Janet Yellen is still saying that tight credit is hampering home sales, but it doesn’t appear to be stopping buyers throughout the state of California.
Sales over the last three months were higher than in 2014, and prices are still rising too. If there were more properties to sell, it would be even hotter:
See the full report here:
https://www.propertyradar.com/blog/real-property-report-california-june-2015
Jim Klinge
Klinge Realty Group
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CA DRE #01527365, CA DRE #00873197
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We sold a home with Jim and Donna and from beginning to end they were consummate professionals. Their initial walk through the property resulted in a list of items to be repaired or updated. They supplied a list of vendors and job quotes to do the repairs and updates. We originally wanted to sell ‘as is’ and just get it over with. They gave us a selling price for ‘as is’ and options for doing a few updates/repairs to doing it all with the selling price for each option. We agreed to do all they suggested and we sold for the exact price they predicted. For every dollar spent we got back more than $2 back in the selling price. And they got that price in a rising interest rate environment! Donna and Jim are extremely detailed and guide you through ever aspect of the sale. There were no surprises thanks to their guidance. We couldn’t be more pleased with their representation. Thank you Donna and Jim, Jerry and MaryTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We have known Jim & Donna Klinge for over a dozen years, having met them in Carlsbad where our children went to the same school. As long time North County residents, it was a no- brainer for us to have the Klinges be our eyes and ears for San Diego real estate in general and North County in particular. As my military career caused our family to move all over the country and overseas to Asia, Europe and the Pacific, we trusted Jim and Donna to help keep our house in Carlsbad rented with reliable and respectful tenants for over 10 years. Naturally, when the time came to sell our beloved Carlsbad home to pursue a rural lifestyle in retirement out of California, we could think of no better team to represent us than Jim and Donna. They immediately went to work to update our house built in 2004 to current-day standards and trends — in 2 short months they transformed it into a literal modern-day masterpiece. We trusted their judgement implicitly and followed 100% of their recommended changes. When our house finally came on the market, there was a blizzard of serious interest, we had multiple offers by the third day and it sold in just 5 days after a frenzied bidding war for 20% above our asking price! The investment we made in upgrades recommended by Jim and Donna yielded a 4-fold return, in the process setting a new high water mark for a house sold in our community. In our view, there are no better real estate professionals in all of San Diego than Jim and Donna Klinge. Buying or selling, you must run and beg Jim and Donna Klinge to represent you! Our family will never forget Jim, Donna, and their whole team at Compass — we are forever grateful to them.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. WeI had the pleasure of working with Klinge Realty Group to sell our home in Carmel Valley, and I cannot recommend them highly enough! Jim and Donna demonstrated exceptional professionalism, offering expert guidance on market conditions and pricing strategy, which resulted in a quick and successful sale. Communication was prompt and we were well-informed throughout the entire process. For anyone looking for a dedicated and knowledgeable real estate team, look no further! ---Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Donna and Jim Klinge of Klinge Realty Group have our highest possible recommendation. From Donna and Jim’s first visit to our house through closing their advice and counsel was candid and honest in all dealings. They kept us fully informed throughout the process. The house sold less than three days after listing with a two-week closing. My wife and I have sold several houses during our lives. This was by far the best experience. Klinge Reality is a premium service realtor. You can’t make a better choice for someone to sell your home fast and for top dollar.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Donna and Jim provided exceptional support and professionalism throughout the entire process. We couldn't have been happier with their efforts. They made our house shine, and thanks to their expertise, it sold above the listing price in the very first weekend! Truly a fantastic experience from start to finish.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. This year has been difficult on our family, mainly due to having to sell our home. Thankfully we knew God had a plan for us and working with the Klinge team was a key part of it. It was an obvious decision to work with them again after such an amazing experience when purchasing the same home we needed to sell. The challenge was, how will we do this in so little time with so much going on? Jim and Donna held our hand every step of the way. Whenever an unexpected issue arose they found and provided a solution. Never once did we feel pressured to make a decision and the Klinges were always reassuring after providing the information that the decision was ours to make. Despite the curve balls, they never panicked and exemplified the “can do” attitude, making us feel optimistic and taken care of. Their expertise and professionalism was superb. But of all the reasons to work with the Klinges, the most impactful and valuable is their compassion and genuine care for their clients. We pray that we can one day purchase our forever home and you better believe that Jim and Donna will be representing us - as long as they will have us of course. Thank you again Klinge team! Your execution, experience, and care are unmatched.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Jim and Donna were fantastic! Jim understanding my needs, recommending potential places, pointing out the pros and cons of each property was invaluable. Then when the offer was accepted Donna’s organized guidance through the inspections, paperwork etc made the whole process seem effortless. So grateful that I had them on my side!Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We first found Jim through his blog at bubbleinfo.com, which really showcased his knowledge of SoCal real estate. Since then we've done three transactions with Jim and Donna, and they are an incredible full service agency, with Jim's deep market insight and Donna's deft contract and project management. We trust them implicitly in their analysis and strategy, which is based on years of experience. They're always available and on top of things, and we strongly recommend them to anyone.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. The Good The Klinge Realty Group operates like a finely tuned machine, with a very personal touch. We contacted them on a Sunday and they were talking to us about our family and our needs on our living room couch the following day. They carefully listened to us and worked with us to identify the best and quickest path to listing within 2 weeks to take advantage of the low inventory conditions in our South Carlsbad neighborhood. They knew our tract specifically and had many previous sales there over the years - they came prepared with a thorough analysis of comparative sales and recommended a pricing strategy that they felt confident would yield offers the first weekend on the market. The Great Over the next two weeks Donna coordinated a range of vendors who she knew from experience could get the preparation to list work we needed done on time and with high quality. Our light tune-up involved excellent experiences with their stagers, landscapers, contractors, electricians, and plumbers. Throughout this period Donna's daily communication was clear, concise, and responsive. Any time we had questions Donna picked up the phone or texted immediately - but almost always, she answered our questions before we even knew we had them. The Outstanding We had a tricky situation with a shared fence that could have delayed our escrow. Donna used superb mediation skills to negotiate the terms of replacement and was personally on site with the fence contractor to make sure everything went smoothly. The fence looks great and escrow closed on time. The Truly Exceptional Our house came on the market on a Wednesday and between then and Monday morning Jim was personally at all three open houses. He was in constant communication explaining potential buyer reaction and strength. As he predicted offers began to come in on Saturday and each one was incrementally higher than the last. At the end we had 5 offers, 4 of which were over list, and the final accepted offer was $100,000 over list. In addition to being over list it included rent back terms that met our needs. The Recommendation For all of these reasons we would strongly recommend The Klinge Team to anyone wanting to sell in North County Coastal San Diego. I had been reading Jim's bubbleinfo.com blog for 15 years and knew when the time came to sell that he would be our first call. Jim Klinge is not your standard realtor. He is keenly aware of market conditions and sales strategies. And, works his tail off - though not as hard as Donna . At this point he's gone from realtor to friend and I plan to have him over to grill and chill at our new place to talk real estate, but also just about life and raising kids in San Diego. He's more interested in relationships than his sales numbers - and that's why his sales numbers are so high. We have already recommended the Klinge's to some close friends and another successful sale is on deck right around the corner...Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We recently had the pleasure of working with Jim and Donna from Klinge Realty Group to sell our house, and we couldn't be more satisfied with the experience. From the initial meeting, they listened attentively to our needs and provided invaluable guidance on specific improvements to get our home market ready. Their responsiveness throughout the entire process was truly impressive. Anytime we had questions or concerns, they were quick to address them, ensuring we felt comfortable and informed every step of the way. What stood out the most was their team and extensive network of tradespeople, which made addressing any necessary repairs or updates seamless and stress-free. Thanks to their expertise and dedication, our house sold quickly and at a great price. We highly recommend Jim and Donna to anyone looking to buy or sell a home. They are a fantastic team who truly care about their clients and deliver exceptional results.Load more
New buyers are having a hard time. About 25% fewer young buyers are qualifying for mortgages than were historically. I’m not talking about the crazy subprime days.
I personally deal with a lot of renters who are largely in this group, mostly late 20s – early 40s, and I’m finding many who would like to leave and buy a house just cannot. They seem very qualified (making enough money to pay the mortgage) but mortgage lending is tight.
Also, there are many out there with credit damaged from the financial crisis who would like to buy a home.
Higher end buyers are not having problems (except finding houses to buy).
Sales are higher than 2014, but that’s not much of a benchmark.
About 25% fewer young buyers are qualifying for mortgages….
Provide link please.
Sales are higher than 2014, but that’s not much of a benchmark.
Not much of a benchmark? According to the same report linked in article, cash sales are dropping and now down to 20% (from 25% three months ago). Sales are higher, so financed sales are higher too.
I would say that is the perfect benchmark to show that financing is available to all, using the same guidelines in place since the 1980s.
To you and others who keep insisting that credit is tight – what do you want? No-qual loans?
Prices are too low! Folks need to price their OPTs HIGHER! 🙂
At this point I would be more interested in the sellers than buyers. Age and such in particular.
I really wish I could find the report that showed the 25% lower qualifications for younger borrowers (I’m pretty sure it was from the Joint Center for Housing Studies, but their stuff is in PDFs and hard to search. ).
But supporting the same idea, I’m sure you and your readers follow “Calculated Risk”…
http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2014/10/is-mortgage-credit-too-tight.html
The main point is that mortgage underwriting is historically tight for lower income borrowers (which includes most first time buyers). Not compared to the sub-prime bubble no-qual times, but historically.
There’s no need to jump to no-qual mortgages to make things better. Everything doesn’t have to be black or white. But the banks are being ridiculously conservative now. I’m not sure exactly why. I don’t think it’s because they’re seriously worried about default.
Anyway, the numbers are the numbers. Things aren’t easy for first time buyers. Things never are. But most of the time they haven’t been this hard.
The main point is that mortgage underwriting is historically tight for lower income borrowers (which includes most first time buyers).
You’ve been hanging out in the same ivory tower as Janet Yellen.
Underwriting isn’t any different than it has ever been. The hassles and demands are from incompetent loan processors who make excessive requests for documentation to CYA. If these qualified first-timers or others who get shaken down would go to a decent loan rep, they wouldn’t have a problem getting a loan. They will give an FHA loan to just about anybody.
Obviously you aren’t on the street dealing with buyers daily like some of us. I’ve had no problems with buyers getting loans, or appraisals, and I deal with people from $300,000 to $3,000,000 – including when I represent sellers and I am at the mercy of whatever buyer happened to surface.
One more thing.
All of the stats are skewed by one simple fact. The market is competitive, and big money wins every time – which means low-down-payment buyers lose the bidding wars constantly. Over time, the stats “seem to indicate that first-timers are staying away, or having a tough time getting a loan” or headlines like “when will millennials buy a house” because the stupid reporters never consider that these folks ARE trying to buy and get beat out.
I worked 2 jobs, my current wife was also working at the time. We saved up every penny for a couple of years and put down 120k to buy our house.
Maybe young people are doing this today but I’m not seeing it. I do see a lot of complaining about how things aren’t fair. Which I 100% agree with. Things aren’t fair. Young people are getting screwed while old people live for free in houses that they’re not paying the mortgage on.
Unfortunately if you want a house you have to figure out a way to play a game that’s rigged against you.
I’m reminded of this quote as to anything in life–including real estate (whether seller or buyer)
“Life is unfair. But sometimes it’s unfair in your favor.”
It’s good for me to read this again after being a prospective seller in May to June. Sellers in my neighborhood–who never really lived in their home since March, 2010 (except for a few weekends)–decided to sell because they wanted acreage. Essentially, the house was new construction.
Their list price was way below market, and their buyers had made an offer to me one day before that house went on the market. “My” buyers withdrew their offer to me, and… well, moved into that house just this week.
What did I learn? Sometimes real estate is timing and you have to be lucky when you list your home. I learned some other stuff too, but don’t want to start a discussion how unprofessional some buyers’ agents can be… 🙂