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The Obama administration’s flagship effort to help people in danger of losing their homes is falling flat.  More than a third of the 1.24 million borrowers who have enrolled in the $75 billion mortgage modification program have dropped out.  Last month alone, 150,000 borrowers left the program – bringing the total to 436,000 who have left since it began in March 2009. 

A major reason so many have fallen out of the program is that the Obama administration initially pressured banks to sign up borrowers without insisting first on proof of their income. When banks later moved to collect the information, many homeowners were disqualified or dropped out.

The growing number of people leaving the program could lead to a new wave of foreclosures, which could weaken the housing market and hold back the broader economic recovery.  Experts say more borrowers are likely to drop out in the coming months.

Some homeowners who owe more on their loans than their properties are worth are likely to conclude that paying an oversized mortgage isn’t worth the cost.  Even after their loans are modified, many borrowers are simply stuck with too much debt..

Obama administration officials contend that borrowers are still getting help – even if they fail to qualify for the program.  The administration published statistics showing that nearly half of borrowers who fell out of the program received an alternative loan modification from their lender. About 7 percent fell into foreclosure.

Another option is a short sale – one in which banks agree to let borrowers sell their homes for less than they owe on their mortgage.  A short sale results in a less severe hit to a borrower’s credit score and is better for communities because homes are less likely to be vandalized or fall into disrepair.  To encourage more of those sales, the Obama administration is giving $3,000 for moving expenses to homeowners who complete such a sale or agree to turn over the deed of the property to the lender.  Administration officials said their work on several fronts has helped stabilize the housing market. They cited government efforts to provide money for home loans, push down mortgage rates and provide a federal tax credit for buyers.

But it was just a short-term fix.  The expiration of the tax credits, which required eligible buyers to put a home under contract by April 30 and close by June 30, caused many people to stop looking.  The number of showings in May plummeted 30 percent from the same month a year earlier, and pending sales were off 5 percent.  It appears that the tax credits simply took the buyers that would have bought in the second and third quarter of this year and you stuffed them into the first quarter. 

The end of the tax credits has also caused new housing starts to fall across the country. They were down 10 percent in May, the biggest decline since March 2009, the U.S. Commerce Department reported.  Triangle home showings declined about 5 percent in November when the government tax credits were originally set to expire.  This time, real estate agents have reported a noticeable drop in activity since the deadline to put a house under contract passed.  Showings in the Triangle are down 30 percent from last year and it appears that this will not be a HOT SUMMER for Raleigh Real Estate.  Sellers will not be in the driver’s seat for the next several months at least.

If you’re looking to buy and take advantage of the buyer’s market, contact the Freeman/Davis Team at www.FreemanDavisHomeTeam.com and www.HomeSearchRALEIGH.com.  We are area experts, having lived here most of our lives.  Call us at 919-649-6638 and let’s talk about your next real estate move.  In fact, regardless of where you are moving to or from, we can help with our network of great real estate agents across the country.  Visit www.CertifiedRelocators.com for more information and registration.

You’ve talked to friends, you’ve read “Home Buying for Dummies,” you’ve been surfing the Internet for months. You know what you want in a home – and now you’re ready to take the plunge.

But are you?

Our experience shows that buyers often make five critical – and costly – errors when they begin their home-buying journey. For instance, one of the mistakes many buyers make is not doing their homework. Do you know what the others are?

We’ve put together our best insider tips with you to ensure there are no ugly surprises on your journey to home ownership. You’ll find many of them in our FREE e-Report, SETTLEMENT: Secrets To An Easy Contract Closing. Click on the title to get yours today!

Ready to find your perfect home with the price and features you’ve been looking for? Click here to receive our free custom home search report. Simply enter your criteria and we’ll do the rest.

For wonderful opportunities on Raleigh Homes for sale, visit our Raleigh Real Estate Website. There’s always great Raleigh Durham Things To Do and Information on the HomeSearchRALEIGH Blog.

Here’s more summer fun information…from the Raleigh real estate team of Rick Freeman and Amy Davis at Allen Tate in the Triangle. 

We’re well into the summer concert season here in Raleigh and some great shows are coming up over the next few weeks.  One of my favorite ongoing series is the North Hills Midtown Beach Music Concert Series at The Commons at North Hills Shopping Center.  Hometown favorites The Embers will perform this Thursday (6/17) from 6:00 until 9:00. 

The Embers show is free as are all the North Hills summer events (The Entertainers perform next week) but if you want to spend some money, The Eagles are at the RBC Center the same night.  I just looked online and Ticketmaster still has some really good seats available ranging from about $70.00 to just under $200.00 for up-close seats on the floor.  The Eagles are playing shows across the country and ticket sales have been far less than was expected.  The Eagles show at Nationals Park in D.C. was cancelled (allegedly due to a scheduling conflict) and the band is instead playing at the smaller Hersheypark Stadium in Pennsylvania.

Slow sales is a fact that I could not be more thrilled about.  While the Eagles are a great band and very talented singers, they are not really entertainers. Unless a concert is going to be a true entertainment experience, I see no need in paying more than the cost of a DVD or iTunes download. If you remember, The Eagles were the first band in history to charge more than $100 for a concert.  So, that being said, I’m voting Embers over Eagles this week.

A couple of other shows coming up:

• Friday 6/18 7:00 PM Lynyrd Skynyrd Bret Michaels, .38 Special. 
  Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek
• Friday 6/25 7:00 PM Rascal Flatts
  with special guests Kellie Pickler and Chris Young 
  Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek
• Sunday 6/27 8:00 PM America with Ambrosia
  Raleigh Memorial Auditorium

The Freeman/Davis Home Team loves to get out and have fun just like you.  And (pardon the “Donna Summer” reverence), when it comes to Raleigh real estate, we work hard for you and hard for the money!  Search For Raleigh Homes in the Triangle on our Raleigh MLS VOW (Virtual Office Website), the most advanced home search tool online.

Raleigh Real Estate Advice

How can you tell whether your area is experiencing a buyers’ or sellers’ market? When the number of houses on the market drops and the number of buyers who want to purchase grows, it’s a sellers’ market. In this type of environment, sellers will experience home appreciation, quick sales and, possibly, offers that exceed listing prices and multiple-contract offers.

In a buyers’ market, the number of houses on the market is high compared to the number of buyers. The average number of days homes stay on the market stretches out, and sellers may be forced to drop prices or make more concessions, such as paying points and closing costs.

Another indicator of a buyers’ market is an increase of the number of absentee owners—owners who rent-out their houses, waiting to sell once the market improves.

Give us a call at 919-649-6638 or contact us through our Raleigh Homes website, Home Search Raleigh if you’re interested in learning the specifics about the real estate market in our area. If you like, we would be happy to help you craft a buying or selling strategy to take best advantage of the current trend.

P.S. For more home-buying tips, click Here Are Some Cool Moves for Buying a Home in a Hot Market. It’s yours absolutely FREE!

“How is the market doing?”  If I had a dime for every time someone asked me that … Over the past 24 months that seems to be the question on everyone’s mind.  I am happy to report that the market is recovering.

The health of any real estate market is based on the principle of supply and demand.  Supply and demand is generally impacted by three factors:  the availability of jobs in the market, consumer confidence, and the cost of home-ownership.  Moving one step above that is that fact that all real estate markets impact one another, especially in an area like the Carolina’s where many people relocate from other parts of the country.  If you can’t sell your house where you currently live, then you most likely can’t purchase in your new location.  Or if you have to sell for less where you currently live, then you might have to purchase differently in your new location.

If you are a seller it is still all about price and condition.  Pricing has to be compelling because buyers still have a lot of choices.  For sellers that are pricing correctly from the start, the average days on the market (the time it takes to get the house under contract) is 1/3 of the time when compared to houses that aren’t priced right.  And houses that are priced right sell for 97% of list price.  Houses that aren’t priced right from the start sell for 88% of list price.  So there is a big penalty for incorrectly pricing listings.

So, with that being said, what does the market look like in the Triangle region of North Carolina?  First, the job market showed its first modest growth in a couple of years.  Inventory increased slightly and average list prices decreased on average 10%.  Activity levels have increased across the board.  Closings have increased with average sales prices down around 10%. Wake County average price is $248,000, Durham County average price is $181,000 and Orange County average price is $304,000.  Foreclosures and distressed sales make up less than 10% of the listing inventory.

There is currently a 12 month supply of inventory across the Triangle.  A balanced market, where supply and demand are at equal levels, is a 6 month supply. So the Triangle still has more supply than it does demand.  But again, demand has increased over 2009.

Affordability remains a big positive with lower average prices and interest rates that are still at all time lows (as of today under 5%).  And consumer confidence is improving as other markets around the country are starting to recover and people are getting their houses sold.

The market is recovering.

Our thanks to Phyllis Brookshire, Senior Vice President for the Allen Tate Company, for writing this article and providing such insite into the market.  We are all very encouraged.  As always, we’re your Trusted Advisors for Raleigh real estate, Rick Freeman and Amy Davis, the Freeman/Davis Home Team.    Search For Homes in the Triangle on our Raleigh MLS VOW (Virtual Office Website), the most advanced home search tool online.

Here’s more timely information about Raleigh real estate from Rick Freeman and Amy Davis, the Freeman/Davis Home Team at Allen Tate in the Triangle.

Hearing conflicting viewpoints and opinions like these can cloud decisions about buying a home. Stocks are tanking! No, the economy is recovering! It’s a good time to buy! No, it’s time to sell! Is homeownership really a good investment?

Consider that:

• Comparisons between investments can be misleading – especially when local real estate trends are compared to stock market bubbles, which are tied to the national economy.
• When you put money into the stock market, the total value of your portfolio is at risk. For instance, if you invest $100,000 in the stock market and it drops in value by 20%, you’ve actually lost $20,000. In real estate, a buyer can purchase a home with a down payment as low as 3% (or even lower in some cases). If, after a $100,000 home is purchased, its value drops by $20,000, the homeowner has actually only risked the down payment of $3,000.
• When investments grow in value, it takes a much higher percentage growth in the stock market to result in the real money growth afforded by real estate.
• Homeowners can sell their home every two years and take a large portion of the profit tax-free ($250,000 for single home sellers; $500,000 for married home sellers). Try doing that with the capital gains on your stock portfolio!
• Unlike stocks, your home protects you from the elements, provides a place to raise your family and becomes a storehouse of wonderful memories.

If you’d like to find out more about building your wealth through real estate, please give us a call.

P.S. You may also enjoy reading our latest e-Tips on how buying a home can put more money in your pocket. Click Did You Know Your Paycheck Gets Bigger When You Buy a House? to learn more.

Search For Homes in the Triangle on our Raleigh MLS VOW (Virtual Office Website), the most advanced home search tool online.

Here’s more timely information you can use to save money…from the Raleigh real estate team of Rick Freeman and Amy Davis at Allen Tate in the Triangle. 

8 Ways To Cut Insurance Cost For Teen Drivers

1. Raise your comprehensive and collision deductibles to at least $1,000, which lowers your premiums and prevents you from filing small claims that could jeopardize a claims-free discount. Add some more money to your emergency fund so you’ll have the cash to pay the deductible if anyone in your family does have an accident.
2. Drop collision and comprehensive coverage entirely on older cars that are worth little more than the deductible. You may be paying more in premiums than you could ever get back from the insurer, even if the car is totaled. Look up your car’s value on Kelley Blue Book
3. Get a safe car. Having your child drive a safe car will help you sleep easier and keep your auto insurance rates under control, too. Check safety ratings at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (www.iihs.org).
4. Encourage your children to get good grades. Most insurers offer a big discount for young drivers who maintain at least a B average in high school or college. College kids generally need to take at least 12 credits to qualify for the discount.
5. Tell your insurer if your child goes away to college. If your child goes to school more than 100 miles away and doesn’t take a car, you can usually get a big break on your premiums but still have coverage when he or she comes home for vacation.
6. Ask about other discounts for teenage drivers. Some insurers offer discounts for driver-safety programs, cutting costs if the children take a special class, watch a DVD, or read a driver-safety book and take a test. Ask your insurer what your kid needs to do to qualify.
7. Make the most of multi-policy discounts. You’ll usually get a break on your auto insurance and your homeowners insurance if you keep both policies with the same company. You may get an additional discount if you include an umbrella policy, which provides extra liability coverage beyond your auto-insurance limits and can be particularly valuable when you have a teenage driver.
8. Shop around. Some insurers offer much better deals than others for teenage drivers, so it’s important to compare costs. The insurance company that offered the best rate for you and your spouse may have some of the highest rates when you add a teenager to the policy (and it’s almost always better to add the child to your policy rather than have him or her get their own policy).

The Freeman/Davis Home Team can save you money in a number of ways, including your insurance when we introduce you to our insurance partner Meredith Owen with Allen Tate Insurance.  Search For Homes in the Triangle on our Raleigh MLS VOW (Virtual Office Website), the most advanced home search tool online.