1. Generation Y jumps to the top. Generation Y are those ages 32 and younger who made up the largest number of home buyers, at 31 percent, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. Seventy-six percent of these sales were first time home buyers. Generation X are those 33 to47 in age and made up the second-largest group (at 28 percent), followed by younger baby boomers (18 percent) and older baby boomers (14 percent).
2. Mobile real estate search. Consumers are taking to
their mobile devices in droves for real estate searches. More than half of Gen
Y and Gen X buyers used a mobile device during their home search. Among those
who did, 26 percent of Gen Y and 22 percent of Gen X found the home they
ultimately purchased via a mobile device, according to the National Association
of REALTORS®. It all goes to show that consumers are becoming far more
comfortable searching for real estate on mobile devices. Mobile real estate
apps are here to stay!
3. Paperless business. Want to spend more time helping clients and less time
dealing with all that paperwork? There’s a plethora of online tools that allow
you to file and manage documents electronically. One option is DocuSign, a
program for creating and transmitting documents electronically from any device.
This saves time in obtaining signatures, therefore the response time to offers
becomes quicker and more efficient. It is still recommended to review all
contracts with your agent to ensure all questions have been answered prior to
signing anything.
4. Where is the inventory? The complaint is widespread:
Housing inventory has been stubbornly low in the past year. Well, perhaps
that’s starting to change. The number of listings nationwide ticked up by 4.3
percent to 1.9 million homes on the market in June, according to Realtor.com®.
That’s the highest monthly jump in a year, and rising home prices could
persuade more sellers to throw their homes on the market in the coming months.
Be sure to stay ahead of the curve. As I have said since
the beginning, please call a local Realtor for all
your real estate needs no matter how big or small. We are trained professionals
here to make your life easier. It's best to surround yourself with the right
team of professionals that can continuously give you the right advice for all
your circumstances.
Lisa DiBiase is the owner/realtor for Landing Real Estate.