Archive for the 'Investing' Category
Gift Ideas for Real Estate Investors and First-Time Homebuyers
December 7th, 2008
Categories: Home Buying, Home Selling, Investing, Living in Annapolis
Need a few gift ideas? Good stocking stuffers? If you have friends, family, or clients who are thinking of investing in rental property, help them out with one or more of the following books:
And if you know of someone who is renting their home and might like to invest in a home of their own, perhaps someone who is about to be a new graduate, here are a couple of good gift choices:
And for any friends in the real estate sales business, here’s a good one:
This is a great book, however you may want to pick it up for yourself rather than risk offending a friend with the title!
Happy shopping, and happy holidays! Let me know of other good ideas that you have, as I still have a bit of shopping to do myself.
P.S. Call me today for all your Annapolis real estate needs.
Carlyn Lowery, Associate Broker, Keller Williams Annapolis : Real Estate Brokerage in Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Maryland
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Holy Toledo – Even the Press is Starting to Say It’s a Good Time to Buy Real Estate!
December 3rd, 2008
Categories: Home Buying, Investing
It took the press several months to change its tune after the real estate market started the downturn, and while I have been saying that it’s a great time to buy real estate in this soft market, the news media has been full of gloom. Now the sentiment seems to be changing. MSNBC reports today, “Bad Economy Great Deals; Housing Crisis Presents Significant Buying Opportunities.” The Wall Street Journal has the following headlines, “Today’s bidding wars; Buyers flock to condo auction, ready to snap up bargains” and “U.S. homes now undervalued, economists say.”
It’s hard to know if this change in attitude has been driven by the dramatic stock market declines, which have created plenty of doom and gloom headlines of their own. Certainly real estate looks a lot better by comparison! People need to invest their money somewhere, and it seems like this is the market that, two or three years from now, people are gonna look back and say, “Oh my gosh, I wish I had bought then.”
If you miss this opportunity, don’t blame me! I’ve been giving you the heads up that you can take advantage of this market, and that Washington DC area real estate and Annapolis Maryland real estate offers solid value. If you are tempted to take action in the real estate market in the next few months, it’s time to get started now.
P.S. Call me today for all your Annapolis real estate needs.
Carlyn Lowery, Associate Broker, Keller Williams Annapolis : Real Estate Brokerage in Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Maryland
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Anne Arundel County Maryland Real Estate Market Statistics – November 2008
November 10th, 2008
Categories: Home Buying, Home Selling, Investing, Market Statistics
The National Association of REALTORS (NAR) reported in October that existing home sales increased over 5 and a half percent — a sign of improved housing affordability. The estimated annual volume has been revised upwards from of 4.91 million to 5.18 million units for 2008, representing a 1.4 percent increase over the previous year. The combination of lower prices, higher inventory and low mortgage rates have all contributed to the increase in sales.
“This is the first time since November 2005 that home sales have been above year-ago levels,” said NAR president, Richard Gaylord. “Credit tightened at the end of September, but the improvement demonstrates that buyers who have been on the sidelines want to get into the market to make a long-term investment in their future.”
Freddie Mac is reporting a recent drop in interest rates for the 30-year, conventional, fixed rate mortgage, averaging 6.04 percent in September, down from 6.48 percent in August. Despite the lower rates, speculative investors have not yet returned to the market, according to Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist. Yun reports, “80 percent of current buyers are purchasing a primary residence, which is a bit higher than historic norms.”
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Total housing inventories were down 1.6 percent for the month of September, marking two consecutive monthly declines since inventory levels peaked in July.
Anne Arundel County figures for October 2008 are shown below.
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Source: Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, Inc. – MLS Resale Data
Information is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed.
P.S. Call me today for all your Annapolis real estate needs.
Carlyn Lowery, Associate Broker, Keller Williams Annapolis : Real Estate Brokerage in Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Maryland
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SOLD! 670 W Central Avenue, Davidsonville, MD 21035 – Beautiful Land with Home in Sought-After Location
November 10th, 2008
Categories: Home Buying, Home Selling, Investing
670 W Central Avenue, Davidsonville, MD 21035 is a great find – nearly ten acres in sought-after Davidsonville, with a custom home just built in 2004. This level, wooded lot with a stream offers great potential for horses, stables, livestock, farming, nursery, kennel, and more.
If you know someone who would love to have their very own horse property, room for their animals, or a place to store all of their toys, cars, boats, etc., please let them know about this rare opportunity. Most properties with this amount of land in Davidsonville sell for far higher prices.
Click here for further details.
P.S. Call me today for all your Annapolis real estate needs.
Carlyn Lowery, Associate Broker, Keller Williams Annapolis : Real Estate Brokerage in Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Maryland
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Anne Arundel Real Estate Market Statistics – October 2008
October 10th, 2008
Categories: Home Buying, Home Selling, Investing, Market Statistics
The National Association of REALTORS reported in late September that recent sales for existing homes declined slightly, to an estimated annual volume of 4.91 million units for 2008. Recent tightening in mortgage lending has created challenges for some of today’s home buyers. According to Freddie Mac, the thirty year fixed rate mortgage hovered around 6.5 percent during the month of August, up slightly from the month before.
Officials are hoping that recent actions taken by the Federal government will create stability in the housing market. Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of REALTORS, says, “With higher loan limits and a beefing up of the FHA program, all the mechanisms have been falling into place to increase mortgage availability.”
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Statistics from the National Association of REALTORS®
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Anne Arundel County figures for September 2008 are shown below.
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Source: Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, Inc. – MLS Resale Data
Copyright 2008 – Information deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed.
P.S. Call me today for all your Annapolis real estate needs.
Carlyn Lowery, Associate Broker, Keller Williams Annapolis : Real Estate Brokerage in Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Maryland
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The Tao of Annapolis Real Estate
October 10th, 2008
Categories: Home Buying, Home Selling, Investing, Living in Annapolis
When will the local real estate market hit bottom and values resume their upward climb? What will be the impact of the federal bailout? Whose opinion should you listen to? Said Lao Tzu, “Those who have knowledge, don’t predict. Those who predict, don’t have knowledge.”
While we may not know when the market will turn, we do know that today offers tremendous buying opportunities – low interest rates, lots of inventory, and motivated sellers. And we live in a great place to own real estate, near our nation’s capital, paradise by the Chesapeake Bay.
If your long-term financial plan includes acquiring more real estate, observe the yin and yang – the dark chaos is accompanied by tremendous opportunity. Are you focused on the gloom or present to the opportunity?
Don’t miss the moment.
Some of our clients are now negotiating great deals to acquire properties with 100% owner financing and with lease-options, some are leverage existing assets to create down payments and getting great rates with bank financing. And many are waiting.
They diligently practice it.
When the average type of men hear Tao,
They half believe in it.
When the lowest type of men hear Tao,
They laugh heartily at it.
Without the laugh, there is no Tao.”
- Lao-tzu, The Way of Lao-tzu
P.S. Call me today for all your Annapolis real estate needs.
Carlyn Lowery, Associate Broker, Keller Williams Annapolis : Real Estate Brokerage in Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Maryland
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How On Earth Can I Sell My House in Maryland Today?
September 18th, 2008
Categories: Home Buying, Home Selling, Investing
With the national and global financial markets in chaos, and consumer uncertainty at a record-high level, lots of people are wondering how they can make the move they want to make, especially if they have a house to sell. Such times call for creativity – for making deals and designing transactions to meet the needs of the people involved, taking into consideration their positions and their objectives, rather than requiring people to fit into standard molds. This can be tricky to do when people are under pressure; it takes patience, flexibility, and a skilled team.
For a creative real estate deal that we recently structured, we were featured in the September 2008 issue of What’s Up? Annapolis. Click here to read the article.
As I mentioned last month, now is the time to find motivated sellers and acquire properties at great prices with excellent financing, and to structure deals that work for everyone.
We are increasing our services to investors, so if you want to buy more rental property in Maryland, and you want to work with someone who understands your vision, let us know. And of course, if you know someone who needs to sell today, please call us right away.
We’re building a new web site at http://www.IntentionalInvestor.com
Check it out and let us know your thoughts and suggestions.
P.S. Call me today for all your Annapolis real estate needs.
Carlyn Lowery, Associate Broker, Keller Williams Annapolis : Real Estate Brokerage in Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Maryland
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Annapolis Real Estate Investors Change the Landscape
September 2nd, 2008
Categories: Home Buying, Investing, Living in Annapolis
This classic rancher at 118 Academy Street in sought-after Murray Hill in downtown Annapolis was recently sold. It was listed on January 5th at $899,000 and closed on July 24th for $775,000. The house featured 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and perhaps most important to the buyer, it was sited on three buildable lots. (Source: Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, Inc. – MLS Resale Data)
Within a few days after settlement, demolition began.
And it wasn’t too long before everything was gone, except for a few trees (and the environmentalist in me is very happy that these were saved).
Odds are that we’ll soon have three houses, and that they’ll be on the market for a pretty penny.
This is one real estate investor who is playing to win. I recently heard that eight times the number of people become millionaires in a down market as in an up market. In the face of so much bad news about the economy, it’s great to see an entrepreneur in action, acting boldly, creating value. It’s a great time to take calculated risks.
Yet I must say, I will miss the old house!
P.S. Call me today for all your Annapolis real estate needs.
Carlyn Lowery, Associate Broker, Keller Williams Annapolis : Real Estate Brokerage in Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Maryland
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Intentional Investors Buying Maryland Real Estate
August 19th, 2008
Categories: Home Buying, Home Selling, Investing, Living in Annapolis, Market Statistics
How’s the real estate market? Everyone is asking me these days. Recent headlines in The Capital, our local Annapolis newspaper, include:
Rumor has it that some of the new upscale chain restaurants in Park Place near Murray Hill may be closing. What will happen with Morton’s and Fado? Today’s Wall Street Journal reports:
Things are looking pretty bleak, one might say. Of course, it all depends on your perspective.
Here are some other facts from our local multiple listing service:
For those who are intentional about building wealth through real estate investing, this market is outstanding. Remember “Buy Low, Sell High”? Now is the time to find motivated sellers and acquire properties at great prices with excellent financing.
We are increasing our services to investors, so if you want to buy more rental property in Maryland, and you want to work with someone who understands your vision, let us know.
We’re building a new web site at http://www.IntentionalInvestor.com
Check it out and let us know your thoughts and suggestions.
P.S. Call me today for all your Annapolis real estate needs.
Carlyn Lowery, Associate Broker, Keller Williams Annapolis : Real Estate Brokerage in Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Maryland
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Why Maryland Single People Miss the Boat on Housing (And What To Do About It)
August 5th, 2008
Categories: Home Buying, Investing, Living in Annapolis
Annapolis Singles and Maryland Singles Thinking of Homebuying: Do you remember when you bought your first couch? Or are you still waiting? For many, buying a couch is such a sign of being an adult, it’s a big deal. When you did buy one, odds are it provided a nice place to relax in your first home away from home. The place where you could do what you wanted, when you wanted, unsupervised!
What about owning the home?
The way things used to be, or at least the way Hollywood tells us, you would finish school, get married, buy a house, buy a car, buy life insurance, have kids, live happily ever after. That’s not the way it is any more! (And maybe it never really was!) Lots of people are single and living on their own – in fact, in America today, there are now more households consisting of single people living solo than of households comprised of mom, dad, and kids.
Yet many single folks are waiting before investing in real estate – waiting to see how life will shape up – waiting to see how finances will turn out – waiting to see how their current job will work out – waiting for “the one” to show up – putting off lots of things until that day arrives when everything will be clear.
Did you wait to buy a car? Did you wait to set up an IRA or 401k? Are you waiting to invest in real estate? Or is a single friend of yours waiting?
Putting things off means missing the boat on the real estate investment opportunity now – the opportunity to build equity and establish financial security, the opportunity to control your home environment and design it exactly the way you want it, the opportunity to entertain your friends and family in your dream home, the opportunity to buy in a buyers’ market and choose from lots of inventory and make a great deal. Do you really need to wait?
These days, not so many people are missing the boat – we’re seeing a lot more singles buying homes – they are getting roommates, or mothers and daughters or single parents are buying together. They are buying rental properties, and learning to manage them well.
Many renters, who are now living in expensive Annapolis apartments such as those at 1901 West and Spa Cove, could easily become homeowners. One of my single clients recently invested in a condo in Riva Trace, and his new payments are barely more than his rent had been – plus he was able to move out of his apartment at Archstone Annapolis Bay off Forest Drive, and leave his landlord behind. I just love helping people discover how easy and fun it is to own their own homes.
For those who are ready to take the next step, attend our free Homebuying Workshop for Singles on Tuesday, August 12th. Please join me then, or get in touch today.
P.S. Call me today for all your Annapolis real estate needs.
Carlyn Lowery, Associate Broker, Keller Williams Annapolis : Real Estate Brokerage in Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Maryland
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