Altho ugh the Washington-area housing market is not as active as it was in the spring, sellers in most jurisdictions found August was still a good month for them. Sellers in some counties, however, have watched buyers regain the advantage.
Temple Hills resident Antoine Nixon dreamed of owning a home in Bowie, maybe even one of the properties in "Levitt Bowie," built by William Levitt and his company, Levitt & Sons, in the early 1960s. But a real estate agent's comment at an open house last year gave Mr. Nixon pause. He said, 'You know, you have to be careful with those Levitt houses because they have asbestos in them,' " Mr. Nixon says. He says he heard that some of the exterior tiles and interior ductwork might contain asbestos.
Many area real estate agents and anxious home buyers say it's often difficult for average families to buy property because investors are snatching up houses with cash instead of a mortgage. A new bill by Rep. Joe Baca, D-San Bernardino, would try to give regular home buyers a leg up. The bill would prevent investors - anyone who doesn't plan to live in a home - from bidding on certain newly listed properties for 15 days.
Twenty-four months ago, the Washington area's booming real estate market began to slow down. That's when sellers began to flood the market with properties for sale and buyers' interest began to taper off. Those two factors caused home prices to dip throughout the region.
Drive around a town like Wayne or Midland Park on a Sunday afternoon, and one thing quickly becomes clear: When it comes to residential home sales, it's a buyer's market. You can tell by the large number of "For Sale" and "Open House" signs that sprout every weekend. And though the volume of home sales nationally and in the region remains at the lowest levels in many years, there are deals to be found for savvy buyers with cash on hand or good credit.
Say "negotiate" to many first-time home buyers and the only thing they think of is the price tag. Everyone gets hung up on the price, but the terms of the deal can be at least as important," said Elizabeth Razzi, author of the book "Razzi's Rules for Staying in Control of the Deal.
In today's super-competitive real estate market, any little edge to help potential buyers envision themselves in the house you're trying to sell can make a difference. That's why Milwaukee-area Realtor Beth Jaworski winced recently when she showed a client a house that the owner apparently hadn't considered "depersonalizing" when he put it up for sale.
ver las páginas en versión mobile | web
ver las páginas en versión mobile | web
© Copyright 2012, vLex. All Rights Reserved.
Contents in vLex United States
Explore vLex
For Professionals
For Partners
Company
Other interesting searches:
Bennett Kaye | Accusation | Additur | teachers retirement system of georgia lawsuit | ING Industrial Fund | concepto pena | Chauchigny | penal | Ordenanzas administrativas | estado federal caracteristicas
