If one of the questions you’re asking yourself today is, “Should I sell my house this year?” the current Housing Opportunities and Market Experience (HOME) Survey from the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) should boost your confidence as it relates to the current selling sentiment in the housing market. Even with all the information overload in the media circling around talk of a possible recession, the upcoming 2020 election, and more, Americans feel good about selling a house now. That’s some news to get excited about!

As the graph below shows, as of Q4 2019, 75% of people surveyed indicate they believe now is a good time to sell a home:In the case of those with a yearly salary of $100,000 or more, the results jumped even higher, coming in at an 82% positive sentiment.

When the study divided the outcomes by region, the results still consistently showed Americans feeling good about selling:

• Northeast: 71% positive
• Midwest: 76% positive
• South: 72% positive
• West: 81% positive

In addition to looking at income and region, the report also divided the results by generation, as shown in the graph below:As you can see, many believe that, despite everything going on in the world, it is still a good time to sell a home.

According to NAR, the unsold inventory available today “sits at a 3.0-month supply at the current sales pace,” which is down from a 3.7-month supply in November. The current inventory is half of what we need for a normal or neutral housing market, which should have a 6.0-month supply of unsold inventory. This is good news for sellers, as Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at NAR, says:

“Home sellers are positioned well, but prospective buyers aren’t as fortunate. Low inventory remains a problem, with first-time buyers affected the most.”

Bottom Line

If you’re ready to list your home, you can feel good about the current sentiment in the market. Let’s get together today to determine the best next step when it comes to selling your house this year.

Article Provided by www.simplifyingthemarket.com

Here at Muljat Group North we’ve got agents ready to answer any questions or inquiries you have about listing your home. We are happy to help, give us a call!

As we step into the Fall season and the 4th quarter of 2019, it’s a great opportunity to reflect on the year so far and what the current real estate market is looking like. If you’ve been on the fence about buying or selling, one way to strengthen your decision moving forward is to stay educated on the current trends of the local housing market.

In the first infographic shown above, you can see the fluctuation in home sales starting in January of 2014 all the way up to present time. There was a definite drop in sales at the end of 2018, but activity has increased since then and the graph shows a steady rise in sales since spring time this year.

As for the time it’s taking for homes to sell, days on market continues to hover around a month for the majority of the country. Residential properties in Whatcom County specifically have averaged around 40 days to sell since the beginning of the year.

One of the most enticing aspects of the housing market right now is mortgage rates. The average rate on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages in the most recent Freddie Mac survey was 3.49%, which is the lowest average since October 2016! Purchasing power is almost the highest it’s been in 20 years. Capitalize on this!

Give our office a call if you have questions about this information or the market in general… Happy Tuesday!

Its been a busy summer around here at Muljat! In the midst of all the activities we added an addition to our team. We would like to introduce to you Lesley Alexander-McVie! She comes with lots of life experience and is ready to kick off her real estate career. Read about Lesley below. If she is a good fit for you, contact her today for your real estate needs!

Lesley Alexander-McVie

Main: 425-443-7873

Office: 360-354-4242

Fax: 360-354-6033

Email: [email protected]

“Whether you are buying or selling, I’m here to guide you through the process. My goal is to help you with the best approach, share my insights and experience, and help you reach your real estate objectives.

Over the past 15 years I have personally purchased land, built custom homes, bought and sold numerous houses. This has given me the passion to become an agent and has provided me with a wealth of hands on experience in real estate. I’m ready to assist you in buying, selling, or finding the perfect plot of land.

As a recent transplant to Lynden and Whatcom County, I’ve been through the process of investigating schools, property values, neighborhoods, builders and looking for the perfect home and community for my family to grow up. Lynden is a great location for me, my husband and three young girls. We love the sense of community, the schools, sports activities and the friendliness of the town. Easy access to the border, airports and the natural resources, combined with the amazing landscapes of the Northwest make Whatcom County an easy choice for so many people. Let me help you find your perfect home, find you a property to build on, or assist you in selling to move to your next adventure.”

The annual Northwest Washington Fair is fast approaching here in Whatcom County. In just 13 days the fun kicks off on Monday August 12. With fun and entertainment to keep the week packed full, the theme this year is to ‘Remember this Summer Forever’.

For over 100 years the Northwest Washington Fair has highlighted the agriculture of the Whatcom County area. Dairy and beef cattle, horses, and many other species of livestock are shown by 4H, FFA and Open Class exhibitors. There are hundreds of exhibits featuring baked goods, canning, flowers and fresh produce grown locally. Take some time to walk through those exhibits and appreciate the hard work that is put into fair week from all ages!

Friday 8/16 Mark Chesnutt: “Country star Mark Chesnutt, known as one of the top classic country singers has 14 No. 1 hits, 23 top ten singles, four platinum albums and five gold records with fan favorites including “Brother Jukebox,” “I’ll Think of Something,” “Almost Goodbye” and “I Just Wanted You to Know.” Remaining true to himself as a traditional country artist, Chesnutt has been praised for delivering songs with world-class vocals and heartfelt emotion.”

Saturday 8/17 Cheap Trick: “Delighting generations with their unique union of massive melodies and razorblade riffs, Cheap Trick continues to be fresh, energized and explosive with 20 million records sold and three new albums since 2016, when it was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The band is one of the most popular to see in concert, having performed in more than 5,000 shows. Hits such as “I Want You To Want Me,” “Dream Police,” and “Surrender” have cemented the group as one of America’s top rock ‘n’ roll bands of all time ”

Information taken from www.nwwafair.com. Visit their website to purchase grandstand tickets and to get fairground maps along with any detailed info you may need!

Veterans and Military Families, Save the Date! Saturday January 27, 2019

One of our agents Cherisa Hoekema is teaming up with two of Umpqua Bank’s Home Loan Officers to educate you on the benefits and financing options of buying a home with a VA loan. This is a great opportunity to come discuss your buying options!

Cherisa Hoekema | 360-922-4122 | [email protected]

Muljat Group North | 360-354-4242

When the sun is shining we all can’t help but feel a little bit of Spring fever! A little snow won’t discourage our desire for sunshine, warmth, the outdoors, gardening, and more! Over the next few weeks there are a lot of opportunities to catch a craft and/or antique show around town! Come check out a few or all of the shows to see hundreds of vendors that provide different services in our community. Signs, plants, bags, baby accessories, boutiques, gardening necessities, make up, skin care, etc… the list goes on! There is something for everyone. Here are just a few listed below that begin tonight! Grab dinner with the girls, a coffee with mom, or even take some quiet time to yourself and browse!

The Red Barn Spring Market begins TONIGHT @ The Northwest Washington Fair & Event Center.  A Fresh New Market that you don’t want to miss!
Featuring: Vintage, Craft, Home-Décor, Boutique Clothing, and so much more!
Friday 6-9- Yummy Drinks, Prizes, Goodies and other special surprises! AND Saturday 10-4
Admission is just $4.00 (general) and $6.00 on Friday for VIP (option of either general or VIP on Friday night)

March 14th, 15th, & 16th will be the 33rd Annual Spring Lynden Craft and Antique Show!
Enjoy all the fabulous booths featuring unique handcrafted wares, home and garden décor, gourmet treats, one of a kind gifts, repurposed and vintage treasures.
Meet the local artisans and be inspired by all the creativity on display!

Thursday and Friday: 10am – 8pm
Saturday: 10am – 5pm

Northwest Washington Fair Expo Building

Admission:
$6.00 Adult
$5.00 Senior 60+,
12 & under Free,

Return Privileges
Event Parking is FREE
Admission to the show gets you full admission privileges for all three days of the show.

This year will be the 6th fair growing every year. With over 70 vendors selling all kinds of arts and crafts. This is an event that the art department at Lynden High School is putting on and look forward to this fair along with continuing to do the Christmas Fair, which is in its 13th year now.

Date: March 23, 2019
Time: 9 AM – 4 PM
Venue: Lynden High School
1201 Bradley Rd, Lynden, Washington 98264

You won’t want to miss the LC Artisan & Vendor Market! Come out and shop the diverse group of more than 70 local Artisans, Crafters, and Directs Sales Vendors. There really is something for everyone at this fun market!

ENTRANCE IS FREE!

For more information on these events or to find others in the area, you can find them on Facebook! Happy Spring

“Just like our clocks this weekend, in the majority of the country, the housing market will soon “spring forward!” Similar to tension in a spring, the lack of inventory available for sale has been holding back the market.

Many potential sellers believe that waiting until Spring is in their best interest. Traditionally, they would have been right.

Buyer demand has seasonality to it. Usually, this falls off in the winter months, especially in areas of the country impacted by arctic conditions.

That hasn’t happened this year.

Demand for housing has remained strong as mortgage rates have remained near historic lows. Even with an increase in rates forecasted for 2019, buyers are still able to lock in an affordable monthly payment. Buyers are increasingly jumping off the fence and into the market to secure a lower rate.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) recently reported that in 2018 the top 10 dates sellers listed their homes all fell in April, May, or June.

Those who act quickly and list now, before a flood of increased competition, will benefit from additional exposure to buyers.

Bottom Line

If you are planning on selling your home in 2019, let’s get together to evaluate the opportunities in our market.”

Article Posted from Simplifyingthemarket.com

Call or stop by to meet with a realtor at the Muljat Group North office for your buying OR selling needs this Spring! We are here and happy to help!