When is the best time to buy a house?

Truthfully, the best time to buy a house is when you are in need of something different. Your need doesn’t always mesh with interest rates, housing costs or other market conditions. While it is nice to receive perks such as an $8,000 dollar tax credit or a sub 5.00% interest rate that is not the major factor in a purchase decision.

Buying decisions are truly made based on emotion rather than facts and numbers. This is the reason people are not currently buying homes in droves. As far as interest rates, prices and perks, there truly has not been a better time to buy in recent memory. Home builders and Realtors alike are all pounding the same general message. They say,”don’t wait, buy now” and take advantage of all these great financial benefits.

I personally think our customers can see through the fog. People understand that with fewer homes being built and purchased, home builders and Realtors are pushing the over obvious message in an effort to create income and revenue. What this constant message preaching actually tells the customer is that you don’t care about their needs. They feel you are more concerned about making a buck, which actually makes people cynical of your motives.

What consumers really want has not changed just because there are different market conditions. Our customers still want to feel appreciated. They want to feel that you are helping them for selfless not selfish reasons. The truth is that our clients will always be willing to purchase a home when their true needs match up with your ability to help. When this happens with more frequency, consumers will once again enter the market in greater numbers.

My advice is to stop preaching the same message as everyone else about interest rates and tax credits. Be different. Focus on the client and center your questions and statements on your clients’ desires and changing needs. A Realtor becomes successful when they figure out how to help their client resolve the problems they have in their current situation. Forget about the market and all the other nonsense.

Curt Fletcher aka The Likeability Guy, is a Real Estate Professional, Business Development Strategist, Published Author of the book, "How To Sell More Homes and Increase Your Income," Sales Trainer, and REALTOR with Atrium Realty Group in North Texas.

New FHA Guidelines...Listen Up Fence Sitters-IT IS TIME TO BUY!

Okay, so the House and the Senate have both passed the Housing Bill and it is just waiting for the Presidents Signature.

The signature will happen this week and is just formality as he said last week he will.

Here are the touch points:

NEW DEAL: Immediate relief for those people impacted by impending Foreclosure.

IMPACT: Less Foreclosed homes in the market place, which will lower the supply allowing more people to sell their home at current market value---NOT the deflated market value created by the high amount of Foreclosures in the market. Basic supply vs. demand principle here.

NEW DEAL: Down Payment Assistance Programs WILL BE BANNED.

IMPACT: If you have a DESIRE to own a new home, and HOPE to NOT be putting at least 3.5% of your own money into the sale, YOU MUST BUY NOW!! The Down Payment Gift Programs like Nehemiah, Genesis, and Ameridream will Officially Disappear on 10/1/2008.

To STILL qualify for a NO MONEY Loan, you MUST have a VALID Home Purchase Contract, An Approved FHA Loan, and an FHA Case number Attached.

This means:

1. BUY A HOME,


2. FILL OUT A LOAN APP,


3. SUBMIT ALL PAPERWORK for the loan BEFORE 10/1/2008.

NEW DEAL: Tax Credit for First Time Home Buyers.

IMPACT: First Time Home Buyers WILL be Eligible for a TAX CREDIT of 10% of the NEW Home Purchase or a TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED $7,500.

This Tax Credit is really more of an upfront loan as it WILL be required to be paid back in equal installments over the course of the next 15 Years. It will be taken out of your Tax return Check each year, so in most cases it won't be necessary to actually write a check.

Still a good scenario to provide an Immediate Boost to help First Time Home Buyers budget with their NEW Home Investment.

A First Time Buyer is Classified as NOT having any ownership benefit over the course of the last 3 consecutive years.

There are other details involved in the NEW Housing Bill, but these are the 3 MOST Impactful items to Affect YOU.

THE TIME IS NOW FIRST TIME BUYERS! If you are undecided about a home, but desire to make a purchase, the COST of WAITING just got a bit higher.

Curt Fletcher is a Real Estate Expert, New Home Sales Professional, Published Author of the book, "How To Sell More Homes and Increase Your Income," Sales Trainer, and Professional Speaker that focuses on improving your Likeability to increase your Opportunities for Success!

The TRUTH about the Housing Market!

It seems day after day, I read story after story that promotes the downfall of the housing market. I see where homes are losing value and mortgages are more difficult to obtain.

There is only one problem with stories like these. They are NOT an actual representation of the housing market!!

For some reason it has become acceptable and almost expected to tell false blanket stories that project a very negative and false picture of the housing economy.

Is it true that housing has lost value in parts of California?....YES!
Is it true that home values have decreased over parts of the East and West Coast?....YES!
Is it true that the Economic conditions for job growth in Detroit are difficult?....YES!

As a Real Estate Expert in Texas I can tell you that these issues that are being faced in other parts of the country have little to no effect in the Texas market.

These are the FACTS!

• 262,000 NEW Jobs created from April of 07' to April of 08'!
• 11,000 NEW People move to the Dallas / Fort Worth Metroplex EVERY Month!
• Homes are NOT Losing Value on a wide scale.

So then why is it acceptable to issue Negative Blanket Statements for the Housing Industry to the Public?

In any other aspect of life, accepting blanket statements and stereotypes is considered the lowest form of journalism, is unethical, and is for the most part ignorant.

If Housing is down in Miami, does that mean it is also down in Dallas?.....NO! That makes NO sense!

If crime is high in Washington DC, does that mean crime is also high in Trophy Club, TX?....NO! That makes NO Sense!

The Media Needs to stop trying to Localize a National Issue. It is both inaccurate and Dangerous. The negative news flow is hindering the housing market across the nation by fear mongering and scaring the public.

THE TRUTH ABOUT what the media is doing is this:
In Texas and other very solid markets around the country, people are waiting to purchase homes because they HEAR the market is bad. They are waiting to purchase because the NEWS tells them prices will keep falling.

Only one problem....IT'S WRONG!

The TRUTH in TEXAS

• Prices WILL begin to rise very soon. With higher gas prices come higher building costs--just like anything else you purchase.
• Interest Rates will be going back UP to their normal range. 5% and 6% Mortgage Rates are NOT the norm.
• The LONGER you are told to wait...the HIGHER the cost to you.

The TRUTH about Interest Rates

• 20-Year Average is 7.3%
• 30-Year Average is 8.8%
• Pre 9/11 Average back to 1990 is 7.67%
• POST 9/11 Average is 6.23%
• *9/11 Shocked the world. Rates were lowered to stimulate buying to spur the economy and lower consumer fear.

The time has come to end the False Stories and the Negative Information Exchange. It is doing nothing except promote a poor economy, costing Americans more of their future money (the cost of waiting), and perpetuate a growing feeling of insecurity.