To learn more about the benefits of working with a Real Estate Agent and to speak with one of our referral partners, contact a VanDyk Loan Originator today!

Categories
Mortgage News Matters

The Housing Market is Cooling Down – What Does This Mean for Homebuyers?

It’s no secret that the housing market has experienced drastic changes since the start of 2020. After mortgage rates dropped significantly and demand raised substantially, median home prices were at an all-time high by the end of the year.

However, this trend looks like it’s going to be changing – and very soon. Currently, the number of homes for sale is up 30%, since it’s lowest point this past spring.


Some industry experts agree that a combination of regular seasonal market changes and pushback from homebuyers to continue paying such high prices has contributed to the influx of homes on the market. However, another reason could be that sellers are finally ready to sell, as the pandemic seems to have become more manageable.

With this, it is important to note that even more inventory is expected to enter the market as the mortgage forbearance program – or CARES Act – that was passed in late March of 2020, will begin coming to an end on September 30th, 2021. This program, which has allowed millions of homeowners to pause mortgage payments, has been a lifeline for many. And its end means that those who will stop receiving support may have no other option than to sell.

With 1.7 borrowers enrolled in the program, we can be sure that we will see a significant increase in homes for sale – but not all at once, and not right away.

The program is set to end in phases over several months, with the majority of borrowers being dropped at the end of September and the start of October.

This change is expected to be drastic, as Zillow estimates that 25% of the 1.7 million borrowers that are still in forbearance will likely list their home for sale, which accounts for 211,700 homes to enter the market in the next 2 months.

It is important to note that this influx in homes for sale does not mean that we should expect a housing crash, rather it will continue to push the market forward paired with the continuation of low mortgage rates.

This is great news for buyers looking to purchase a home and have been living in a seller’s market for the past 18 months.

More inventory = more opportunity to buy.