Home Appraisals No Longer Derailing Sales

Home appraisals no longer derailing sales.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)
Consider this one more sign that the housing market is heating up: Appraisers are putting higher values on homes again, allowing for more deals to go through. During the housing bust, sales were often derailed by low-ball appraisals that fell far shy of a home’s selling price. For example, if a home cost $500,000 and required a 20% down payment of $100,000, the buyer would need to finance $400,000. But if the appraiser valued the home at $450,000, the buyer would only be eligible for a $360,000 loan — making the home too costly for some buyers.

But now, as home prices climb and housing inventories shrink, appraisers are valuing homes at or above their selling prices, according to Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors. Between 2008 and 2010, appraisals for more than a third of Seattle-based real estate agent Michael Ackerman’s sales came in below the selling price. So he had to get creative.
“I started pulling out the key boxes at the homes so the appraisers couldn’t get in,” said Ackerman. “They had to call me to let them see the home. I would bring a packet of comparables along and explain what I used to price the home.”
But now, with home prices posting such strong gains, those strategies may not be necessary anymore.  “I’ve closed 15 homes so far this year and none of the appraisals have come in below the selling price,” said Ackerman. He was certain a recent deal in Wallingford, Wash. was going to fall through when the buyer agreed to pay $755,000 — well above the average $690,000 other homes in the area had sold for. When the appraisal came in at the full selling price “everybody’s jaws dropped,” he said.

And in some of the hottest markets, appraisals are coming in well above the selling price.
Agent Eric Tan said one appraiser did a “drive-by” of a West Covina, Calif., home he was selling in April. “He didn’t ask for any comps, to see the inside of the house, or even schedule a time to meet with me. He wrote up the appraisal right at the purchase price,” he said. “I was able to sell the client’s home for about $40,000 more than I thought the appraiser would value it.” In Jacksonville Beach, Fla., where prices have soared 15% over the past 12 months, agent Cara Ameer was “holding her breath” when it came time to get an appraisal on a two-bedroom townhouse she sold for $5,000 more than its $189,000 asking price.
“It was FHA financing and [the FHA is] typically much more strict,” she said. That appraisal too ended up coming in above the selling price.
Source: CNN Money

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Old is New!

What’s one secret to a gorgeous room? A look that appears to be pulled together over time, mixing new with old to create a charming, personalized style full of things you love. Get the process started by shopping flea markets and secondhand stores, and browse these ideas for inspiring ways to use the treasures you’ll find.

Locally, Consignment Attic at 19060 Brookhurst Street Huntington Beach, CA 92646 is packed with treasures. Consignment Attic is always looking for Quality Pre-Owned Furniture, Home Decor and Accessories.

Monthly, Orange County Marketplace hosts the Orange County Antique Market one Saturday per month. They will be taking June, July, and August off due to pre-scheduled events at the OC Marketplace / OC Fair & Events Center but will resume in the Fall.

With over 1700 successfully closed transactions the Stovall team brings the negotiating and marketing skills needed to help you fulfill your real estate goals.

Always willing to go the extra mile for their clients, you can reach Micah Stovall at [email protected] or Steve Stovall at [email protected] Call The Stovall Team today at 714.343.9294 or 714.378.3438 for your free pre-market evaluation.

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Congratulations Class of 2013: Local High School Schedules

Congratulations Class of 2013!!
Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Graduation Schedules
Edison High School                         June 13              at OCC
Fountain Valley High School      June 12              at OCC
Huntington Beach High School   June 12              at HBHS
La Quinta High School                  June 18              at BolsaGrandeHighSchool
Ocean View High School                June 12               at OVHS

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Hyperactive Buyer Activity Sparks the Market

Active listing inventory is down by half or more in Orange County. Sellers are enjoying equity returns that have been absent for almost a decade. In addition we are seeing an increase of all- cash buyers as well as multiple offers on most every listing on the market.

In fact, multiple offers are the new normal in this market which is best described as HYPERACTIVE with buyer activity. The market has swung from one extreme to the other with no hesitation in the middle. We have moved from having high inventory with few buyers to having an abundance of buyers and no inventory.  Currently the Stovall Team is working with 5 + qualified buyers looking to live in Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley and surrounding cities. We have also recently sold seven of our listed properties for TOP of THE MARKET PRICES and even OVER APPRAISED PRICE in a couple of instances.

The demand is outpacing current supply of housing on the market. This combination has led to rising prices— continuous uptick in the market and a drop in short sales as homeowners regain positive equity. When priced right and prepared for the market we are selling our listings at list price or above appraised value with strong offers. Smart buyers come prepared to show evidence of good credit, strong qualification and proof of funds needed to buy now. Many have been searching for months only to be out bid or out smarted by better prepared buyers/agents.

One of our biggest obstacles is that sellers are afraid they won’t be able to find their next home with so few homes on the market. Stovall Team will help remedy this concern by ensuring the terms of the sale Escrow meet your housing needs as a seller in our current tight housing market. We will ensure your sale is Contingent on your purchase.

On the buyer’s side, the market is tight. Working with experienced, savvy Real Estate Agents like the Stovall Team is of utmost importance. Buyers trying to get FHA or VA offers accepted are feeling the pressure as their offers aren’t seen as strong as the competing all-cash offers. We have been successful in placing government loan buyers in escrow and to a successfully closing. We work with experienced lenders in structuring and presenting offers that get accepted. The Stovall Team has an excellent reputation for getting our Escrows Closed.

Working with the Stovall Team ensures clear communication. As full-time agents that always answer our phones, you will be kept abreast of local market insight, daily (often hourly) listing updates, and service and professionalism that only 50+ years of combined Real Estate sales experience can offer.  The Stovall Team is experienced and stands ready to meet the challenges we face in this rapidly evolving market. Call the Stovall Team when you have questions about getting your home ready to sell. We are here to assist you whether you plan to put your home on the market within a week or a couple years from now. Contact us today!

We can design a plan to help you net more money for your home than our competition. Call Steve at 714.393.5377 or Micah at 714.343.929

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Q1 2013 Negative Equity Report

13 Million U.S. Homeowners Still Underwater in Q1, But More Than 9 Million More May Lack Enough Equity to Move. Homeowners With “Effective” Negative Equity Likely Can’t Afford Down Payment on Next Home, Contributing to Inventory Shortages, According to First Quarter Zillow Negative Equity Report released May 23, 2013 . The national negative equity rate fell in the first quarter, to 25.4% of all homeowners with a mortgage, according to the first quarter Zillow® Negative Equity Report. But another 18.2 percent of homeowners with mortgages, while not technically underwater, likely do not have enough equity to afford to move.
Slightly more than 13 million homeowners with a mortgage were in negative equity, or underwater, at the end of the first quarter, owing more on their mortgage than their home is worth. But when including homeowners with less than 20 percent home equity, the “effective” negative equity rate at the end of the first quarter was 43.6 percent, or a total of 22.3 million homeowners. These homeowners likely cannot afford a down payment for a new home, tying them to their current homes and contributing to inventory shortages.

A homeowner technically reaches positive equity as soon as the market value of their home exceeds their outstanding loan balance. But listing a home for sale and buying a new one generally requires equity of 20 per-cent or more to comfortably meet related costs. Among the 30 largest metro areas covered by Zillow, those with the highest effective negative equity rate, including homeowners with 20 percent equity or less, include Las Vegas (71.5 percent); Atlanta (64.1 percent); and Riverside, Calif. (59.7 percent).

The first quarter Zillow Negative Equity Forecast[ii] predicts the negative equity rate among all homeowners with a mortgage will fall to 23.5 percent by the first quarter of 2014, lifting more than 1.4 million additional homeowners nation-wide into positive equity. Of the 30 largest metro areas, the majority of these newly freed homeowners are anticipated to come from: Los Angeles (94,642 homeowners); Riverside (74,693 homeowners); and Phoenix (51,580 homeowners).

Source: Complete article at www.Zillow.com SEATTLE, May 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/

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Stovall Team: Experience Matters

The Stovall Team strives to stay on the cutting edge of marketing and technology. A top producing real estate team, Steve and Micah Stovall are consistent, top producing, agents ranking in Star Real Estate’s Top 1% Presidents Club year after year.

The Stovall Team has also ranked within the top agents in the Orange County Association of Realtors over three decades. In addition the Stovall team employs a Professional Interior Designer to insure Staging and Merchandising Excellence for each and every home seller they serve.

With over 1700 successfully closed transactions the Stovall team brings the negotiating and marketing skills needed to help you fulfill your real estate goals.

Always willing to go the extra mile for their clients, you can reach Micah Stovall at [email protected] or Steve Stovall at [email protected]

Call The Stovall Team today at 714.343.9294 or 714.378.3438 for your free pre-market evaluation.

www.stovallteam.com 

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