In a Wall Street Journal article (front-page) by Laura Kusisto, May 12, 2015 titled “Home Prices Start to Heat Up” we learn that home prices rose year-over-year in 148 out of 174 metro areas in the United States, as measured in the first quarter of 2015. Fifty-one of these metro areas increased by double digits.
There is no doubt that most U.S. markets, including essentially all the markets real estate investors are investing in, are on an upwards trajectory. (If you are not a real estate investor… you may want to take advantage of as many opportunities as you can to learn about this market and determine what might work for you as an investment in your future.) The reasons are many, including low interest rates and loans becoming even easier to obtain over the past year (and this trend continues). Buyers (no doubt) know that the low rates will not be there forever, and feel compelled to jump in. And they are doing just that. A better employment picture also helps.
Needless to say, the phenomenon of price appreciation by itself can create upwards price pressure, as buyers prefer jumping in sooner rather than later, to get a better price. As I have always discussed and predicted, retiring baby boomers are starting to be a major force in some of the sunbelt states as they seek homes for retirement in warmer climates and friendly tax situations.
For the investor, new and seasoned, what is happening now is not strong enough not to invest. Learning how to take advantage of all of this is optimal at this time. It is a reminder that buying with a fixed-rate 30-year loan that never changes with inflation – and I cannot emphasize that enough – is one of the best financial moves one can make for their financial future! The tenant and inflation will bring the loan balance down as the years go by. Home prices AND rent are NOT fixed, only the mortgage payments are (the loan balance is also fixed and in fact is paid a bit off each month, even nominally due to the amortization).
I will discuss this in greater detail as well as many other factors critical to our real estate investing strategies, during our ICG quarterly 1-Day Expo near SFO airport on Saturday May 30, 2015. We will have market teams from the best markets in the U.S. at the Expo with vendors present for one-on-one discussions. Lenders will tell us about the new loans we can get, including new loans for foreign investors and U.S. investors with over 10 homes. We will also have experts on insurance, credit optimization and repair, and overall financial planning. For more detail on these experts, visit us at ICG Real Estate Investments and click on the button about our upcoming event. To register you may email us at info@wordpress-477489-3816299.cloudwaysapps.com, and mention where you saw this blog, to attend for free with two guests. If you would rather register through Eventbrite, feel free (although ticket price applies).
See you soon; I look forward to learning from our experts right along with you.