Real Estate Information Archive

Let me start out by stating that when the tax credits ended we kept selling homes in May. We did see a dramatic drop in June which we expected but not the severity to which it happened. However with all of that being said, we are very busy again. We are seeing buyers back out and who can blame them. I saw a FHA, 30 year loan last week at 4.375% with zero points....That is unbelievable!

We are 2/3rds of a lender's business at this point and our views on our listed homes are up 2200 views over last month. We wrote 5 offers yesterday and listed 1. We are blessed to be busy but working hard. We put a few marketing things in place that seem to be really paying off.

Until next time...enjoy the last 2 weeks of summer before the kids start school!

The news is not doing the housing market interest rates any justice. The general public should know, "Yes, the tax credits are over but the rate hasn't been this good since 1971." FHA- 30 year rates are running around 4.75% and they are even lower for 15 year mortgages. If you are thinking about buying or refinancing...NOW IS THE TIME!

I don't have much time to blog because we are trying to get houses sold and closed. We sold 55 houses in 60 days and each on is a fight to get to closing but we are plugging away. The market was hot with the tax credits ending April 30th and now we are still selling houses but the market has slowed just a little because of the back log. We need the warm weather to come back out and the rates to stay low. I had a buyer lock in yesterday at 4.75% for an FHA loan! If you are looking to buy, sell or build- NOW IS THE TIME!

The tax stimulus credit has come and gone! We saw a huge surge towards the end of April and sold 28 houses. The market is moving along and we should see sales continue for the next month. The seller's that received offers at the end of April now need to buy in May. We are hard at work and working long hours to get homes listed and sold.

We just got this in and it made my day!

Dear Mike, Bob, Chris, Dale and all of the "Mike Sold Me" Team,

Thank you so much for all your time, effort and hard work everyone did to sell and purchase my homes.

In our initial conversation, Mike told me "no one will work harder to sell my home than the Mike Watkins Real Estate Group." He was right! You do work hard and you are also honest, ethical, professional and thorough down to the last detail. You know the business, the markets and your customers. Best of all, you enjoy what you do and have fun!

Everything went perfectly! You far exceeded my expectations. You are way beyond good- you are excellent! I am very pleased I chose the "Mike Sold Me" Team  to represent me and will definitely recommend you to others without any hesitation.

Best wishes for continued success and my sincere thanks!

Elaine D.

February home sales are up 26.6% with 1,993 homes pended compared to 1,574 in February 2009. Johnson County is up 38.5% increase and Marion County is up 37.8%.

With the weather finally changing we are seeing March picking up. The $8,000 first time buyer incentive and the $6,500 seller incentives are ending April 30th. Time is of the essence!

Sorry it has been a while since my last post. We need the snow to go away and bring in spring. I know that is wishful thinking with it still being February. We started January out with a bang and February has slowed a little, but who would of thought that we would have the Colts in the Super Bowl, record snow fall and the Olympics all going on in one month.

We are in the process of putting some new marketing out on the street that we feel is dynamite and will get our listings more exposure. We continue to work hard and put in the hours...we are ready for Spring!

We had a good start to the 2010 year and just sold 6 houses in 1 day. The market has slowed down some due to the Super Bowl and the snow that seems to never end. Don't forget that the tax credits end at the end of April!

2009- What a year! We came back like the Colts in a tight game. After the market crashed in October of 2008, we completely re-tooled our operation and just hunkered down and went after it!

All of our new marketing, door knocking and 12 hour days paid off! We finished the year up 6 million in sales over 2008. Our volume was up over 42 sales even though our average sales price was a little lower.

We also listed 207 homes which was down a little from 2008 but we turned down a lot of listings that we did not feel good about...either they owed more than we could sell them for or were not in good enough condition for a buyer to get a loan.

2010- Our motto for the new year is "Let's do it again in 2010!" Our outlook is one of guarded optimism. We have two tax stimulus packages working at the same time- the first time in history. This should stimulate the market through Spring. However, we need to see unemployment drop and people will spend money.

It is great to see restraunts busy and people talking optimistically. One of the best sayings I heard late in 2009 was from a restraunt server (working his second job) who said, "I'm not sure I'm any better off than last year, but I just feel better about things."

So, we had a very very good 2009 and are excited about 2010..."WE JUST FEEL BETTER ABOUT THINGS!"

I am sorry it has been a while since I have posted anything in the blog. We continue to be busy and have shattered our expectations for this year. Needless to say, it has been a good year with a lot of hard work and long hours.

If you are a homeowner that has owned a house 5 of the last 8 years and are thinking about moving....DO IT NOW! You can be eligible for the $6,500.00 tax credit. House sales are up by 21% over the same time last year, according to the Indiana Association of Realtors. There is only a 7 month supply on the market which is much lower than reported in the past and rates are currently running 4.75%-4.875% with ZERO points. If you are thinking about selling, don't wait until the spring. Right now you have $6,500.00, less competition and great rates stimulating the market.

First time buyers- the $8,000.00 tax credit does end in June but all purchase agreements must be accepted by the end of April. Please get started now so you are not rushed and you have the time and opportunity to find the right house.