Below you will find an overview of the May 2019 Kansas City Housing Market Report from the Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS® and Heartland Multiple Listing Service. Highlights from the May data include:
May 2019 average sales price for new & existing homes combined ($256,336) is 4.5 percent higher than May 2018.
There were 4,134 home sales (new & existing combined) for May 2019 - 4.9 percent lower than last May (4,349).
Home inventory (new & existing combined) for May 2019 (7,737) is 7 percent lower compared to May 2018 (8,315).
The supply of new and existing homes for May 2019 is 2.3 months representing a home market favoring sellers.
I'm not sure what I'm more excited about for this upcoming weekend in Kansas City!!
Eating dinner out this evening for restaurant week...
Cooking, staying cozy by the fireplace with a good book and glass of wine...
Watching the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday...
Or for our real estate teams Featured Listings of the week...
Featured Listings
What do you have planned for this weekend?!?
Go Chiefs!!
AJ Gentry, Chartwell Realty, AJ@UrbanKCLiving.com
Being a Colts fan since my college days at IU and becoming a KC fan after having moved here in 2004 this makes for an exhilarating time for both cities and me. Fortunate for me, I have lived in Indy and KC and have watched both Cities embrace and celebrate their teams. Both cities create a social environment around their teams for their people that encourages conversations, healthy competition and badgering, and support of the team colors from red or blue Friday to city landscape lights.
Indy and KC are similar in so many ways. Cost of living is affordable, the Urban boom and growth in the downtown economies is creating a draw to the urban areas, to the suburbs and the rise in multi-use properties so you can live, work and entertain in the same space. Indy has the renowned Children's Museum and the Indy 500 Speedway and KC has Union Station and Kaufmann Center. They have St Elmo's Steakhouse and we have Joe's KC. They have Broadripple and we have Country Club Plaza and Westport. Both cities have art and culture, diverse populations, dive bars, local talent and music, zoo's , walking trails, and dog parks. You can easily get around in both cities and you will find that both cities and its people will welcome you . I am proud to have called Indianapolis my home and I look forward to visiting every year. And I am equally as proud of KC. It has been fun to be a part of all of the changes this city and metro areas have made since I moved here. Both places are home. Both places are worthy of putting your roots down. You won't be disappointed calling either of these your home. We all have visited cities that don't give us the warm and fuzzy. KC and Indy have worked hard not to be those cities. It is fun to see them in the spotlight of the playoffs. They are beautiful places with a lot to offer. So here's to watching a good game this weekend. I would be happy with either team in the Superbowl, but if I do have a preference; I am all about our Kansas City Chiefs. GO CHIEFS.
~ Kristin Mudgett, REALTOR, Kristin@UrbanKCLiving.com
So, you’ve been searching for that perfect house to call a ‘home,’ and you’ve finally found it! The price is right, and in such a competitive market, you want to make sure that you make a great offer so that you can guarantee that your dream of making this house yours comes true!
Below are 4 steps provided by Freddie Mac to help buyers make offers, along with some additional information for your consideration:
“You’ve found the perfect home and you’re ready to buy. Now what? Your real estate agent will be by your side, helping you determine an offer price that is fair.”
Based on your agent’s experience and key considerations (like similar homes recently sold in the same neighborhood or the condition of the house and what you can afford), your agent will help you to determine the offer that you are going to present.
Getting pre-approved will not only show home-sellers that you are serious about buying, but it will also allow you to make your offer with confidence because you’ll know that you have already been approved for a mortgage in that amount.
“Once you’ve determined your price, your agent will draw up an offer, or purchase agreement, to submit to the seller’s real estate agent. This offer will include the purchase price and terms and conditions of the purchase.”
Talk with your agent to find out if there are any ways in which you can make your offer stand out in this competitive market! A licensed real estate agent who is active in the neighborhoods you are considering will be instrumental in helping you put in a solid offer.
“Oftentimes, the seller will counter the offer, typically asking for a higher purchase price or to adjust the closing date. In these cases, the seller’s agent will submit a counteroffer to your agent, detailing their desired changes, at this time, you can either accept the offer or decide if you want to counter. Each time changes are made through a counteroffer, you or the seller have the option to accept, reject or counter it again. The contract is considered final when both parties sign the written offer.”
“Oftentimes, the seller will counter the offer, typically asking for a higher purchase price or to adjust the closing date. In these cases, the seller’s agent will submit a counteroffer to your agent, detailing their desired changes, at this time, you can either accept the offer or decide if you want to counter.
Each time changes are made through a counteroffer, you or the seller have the option to accept, reject or counter it again. The contract is considered final when both parties sign the written offer.”
If your offer is approved, Freddie Mac urges you to “always get an independent home inspection, so you know the true condition of the home.” If the inspector uncovers undisclosed problems or issues, you can discuss any repairs that may need to be made with the seller or even cancel the contract altogether.
The inventory of homes listed for sale has remained well below the 6-month supply that is needed for a ‘normal’ market. Buyer demand has continued to outpace the supply of homes for sale, causing buyers to compete with each other for their dream homes.
Make sure that as soon as you decide that you want to make an offer, you work with your agent to present it as quickly as possible.
Whether buying your first home or your fifth, having a local real estate professional who is an expert in his or her market on your side is your best bet for making sure the process goes smoothly. Let’s talk about how we can make your dreams of homeownership a reality!
Here are four great reasons to consider buying a home today instead of waiting.
CoreLogic’s latest Home Price Insights reports that home prices have appreciated by 7% over the last 12 months. The same report predicts that prices will continue to increase at a rate of 5.2% over the next year.
Home values will continue to appreciate for years. Waiting no longer makes sense.
Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey shows that interest rates for a 30-year mortgage have increased by half a percentage point already in 2018 to around 4.5%. Most experts predict that rates will rise over the next 12 months. The Mortgage Bankers Association, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the National Association of Realtors are in unison, projecting that rates will increase by nearly a full percentage point by this time next year.
An increase in rates will impact YOUR monthly mortgage payment. A year from now, your housing expense will increase if a mortgage is necessary to buy your next home.
There are some renters who have not yet purchased a home because they are uncomfortable taking on the obligation of a mortgage. Everyone should realize that unless you are living with your parents rent-free, you are paying a mortgage – either yours or your landlord’s.
As an owner, your mortgage payment is a form of ‘forced savings’ that allows you to have equity in your home that you can tap into later in life. As a renter, you guarantee your landlord is the person with that equity.
Are you ready to put your housing cost to work for you?
The ‘cost’ of a home is determined by two major components: the price of the home and the current mortgage rate. It appears that both are on the rise.
But what if they weren’t? Would you wait?
Look at the actual reason you are buying and decide if it is worth waiting. Whether you want to have a great place for your children to grow up, you want your family to be safer, or you just want to have control over renovations, maybe now is the time to buy.