Apartment bargains once dominated the housing market, but those bargains have slowly faded away. As vacancies decrease and rents rise, renters are finding fewer deals.
Analysts expect vacancies to decrease even more and rents to continue to rise through 2013, as the economy continues to improve.
Rental activity recorded its best start for the year since 1999, according to Reis Inc. Vacancy rates have fallen to mid-2008 levels and rents have increased for the past five quarters, now averaging $991 per month nationwide.
Renters are finding the fewest deals along the coasts, such as New York, Washington, D.C., Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and San Jose, Calif. These cities are experiencing low vacancy rates. Also, a boost in these cities’ economies is sending rents higher. New York City alone has seen double rent increases compared to the national average and has the lowest vacancy rate in the nation.
The best rental deals can be found in Las Vegas, Tucson, Ariz., Phoenix, and several cities in Florida--all cities where unemployment and foreclosures remain high. According to Reis, Las Vegas was the only city to see rents fall last year.
However, analysts say that bargains across the country are getting fewer, and renters should expect to see an increase in rents over the next three years.
View the Top 6 Cities Where Buying Is Better Than Renting.
Source: “Rental Market Swings Back in Favor of Landlords,” MSNBC.com (April 12, 2011)
Foreclosures continue to flood real estate markets across the country, and buyers are looking to cash in on what they view as some of the best real estate deals. But experts say that while some foreclosures are a great purchase, buyers need to be cautious before jumping in to make sure they really are getting a bargain.
Dan Steward, president of Pillar to Post Professional Home Inspections, advises buyers considering a foreclosure to avoid the following:
1. Don’t judge a house by looks alone. A $2 million mansion may look fabulous but have mold hiding beneath the walls or need numerous, costly repairs. A fixer upper, on the other hand, may look rundown but have excellent bones and can be repaired at a reasonable cost. A home inspection prior to purchasing a property can help buyers determine if they might be getting in over their head, Steward says. He cautions buyers to not just rely on previous inspections, however, since vacant homes can deteriorate rapidly.
2. Don’t focus on price alone. Buyers may focus on the ultra-low price so much that they forget to factor in other qualities, such as the home's school district, view, location, and crime rate. Steward cautions buyers to not assume that financial problems of the previous owner are the main reason for every foreclosure.
3. Don’t be tempted to “flip.” Purchasing a home at bargain price, updating it, and then trying to sell it for a lot more may seem tempting, but Steward warns buyers to be cautious. Unless the buyers are pros at house flipping, they’ll likely run into several novice mistakes in trying to make fast money on flipping a foreclosure. Steward recommends buyers consult a real estate professional, home inspector, and contractors before considering a flip.
4. Don’t go over budget. Foreclosures often require some fixes so buyers need to make sure they have the money to afford needed repairs. Steward recommends that buyers have at least half of the money in cash for needed repairs. He says that buyers will want to avoid taking more loans than needed, particularly private loans, because the interest on them will slowly chip away at their initial foreclosure bargain.
Source: “What to Watch Out for When Buying a Foreclosure: Help Your Clients Know Which to Buy ... and Which to Walk By,” RISMedia (April 7, 2011)
The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage continued to rise slightly for the third straight week, but still remains low by historical standards, reports Freddie Mac in its weekly mortgage market survey. The 30-year rate averaged 4.87 percent this week, but continues to be well-below its average of 5.21 percent a year ago.
The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage this week averaged 4.1 percent, up slightly from last week’s 4.09 percent.
The 5-year adjustable-rate mortgage also is inching up slightly, averaging 3.72 percent this week from 3.7 percent last week.
Overall, "mortgage rates were little changed after an encouraging employment report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics,” says Frank Nothaft, the chief economist at Freddie Mac. The improved job picture could soon provide a boost to housing. The unemployment rate fell for the fifth consecutive month in March to 8.8 percent--the lowest rate in two years, Nothaft notes.
But despite the improving job picture and low interest rates, the tightening of credit standards continue to keep some buyers out. KB Home this week reported a 32 percent drop in new home orders for the December through February quarter. Lennar Corp. said that its new homes also have fallen 12 percent in that same time period.
Source: “Mortgage Rates Change Little Amid Positive Employment Report,” Freddie Mac (April 7, 2011) and “Rate on 30-Year Mortgage Still Below 5 Percent But Housing Market Remains in Doldrums,” The Associated Press (April 7, 2011)
Living downtown is becoming increasingly appealing to college-educated 20- and 30-somethings.
In two-thirds of the country's 51 largest cities, the college-educated population in the past decade has grown twice as fast within 3 miles of urban centers when compared to the rest of the metro area, the USA Today reports. That is a jump of 26 percent, on average, compared with 13 percent in other parts.
Young adults with higher education, in particular, seem to be showing a preference for urban living. Young adults with a four-year degree are about 94 percent more likely to live near urban neighborhoods than less-educated young professionals. (In 2000, that number was about 61 percent.)
Even floundering downtowns are attracting more young people. For example, Detroit, which has faced a 25 percent drop in its population since 2000, has added 59 percent (or 2,000) young and educated residents during that time, according to Impresa Inc., an economic consulting firm.
Looking to keep the young vibe going strong, Detroit even has recently launched a campaign — ”15 by 15” — to bring 15,000 young, educated professionals to live in the downtown by 2015. To do that, they are offering cash incentives: A $25,000 forgivable loan to buy a home in downtown and stay there for at least five years or $3,500 on a two-year lease.
In Cleveland — another hard-hit metro area that has lost 17 percent of its population — young professionals are also re-emerging. Cleveland has increased its number of college-educated professionals between ages 25 to 34 who live downtown by 49 percent (or 1,300).
"Clearly, the next generation of Americans is looking for different kinds of lifestyles — walkable, art, culture, entertainment," Carol Coletta, who heads CEOs for Cities, told USA Today.
Source: “Young and Educated Show Preference for Urban Living; Even Shrinking Cities See More Moving Downtown,” USA Today (April 1, 2011)
