Who are we kidding – moving sucks! Think about the complexity of prepping your house, decluttering, staging, maintaining a clean house with kids so it shows well, leaving for appointments, packing, moving, finding your next home and so on. Well, now consider allowing me and my team to remove the anxiety from your next move!

The Boston & South Shore housing market has been bonkers over the last couple years. It stems from basic economic factors including extremely high demand and a shortfall of inventory – in fact, nationally we’re down almost 4 million homes in 2022, according to NAR (National Association of Realtors). Combine basic economic principles with record low interest rates and the perfect storm for an unbalanced housing market is created.

Inflation is out of control and interest rates are on the rise, so what does this mean to you and the overall market? Well, the Fed has told us they plan to make 2-3 more hikes in 2022, so we know rates will continue to rise until inflation is tempered. Higher rates could mean reduced home affordability for those just entering the market. Soaring home values and rising rates may just lead to fewer overall buyers. This reduction in demand should flatten the price curve. So, what does this mean to you? Well, that depends on whether you’re looking to buy, sell, or invest in real estate.

Looking to sell?

NOW is the perfect time to take advantage of this insane market. You have more leverage than ever in this market. Not only will your home achieve top dollar (if prepped, priced right, and marketed by The CK Group), but you can take advantage of the buyer’s willingness to cooperate with you on your next move. What exactly do we mean? This flexibility allows you to take 30, 60 or 90 days to find your next home while staying put in your current home. Selling your home is the easy part with The CK Group; but more importantly, we develop a buying strategy for you to win. My team will utilize  our winning techniques that result in  wins on 84% of our first offers. 

I know, I know, you don’t want  an interest rate of 5% or higher. I understand, but what’s more important? Living in your dream home or having a lower rate? You can always refinance if the rates revert to the low 4s or 3s. 

Looking to buy or invest?

It may seem daunting in this insane market; but, you can still find value in the market. The first step is to identify your buying strategy – are you looking to stay in this home in the short term (1-3 years) or the long term (10+)? The answer to this question will dictate our buying strategy in order to maximize  your investment. Remember: historically, the housing market outperforms any market over the long-term — so our strategy matters. 

Now is the perfect time to buy. Interest rates are going to continue to rise, so take advantage of today’s rate before they climb even higher. We’re currently hovering around 4.75%, and industry experts predict we could be well over 5% by the end of the year. So, what does this mean to your monthly payment? Here’s an example and overview of the impact of rising interest rates on a 30 year fixed mortgage:

Example: $500,000 w/ 20% down @ 4.75%

Monthly payment = 2,086.59 (does not include taxes & insurance)

Example: $500,000 w/ 20% down @ 5%

Monthly payment = 2,147.29 (does not include taxes & insurance)

Example: $500,000 w/ 20% down @ 5.5%

Monthly payment = 2,271.16 (does not include taxes & insurance)

As you can see with rising rates and home values continuing to rise, it is the perfect time to buy. You’re only going to acquire more equity in your home as time passes. That same house in our example that was bought in 2020 would now be worth $550,000 or more. 

So if you’re thinking of selling, buying or investing in real estate, let my team educate you on the market and show you how we can win on your behalf.