Silver Spring, MD Market Report – 3/11/10

When we factor in the two records snowfalls in February, it is amazing that anyone sold anything! Effectively a 28 day month got reduced to about ten decent selling days, but motivation is high among buyers presently in the marketplace. They see the price gains of those who bought over the previous 15 months and they realize that the down cycle in real estate has reversed and the next up cycle has begun. Increasing consumer confidence in the DC area, low interest rates, and warmer weather is feeding more urgency into the marketplace.

Here are the market statistics for Silver Spring, Maryland:

• Homes for sale: 1,085 (about the same as last month, but down from 1,456 one year ago)
• Closed sales: 121 (down from 144 in January, but up from 86 a year ago)
• Average sold price: $334,529 (up from $317,926 last month, and up from 330,453 one year ago)
• Average days on market: 88 (down from 132 last month and down from 145 one year ago)

Areas with Silver Spring addresses comprise most of the eastern side of Montgomery County, Maryland. Silver Spring is served by four Metro stations: Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glen and Silver Spring.

Housing stock in Silver Spring is every size, style, age and lot size imaginable due to the large expanse that Silver Spring covers. From one bedroom starter condos to multi-million dollar mansions, there is something for everyone.

Market data and  commentary provided by David Hess, Executive Vice President and Managing Broker.

Search for homes in Silver Spring, and all of the DC Metro: www.averyhess.com

Centreville, VA Market Report – 3/10/10

Centreville is located in Fairfax County, one of the largest counties in the Commonwealth of Virginia. From Centreville, it’s only a one hour drive to the mountains and three hours to the beach. With reasonably priced houses and a great lifestyle, what’s not to like?

The following statistics reflect the real estate market in Centreville, Virginia:

• Homes for sale: 312 ( up from 288 last month, down from 402 at same time last year)
• Closed sales: 58 (down from 90 in December)
• Average sold price: $293,369 (down from $304,655 in December, but up from $272,000 in January 2009)
• Average days on market: 41 (up from 36 in December)

Comparing each month to the previous month’s results has been like driving on a country road: small ups and downs, but the trend is unmistakable, prices are going up again. All the great fears and media reports about how the shadow inventory of foreclosures was going to cause a depression have so far been a bunch of hype. The real winners have been the buyers who have braved the media reports and jumped in and bought a house. With or without a tax credit, these folks are already looking very smart for taking action.

Prices in Centreville are rising and there is a trend toward declining inventory from which to select. As this trend continues, home prices should continue to rise as a result.

Market data, commentary and statistics provided by David Hess, Executive Vice President and Managing Broker.

Search for homes in Centreville, and all of the DC Metro: www.averyhess.com

A Brighter Outlook for Commercial Real Estate? It is up to the Regulators!

Last week Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said:

…commercial real estate loans should not be marked down because the collateral value has declined.  It depends on the income from the property, not the collateral value.

Why he didn’t come out and say this in 2008 will always be a mystery. If he had said it then, the world and particularly the US might have avoided this financial crisis.

In November 2007, FASB (Financial Accounting Standards Board) reinstated mark-to-market accounting for the first time since 1938. This rule uses the last price of a similar asset sale to value assets. This caused the market for asset-backed securities to dry up. The prices of bonds and mortgages that were still current in their payments fell by 1/3 to 1/2. In a roundabout way, this had the effect of wiping out regulatory capital, causing bankruptcies and creating a vicious downward spiral in the economy.

Last April, FASB told banks they could use asset cash flow to value bonds and mortgages. This fixed the immediate problems in the system, and the economy and financial markets have been on a tear since.

However, now we read that bank regulators are enforcing their own version of mark-to-market accounting by using the appraisal process. Regulators are forcing banks to write down loan values and increase loan-loss reserves by using appraiser-driven valuations. Appraisers? Aren’t they the same people that over-valued properties five years ago?

To the bank regulators, it does not matter if the loan is still being paid on time. Additionally, it does not matter to them if the lower valuation of the collateral will make the bank require that the borrower put up additional cash. The result is decreased bank lending that is hurting small business and making it more difficult to reduce unemployment, which is not necessary. Most banks are well capitalized today, better in fact than they were in the 1980s when banking losses were very high. In the 1980s we did not have mark-to-market rules, so if a loan was being paid on time, the bank did not have to set aside much in the way of reserves for it.

We need bank regulators to get on the same page with the Chairman of the Federal Reserve.

Post written by David Hess, Executive Vice President and Managing Broker

Search for homes in all of the DC Metro: www.averyhess.com

Leesburg, VA Market Report – 3/2/10

The market in Leesburg is hot. With houses of every size, age and type imaginable, a buyer can certainly find what they want at a price of their choosing. The report below represents the market conditions in Leesburg, Virginia.

• Homes for sale: 497 (down from 543 two months ago, and 625 one year ago)
• Closed sales: 54 (down from 112 in November when the first round of tax credits expired, and down from 117 in December when everyone was trying to close before the year end.)
• Average sold price: $363,410 (down $373,530 from two months ago, but up from $277,169 one year ago)
• Average days on market: 60 (stable over past two months and half the time it took one year ago)

Prices in Leesburg are up 29% from one year ago and bouncing around and still trending up. It is estimated that approximately 40% of the sales in Leesburg are either bank owned or short sales, where the bank has agreed to take a payoff that is less than the outstanding mortgage loan.

Downtown Leesburg is a Historic District of quaint old town where the architecture has been preserved. It is a vibrant business hub that includes shops, restaurants, art galleries, the Loudoun County Courthouse, and numerous small offices.  In addition, there are are multiple hospitals that service Leesburg. Part of the attraction to living in Leesburg is the easy access to employment areas that are within a reasonable drive, including the Route 7 biotech corridor, Tysons Corner, and Route 28.

Market data and  commentary provided by David Hess, Executive Vice President and Managing Broker.

Search for homes in Leesburg, and all of the DC Metro: www.averyhess.com

Sterling, VA Market Report – 2/26/10

It is very normal for the number of closings in January to be lower than totals in the month of December. At the end of  the year it’s typical for people to race to get into their new home before the holidays, leaving January figures to pale in comparison.

The following represents the real estate market in Sterling, Virginia:

• Homes for sale: 383 ( up from 374 last month)
• Closed sales: 71 (down from 121 last month)
• Median sold price: $274,000 (up 18% from one year ago)
• Average days on market: 36 ( down from 39 days last month)

Almost every month the median sales price in Sterling has been going up. In fact, it’s now 18% higher than one year ago. Plus, the time it takes to sell a house in Sterling is down to 36 days, improving on last month’s 39 days. Available inventory is now down 32% from a year ago, reducing the housing selection for potential buyers.

Investors and first-time buyers had previously been competing to buy the same houses on the market, which drove up house prices. Changes in policy on the sale of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac foreclosures that will give owner occupant buyers first preference. This should result in making it easier for owner occupants to purchase without having to pay more than the original asking price.

Market data and commentary provided by David Hess, Executive Vice President and Managing Broker.

Search for homes in Sterling, and all of the DC Metro: www.averyhess.com

Gaithersburg, MD Market Report – 2/25/10

• Homes for sale: 697
• Closed sales: 108 (down 24% from December 2009)
• Average sold price: $298,534 (median price is up 4.8% from same time one year ago)
• Average days on market: 81

The 24% drop in the number of closings from December 2009 to January 2010 is nothing to fear. There is always a rush to close at the end of the year and the result is that January is almost always a relatively low closing month.

Meanwhile, almost any home priced under $350,000 in Gaithersburg is receiving multiple offers. Furthermore, the average days on market was 126 days one year ago, 73 days last month, and 81 days and this month.  It takes on average, about 75 days for a well-priced house in good condition to sell.

Market data and commentary provided by David Hess, Executive Vice President and Managing Broker. To give you an idea about the wide range of prices in Gaithersburg, David’s two-acre home has four bedrooms, 2.5 baths, a side load two car garage, a huge screen porch on the back of the house and is is for sale for $689,00. Call Seema Rodriguez at (301) 922-1770 for more information.

Search for homes in Gaithersburg, and all of the DC Metro: www.averyhess.com