I have been away for awhile. Time to get back into the blogging groove, as it were. I sincerely haven't had adequate time for posting lately.
With the impending expiration of the tax credit, I have a couple of buyers who have been trying to find the right place. Granted, they would have bought a home anyway, and if we hadn't found the right place, we would still be looking in May, but I'm happy to report that we did in fact find the right homes for them as of today. :)
This may be my most extended absence from writing since I first started here in August 2007, but at least I have a good reason for it, right? My marketing consulting business continues to thrive, so I have been working some pretty long hours lately. I strongly prefer this to not having enough to keep me truly busy.
Everyone I meet lately seems to be asking the same question: what will happen on May 1st? Will all of the home buyers turn into pumpkins? Will the market dry up?
My most sincere answer: I don't know. I've been in real estate for over 13 years, and we've never had a tax credit to deal with before now.
Overall, I have been amazed at how active the market is lately, with homes selling fast and with multiple offers. I would love to see this continue, but only time will tell.
I wasn't planning to make this a long post, so I won't. Thanks for reading!
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Hi Jason,
Congrats on finding your buyer the right home!
I have a couple deals going right now myself... I also don't know what will happen after May 1st!
I get that question too!
Not sure but we will all be watching things closely!!!
Thanks,
Tom Davis
I thought there were some corny posts missing, now I know why.
Welcome back.
Welcome back! I don't know that anyone truly knows what the result of the tax credit expiration will be. Whatever it is, we just have to keep selling homes to our clients. That's our job.
Who knew you were gone? LOL, Jason, we all knew, but figured that you were busy with the results of blogging, which is becoming more of a reality for me as well...goodness...I don't know where I'm going to find the time myself...
How long were you away? I don't think I've been on AR for six months before tonight! I don't remember having more than one day off so far this year. I'm not complaining, mind you.
Hi Jason...Our market is mostly second homes and retirement homes so we have not really felt the effects of the tax credit. However, we have seen an uptick in interest this year. Hopefully it will continue.
Congratulations on helping your buyers find the right places for them. I knew that you were busy with other things (I saw your name here and there).
It's good to have you back. You are one of the building blocks here.
Kate
Lynn - Eight days. I think it's my longest drought without a post here on AR, although I did find time to post once on my other blog (http://jbcmedia.com).
Kate - Thanks very much. I appreciate the compliment. :)
Jason, I wish I could say I simply have not posted in eight days! Ha! Maybe more like eight weeks! I have remained busy and with busy comes success. I'm with kate above you. My market is second homes so I have not yet once dealt with a tax credit. I'm betting that it's fun though. Finding the right "first home" for people must be very satisfying! Glad you're back! Glad I'm here to notice! lol.
It's a common question that I've heard many times too. Good to see that you are back.
Jason:
I know you have been busy, and a lot of that is because of the foundation you laid here in the Rain. Your hard work continues to pay off. Congrats!
JASON - GOOD TO SEE YOU BACK! I THOUGHT YOU MAY HAVE WON THE POWERBALL LOTTERY!!!
Jason - Only 8 days? Don't be too hard on yourself. Glad you were busy and had a reason. ~ Doug
I really don't think the expiration of the credit is going to have a significant effect on the market. Any buyer who decides to stop looking on May 1 probably wasn't very strong to begin with, or just doesnt' understand all of the benefits of home ownership ... but that is a very small subset of the buyer pool.
There is always going to be some creativity and programs out there, just maybe not quite as lucrative. I think at first it may slow the buying market up somewhat, but it will return with a vengeance as long as the government keeps a watchful eye on things. That is why our RPAC dollars are so important.
Busy is always good. Glad to see you back, my friend. :-)
Jason-I know how you feel. I've been slacking over the last few weeks. Sometimes things hit you in your life that change priorities. Of course meanwhile business is booming and I"m almost afraid to blog in case the phone rings again :-)
Jason There is no question the market is coming alive - just hope it isn't a false start
Jason,
Oh that is the question of the day for some time now. I have been trying to diversify my business so that no matter which way it goes I can move with it.
You have been missed Jason. Your absence is excused.
Have a great Wednesday Jason,
Paul
Glad to see you back ;-D and I completely agree with you on the subject of staying busy!
Your absence from the Rain is fully understandable!
Congrats on finding a home just in time for your buyers to take advantage of the tax credit.
Welcome back my friend to the show that never ends.......
Good to hear you will be back in the saddle. I thought maybe you were on vacation again.
Jason it is difficult to multi-task but tit should also be weighed against what may or not be happening come May 1st when a size-able incentive is taken away and it's quite reasonable to presume that it will not be extended. The current extension was announced well before the end of November deadline so nothing has been heard from as yet.
We saw a big jump in sales from Feb. to Mar. I'm also not sure what's going to happen after the tax credit expires. My hope is that we'll continue to see sales go up even though the credits have expired.
Jason, first of all welcome back I am looking forward to learning from your posts. Secondly, I completely agree with you, I have heard so many agents boasting that the market is going to do this or that, I can't for the life of me figure out why they would make a statement like that. Even in the best conditions predicting the real estate market is no easier to predict than the stock market. Add in the current economic conditions and who knows what will happen even May 1, 2, or 3? Thanks for a great post.
Jason good to have you back. I thought maybe you had ditched us for Facebook like all the other old timers. I wish you much success with your consulting biz.
Glad your staying busy Jason and found your buyers a property in time for the credit.
Personally I think the market will do fine after the credit is gone as I have had many folks tell me they would buy irregardless of the credit.
Jason, welcome back and I think it will just be business as usual next week.
Hi Jason,
Glad to see you are back!!!!
I'm back too....and ready to get this party started !!!!!
Thanks
Jason glad to see you back blogging. I'm very fortunate that I have been very busy both with first time buyer home inspections and folks doing an upgrade.
Jason - Its always good to have a familiar face back. I too took a little break and am happy to be back . I dont spend quite as much time as I use to, but even a little time is better than no time.
Hi Jason, glad you are back. Sometimes it's hard to keep up with everything and you seem more adept than most of us. I've been gone for a while too and saw my numbers slipping so I'm back too.
Glad to see that even uber-blogger have to do real work every once and awhile, ha ha ha. Looking forward to tracking the market along with you.
Glad to see you back blogging...it is hard sometimes to make time for family, work, blogging and oh yeah, housework. i'm bloggin surrounded by unfolded laundry. Good thing you can't see.
Lisa - In our house, we call it Mount St. Laundry sometimes. With four kids, it can get brutal. :)