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Interest Rates
Q1 2021 is HOT despite record freezing temps!
By admin_leng | Published February 26, 2021
The ending of the first quarter of 2021 marks the one year mark for the global coronavirus pandemic. Who could have predicted we would also be in the one of the robust housing markets any of us have ever experienced? What brought about this market, we ask ourselves? Was it the extremely low interest rates? Could it be the stimulus money that was introduced into our economy? Is the work from home requirements that our workforce was forced to accommodate? We may never fully understand all the factors that got us to where we are today but everyone can agree; this is uncharted territory for the housing market, both in new construction and resale. When looking at 19 different communities […]
Q3 2019: Des Moines Metro Housing Snapshot
By Kalen | Published October 25, 2019
Like it or not, autumn has arrived and old man winter is fast approaching in Central Iowa. Speaking of crazy Iowa weather, it has actually played a very interesting role in this year’s real estate sales and market activity. Excessive rainfall in recent months helped turn some building sites into impromptu slip-and-slides, causing delays in construction and contributing to a lower-than-expected number of housing starts. Developers, too, haven’t been able to get in all the plats they had hoped and many are playing catch up following a super wet summer and spring. Currently, interest rates, talk of future recession, and a dip in home sales from prior years are each at the forefront of everyone’s mind. In reality, weather conditions […]
Q2 2019: Des Moines Metro Housing Snapshot
By Kalen | Published July 15, 2019
There’s some welcome news in today’s market for buyers and sellers ready to make the most of the summertime house hunting and homebuilding season. MORTGAGE RATES dropped since April, and are currently at the lowest levels we have seen for over 18 months. So the market is seeing some traction as more buyers are showing an interest in making offers, due to the improved affordability! As of July 1, the total number of active single-family homes on the Des Moines Metro Market, including re-sales and new construction homes, had increased 5.9 percent to 2,370, compared with a year earlier. When you single out the active inventory of new construction single-family homes, we actually saw a decrease from 853 a year […]
Q1 2019: Des Moines Metro Housing Snapshot
By Kalen | Published March 01, 2019
The number of single-family homes listed in the Des Moines Metro inched slightly upward in 2018, as sales growth slowed and the affordability of new construction contributed significantly to our present market conditions. There are currently 2,132 active single-family homes on the Des Moines market, translating into a 2.8-month supply and an approximate increase of 8.7 percent from a year ago. Given that a six-months supply reflects stability, we have continued to view the Des Moines Metro through the lens of a seller’s market, especially in price points below where builders are able to provide inventory. What we are seeing today is the tale of two markets, including a resolute “resale” market with the majority of listings under the $300,000 […]
Q4 2018: Des Moines Metro Housing Snapshot
By Kalen | Published January 16, 2019
The start of a new year is always a great time for developers, builders and real estate professionals to reflect on the past and start mapping out the future. Two-thousand-and-nineteen is going to be a year of change as national homebuilders enter the Des Moines Metro and with affordability and rising interest rates being a concern. Personally, I get excited when I think about the validation of a strong market, one that is strong enough to attract the attention and confidence of national builders. At the same time, now is the time to be more intentional than ever with collecting and analyzing data on what is selling – to help determine where and at which price points to build. When […]
Q2 2016: Des Moines Metro Housing Snapshot
By Kalen | Published July 27, 2016
Home sales in the Des Moines Metro are on track to break records this year as local REALTORS belonging to DMAAR have reported a total of 4,524 single-family homes sold as of July 1, 2016. Of those, 719 or 16 percent, are new-construction homes. Inventories of RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE are at an all time low, both locally and nationally. Today, the Des Moines-area has 2,150 single-family homes on the market–A 2.8 MONTHS SUPPLY–compared to 2,418 at the end of June last year. The inventory of new construction, includes 644 single-family homes on the market, which is up by 44 homes over a year-over-year basis. One may think that with the low inventory that buyers have to choose from, this would […]
The Importance of Interest Rates for Home Buyers and Sellers
By Kalen | Published October 27, 2014
Interest rates are always an important topic to my buyers and sellers. Today is an amazing time to lock into an interest rate, as rates are again at historically low levels. In 2014, we have seen rates slightly rise to around 4.25 percent, and then recently keep dropping again to very low levels. A 30-year fixed rate starts at 3.75 percent, and a 15-year rate starts at 2.875 percent. Talking to a local lender, Bryan Rowland at State Savings Bank, he mentioned that the recent fear of a weakening global economy as well as the Ebola and ISIS scares has more people moving more money into U.S. Treasury market. Increasing demand for U.S. Treasuries decreases mortgage interest rates. Most would not […]
