SE Texas Real Estate Talk

Don't Wait Till Spring to Sell Your Home in Beaumont.

December 15, 2020

Home buyers are searching for homes in Southeast Texas. One home in Dowlen West that I listed three weeks ago has had 13 showings and we are expecting an offer. There is no reason to wait until the typical spring selling season. Interest rates remain historically low and home buyers are looking to buy now instead of waiting.

Look at this article-

The Holidays Aren’t Stopping Homebuyers This Year

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are behind us, yet finding the perfect holiday gifts for friends and family is certainly still top of mind for many right now. This year, there’s another type of buyer that’s very active this holiday season – the homebuyer.

Each month, ShowingTime releases their Showing Index which tracks the average number of appointments received on active U.S. house listings. The most recent index notes:

“The Showing Index reported a 60.9 percent jump in nationwide showing traffic year over year in October, the sixth consecutive month to see an increase over last year.”

Here’s the breakdown of the latest activity by region of the country compared to this time last year:

The Northeast increased by 65.5%
The West increased by 64.7%
The Midwest increased by 55.7%
The South increased by 54.7%

Why is the traffic so active?

The health crisis definitely put homebuying plans on pause for many earlier this year. Buyers, however, are in the market and making moves well past the typical busy homebuying seasons of spring and summer.

One of the main reasons buyer traffic has continued to soar in the second half of 2020 is how dramatically mortgage rates have fallen. According to Freddie Mac, the average mortgage rate last December was 3.72%. Today, the rate is a full percentage point lower.

Bottom Line

There are first-time, move-up, and move-down buyers actively looking for the home of their dreams this winter. If you’re thinking of selling your house in 2021, you don’t need to wait until the spring to do it. Your potential buyer is very likely searching for a home in your neighborhood right now.

Last Thoughts

Whether you plan to sell your home in Beaumont, Lumberton or Orange this year or in 2021, let's chat. There are things you can do now before you list your home for sale to maximize your sales price. If you are looking for a Winter Home Selling Guide the new electronic copies have arrived. Just reach out to me and I'll send you one.

Sincerely,

Diane

Posted at 02:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Getting Your Southeast Texas Home Ready to Sell

December 14, 2020

Welcome to my video series "Ready, Set, Sell". Follow along with these quick video episodes, featuring advice from one of Coldwell Bankers top listing agents in Southeast Texas. These videos will help you get your home ready to hit the market and sell for top dollar. Today's episode focuses on things you can do in the kitchen.

If you are thinking about selling your Beaumont, Lumberton or Orange home let's chat. With over fifteen years experience helping home buyers and sellers I've seen successes and failures when homes are listed for sale. There are some things you can do before you list your home to help maximize the value of your home.

Sincerely,

Diane

Diane McNelis, Coldwell Banker Southern Homes

Posted at 10:44 AM in Videos | Permalink | Comments (0)

Things to Consider When Selling a Home in Southeast Texas

December 11, 2020

The Southeast Texas real estate market is unique. There are certain things to know before you buy or sell a home in Beaumont, Lumberton or Orange.

The Southeast Texas home buyer and seller guides are a professional guide offered at no cost to you. It is good information to have when you are in the beginning stage of selling or buying a home. This guide can be emailed or a printed copy can be mailed.

Experts forecast a hot real estate market this winter. Let's connect to make sure you have the most current information with the new digital buyer and seller guides

If you would like a copy, let me know and I'll make sure you get one.

Sincerely,

Diane

Posted at 11:42 AM in Buying and Selling Tips | Permalink | Comments (0)

Selling a Home During the Holidays in Southeast Texas

December 03, 2020

Most homeowners in Southeast Texas don't list their homes in December. Who wants to be showing their home while they are decorating for the holidays and likely have family coming to visit?

But there are some good reasons to list your home for sale in Southeast Texas, Beaumont, Lumberton or Orange during the holidays. Watch the video for five reasons.

If you want to wait until after the holidays to list your home that's okay too. Let's chat when you are ready.

Sincerely,

Diane

Posted at 02:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Finding a Buyer's Agent Southeast Texas

December 01, 2020

Before you start your homebuying process in Beaumont, Lumberton, or Orange there are a few keys terms you should know.

Key Terms to Know in the Homebuying Process [INFOGRAPHIC]

Key Terms to Know in the Homebuying Process [INFOGRAPHIC] | MyKCM

Some Highlights

Buying a home can be intimidating if you’re not familiar with the terms used throughout the process.
To point you in the right direction, here’s a list of some of the most common language you’ll hear along the way.
The best way to ensure your homebuying process is a positive one is to find a real estate professional who will guide you through every aspect of the transaction with ‘the heart of a teacher’ by putting your needs first.

Buyer's Representation Agreement

This document creates the agreement between you and the agent you select to help y0u with your homebuying process.

The Broker will used their best efforts to assist you in acquiring a property
assist you in negotiating the acquisition of the property
and keep all discussions confidential

If you are ready to get started on your homebuying process in Lumberton, Beaumont or any part of Southeast Texas, let's chat.

Sincerely,

Diane

Diane McNelis, Coldwell Banker Southern Homes

Posted at 10:25 AM in Buying and Selling Tips | Permalink | Comments (0)

7050 Limerick Video Tour

November 24, 2020

When I list a property for sale, one of the marketing techniques I use is video. Not just one video but one quick tour video and one full feature video to show off the property. The quick video is used to market a property on social media. The long tour can be used in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). It can also be emailed or text to any interested buyers.

Here's an example of a quick tour of this new listing in Dowlen West.

Let me know what you think. If you are thinking about selling a home in Dowlen West, let's connect. I'd love to share the other unique marketing strategies I use to help reach the most buyers and bring in the best offers.

Sincerely,

Diane

Diane McNelis, Coldwell Banker Southern Homes

Posted at 02:56 PM in Videos | Permalink | Comments (0)

Westchase Village Home Sales Report

November 23, 2020

If you live in Southeast Texas, especially Beaumont, then you have probably heard of Westchase Village. It is a neighborhood in the West end of Beaumont off Major Drive. These custom homes generally start in the high 200's and go up to the $600's. It is a very popular neighborhood for people relocating into Beaumont with the Oil and Gas Industry.

As a local Realtor who specializes in Corporate Relocation, Westchase Village is a neighborhood I keep a close eye on. This is a monthly market update postcard that I send to homeowners in Westchase each month.

A few of the keys housing statistics to pay attention to are the number of days homes are on the market and the average list price to sales price ratio. These two key numbers give you a lot of information about the strength of homes sale in a neighborhood.

If you are thinking about selling or buying a home in Beaumont, Westchase or any neighborhood in Southeast Texas, let's chat. Working with a top local professional Realtor can help make sure you make the smartest real estate decisions. I'm here to help.

Sincerely,

Diane

Diane McNelis, Coldwell Banker Southern Homes

Posted at 11:08 AM in Westchase Village | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just Listed 7815 N Windemere, Beaumont

November 12, 2020

Offered at $243,900 in immaculate condition this new listing won't last long. Take a look.

Call me to see it in person.

Sincerely,

Diane

Posted at 10:52 AM in Featured Listings | Permalink | Comments (0)

Southeast Texas Home Price Appreciation

November 11, 2020

How is the Real Estate Market in Beaumont

I'm asked this question a lot. My answer changes based on the market but right now home prices are appreciating in Beaumont and Lumberton in all price ranges except the luxury market. There is an inventory shortage of homes under $300,000.

Low Inventory Equals Price Appreciation

This video shows some economic projections on how much the housing market will appreciate into 2021.

If you have any questions about the Southeast Texas real estate market, let's chat. I'm happy to share my knowledge and opinions about which neighborhoods in Beaumont and Lumberton all likely to see the biggest increases in home value.

Sincerely,

Diane

Posted at 01:29 PM in Videos | Permalink | Comments (0)

Home Appreciation in Beaumont and Lumberton

November 10, 2020

Homes are going up in value in Southeast Texas. This Infographic from the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M shows the yearly appreciation in Beaumont. Link Here

Homeownership Is a Key to Building Wealth

For years, real estate has been considered the best investment you can make. A major reason for this is due to the net worth a household gains through homeownership. In fact, according to the 2019 Survey of Consumer Finance Data from the Federal Reserve, for the average homeowner:

“…a primary home accounts for 90% of the total wealth of a family in the U.S.”

How do homeowners gain wealth?

Most large purchases, like cars and appliances, depreciate in value as they age, so it’s understandable to question how owning a home can increase wealth over time. In a simple equation, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) explains how the combination of paying your mortgage and home price appreciation grow overall wealth:

Principal Payments + Price Appreciation Gains = Housing Wealth Gain

As home values increase and you make payments toward your home loan, you’ll gain wealth through equity. The same article from NAR also addresses how wealth gains tend to play out over time:

“Housing wealth accumulation takes time and is built up by paying off the mortgage debt and by price appreciation. And while home prices can fall, home prices tend to recover and go up over the longer term. As of September 2020, the median sales price of existing home sales was $311,800, a 35% gain since July 2006 when prices peaked at $230,000.”

Taking a look at how equity has grown for the typical homeowner, it’s clear to see how real estate is a sound long-term investment. NAR notes:

“Nationally, a person who purchased a typical home 30 years ago would have typically gained about $283,000 as of the second quarter of 2020.” (See graph below):

Final Take Away

Not all homes will go up in value at the same yearly pace. Some neighborhoods appreciate much faster than others. That's where a local, experienced Realtor can help you make the best purchase decision based on your needs.

Southeast Texas is forecast to have continued home appreciation for the next twelve months. Interest rates are historically low. If you have been thinking about buying a home in Beaumont or Lumberton, let's discuss the neighborhoods you are interested in. I'll give you my professional opinion on how much I think those Southeast Texas neighborhoods will appreciate next year.

Sincerely,

Diane

Diane McNelis, Coldwell Banker Southern Homes

Posted at 12:43 PM in Buying and Selling Tips | Permalink | Comments (0)