The real estate market continues to amaze me. As many of you know, interest rates more than doubled in 6 months. The rates went from 3.5% to over 7% from May to November. At that time, the market came to a halt as there was much speculation about how high mortgage rates would climb (and how that would affect prices). Most people said rates would trend downward, but to date, that’s incorrect in our area. Fast forward to today, and it appears that buyers have now settled into mortgage rates being in the 6-7% range. This is resulting in sales happening again, along with the price growth that I mentioned. As a result, today’s market is filled with uncertainty due to several factors.

Both sides of the aisle in DC are dealing with the upcoming debt ceiling, inflation, and rising interest rates. As a matter of fact, today’s rates are over 7% again. The other looming issue is that people are married to their current homes because of their super low-interest rates. Many people have FOMO of their 2.5 – 3.5% interest rates. This results in a huge shortage of homes for sale in our area. High demand creates multiple contract situations on many homes on the market today. On the flip side, we have a strong job market, a growing population, and a stable economy which all positively impacts the real estate market – especially for sellers. Additionally, the area’s natural beauty, cultural amenities, and excellent quality of life can make it attractive for people to relocate to the Northern Virginia area. This makes today’s market tough for buyers.

It is important to note that even though market trends and economic indicators can provide an idea of what may happen in the future, they cannot predict sudden market disruptions or unforeseen events that might impact the real estate market. The banking industry being in distress is one area of concern, as is the Fed continuing to raise the overnight rates they charge banks. With so many factors affecting the real estate market, consulting with me as your professional real estate agent is always recommended to help you determine if now is the right time for you to sell or buy. I can provide you with market data, including inventory levels, absorption rates relating to sales, months’ supply of houses available, immediate sales, and other data that can be valuable to you when considering selling or buying a home today.

There are also additional data points that are important to consider, like the number of houses with multiple contracts, how high above list price houses are selling, what contingencies are being waived or accepted by sellers, and the timing of sales from contract to close. It is a complex time in the real estate industry, to say the least. The market today is complex, as you can see. I am here and happy to help, so please feel free to call or email me today.

Enjoy the summertime weather!