Tampa Real Estate Optimism Demonstrated as Buyers Forge Forward

You Cannot Hold a Good Buyer Down!

They say that the strong forge forward, this adage is true in real estate as well. A recent article published by Realty Times explains that despite date on the job market and adjusted home values over the past several years, real estate home buyers are still pushing forward in pursuit of the dream of homeownership. Real estate ownership is a desire goal and many are striving to move forward to achieve their real estate goals.

A study of over 3000 adults over the age of 20, results in more than 59% of renters and 99% of existing homeowners feel that homeownership is important. Of those surveyed, a large majority also felt that homeownership is an economic cornerstone. Additionally, real estate makes a huge impact on the overall economic vitality of a region or city. It certainly has in Tampa.

The most important result of this study is that as many as two million people are waiting to purchase a home when the time is right. Of those surveyed 62% of existing homeowners and 59% of renters believe right now, today is a “good or very good time to buy”.

SI Real Estate observes the trends of our Tampa Bay's real estate market on a daily basis. We have our finger on the real estate pulse in our city. What we are seeing here in Tampa is that properties are moving, and are moving at a much more rapid pace that main stream media reports. For years, we have been in a buyers’ market. Now this trend is shifting. As these findings reflect, homeownership and real estate are desirable by so very many of the population. With low interest rates on mortgages, lower home prices, and incredible incentives, buyers are stepping up to take advantage of these benefits while they last.

If you or anyone you know is interested in talking to an experienced real estate professional about how to reach your real estate goals, call SI Real Estate at 813.631.5144 or email us at Yourhome@SIRealEstateInvestments.com. We are happy to help and are always available.

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10 U.S. Cities With The Steepest Rent Increases (2010)

Home sales data is easing so far in this calendar year. Home resales and new construction have dropped to multi-month lows and, in many cities, home supplies are rising. One housing sector that's not slowing, however, is rentals.

The rental market is booming.

As reported by the Wall Street Journal, the average apartment vacancy rate is 6.6% nationwide, down from 8.0% last year. In addition, the number of occupied apartments rose by more during Q4 2010 than during any comparable period of the last 10 years.

It's a major reason why rents are up 2.3%.

Some areas, however, fared worse than others. This study of rent increases as published on MSNBC, for example, lists the 10 U.S. cities in which rents increased the most last year. And they may not be the cities you'd expect.

In order:

1. Greenville, SC (+11.2%; $669 average monthly rent)
2. Chattanooga, TN (+10.4%; $726 average monthly rent)
3. Savannah, GA (+8.4%; $866 average monthly rent)
4. Portland, OR (+8.1%; $875 average monthly rent)
5. San Jose, CA (+8.0%; $1,716 average monthly rent)
6. Nashville, TN (+8.0%; $786 average monthly rent)
7. Tacoma, WA (+8.0%; $900 average monthly rent)
8. Denver, CO (+7.5%; $873 average monthly rent)
9. Washington, DC (+7.4%; $1,473 average monthly rent)
10. Raleigh, NC (+7.4%; $785 average monthly rent)

Big cities New York (#18), San Francisco (#19), and Chicago (#24) showed modest gains, by comparison.

Not everyone across WA wants to be a homeowner, but renters are facing a squeeze. With mortgage rates historically low and home values slow to recover, in many cities, the cost-benefit analysis is shifting toward buying.

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Home Buyers Get Tax Credit Closing and Flood Insurance Extensions

The National Association of Realtors® article dated July 1, 2010 Home Buyers Get Tax Credit Closing and Flood Insurance Extensions Without Lapse in Coverage; Bills Now Headed for the President reported that Congress passed two bills which directly affect the real estate market and its stability. One bill extends the home buyer tax credit closing date and the other bill reauthorizes the National Flood Insurance Program. These bills are now headed to the President for his signature.

This is certainly good news for those home buyers in the Tampa Bay area and around the country who are trying to take advantage of the First-Time Homebuyers Tax Credit or the Move-Up/Repeat Tax Credit! The original deadline dates for these tax credits were that the a fully executed contract must be in place by April 30, 2010 and the deadline for closing these real estate transactions was June 30, 2010. Now the closing date deadline has been moved to September 30th, and there will be no gap between June 30 and the date the President signs the bill into law.

National Association President Vicki Cox Golder stated, “What a great way to begin celebrating our nation’s most patriotic holiday by opening the door to the American dream of homeownership to thousands of home buyers who would have been shut out of the homes of their dreams through no fault of their own.”

The passage of H.R. 5623, the Homebuyer Assistance and Improvement Act, affects approximately 180,000 home buyers who were eligible for the tax credit who would not receive the benefit had the closing deadline date not been extended. This extension only applies to those who had fully executed contracts in place as of April 30, 2010.

The National Flood Insurance Program Extension Act of 2010 (H.R. 5569) allows the extension of the NFIP until September 30, 2010, allowing transactions to move forward. The bill is retroactive and covers the lapsed period from June 1, 2010, to the date of enactment of the extension. This means that any new applications for policies or renewals that were signed and submitted during the lapsed period will be effective from the date of application. “We know that thousands of property owners seeking flood insurance policies will now be able to close transactions. NAR appreciates the extraordinary efforts in both house of Congress to end the lapse in flood insurance,” Golder said.

The passage of these bills will have an enormously positive effect on many home buyers in the Tampa Bay area who have dreamed of homeownership. That dream is now one step closer to becoming a reality. Good news for the home buyers. Good news for the real estate market. Good news indeed!

For more information about this and other real estate news, contact an SI Real Estate team member at (813) 631-5144. E-mail us at YourHome@SIRealEstateInvestments.com or visit our website at www.SI RealEstateInvestments.com.

SI Real Estate is on your side!

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