Everything's for Sale!

Check this out – earlier this week a car dealership in Ohio was offering two cars for the price of one. If you bought a car, the second one was $1! Consumer prices dropped 1% in October – a new record! Gas prices are down nearly 50% from their highs this summer. Housing prices have dropped in some areas over 50% - what a deal. Stock prices are down and the Dow Industrial Average is as well making now a great time to get into the stock market. On top of all this, a local restaurant offered me 50% off the purchase of gift cards earlier this week. Go to a mall and you will see sale signs everywhere and it’s not even the holiday season yet!There are bargains and values out there – the time is now to capitalize on them!

So what does mean? In a nutshell, now is the time to invest – especially in houses! Prices in Northern Virginia are at 2001 levels. It has been said, you make money when you buy, not when you sell. What did Warren Buffet do to earn his billions? He bought when others weren’t and waited. Patient money will take you far in today’s real estate market. It is one of the safest ways to build your financial portfolio while enjoying the home at the same time.

If you are concerned about values declining more, I ask you to analyze the situation further and have a longer term perspective on your thought process. As we know, you can never time any market. So let’s consider the following questions to help you rationalize your decision. Are you looking to make the property a home? Are the schools highly rated? Does the yard offer what you or your family desires? Is the location convenient to work, commuter routes, shopping, and your daily activities? Are the amenities offered by the community the ones you desire? Is there value in the home relative to what else is available in the market? If so, pull the trigger and start packing! Opportunities like the ones today has to offer very rarely come around – don’t miss out! Take the advice of your trusted RE/MAX Gateway real estate professional and get moving!