2017 is over and the real estate market in Des Moines and Central Iowa has completed another insane year! If you thought 2016 was crazy for home sales, we actually sold even more in 2017. Here is the breakdown.

Total Houses Sold – 14,603

Houses Sold Growth Over 2016 – 4%

So what does this mean for 2018? As of December 31st, there were 3,213 houses available for sale. That is up 7.9% from 2016. While pending sales are about even with 2016 at 1,531 houses pending as of December 31st. That means that the demand is at the same levels as it was at the beginning of 2017 (even though it is colder now than it was then), and we have more inventory available. I am getting a lot of questions about when to sell or buy for 2018, and right now I am telling people that this is likely to be the point of the year where you will have the lowest competition for both.

If the market follows the 4% growth number, then that means we will sell over 15,000 houses in 2018. Are you thinking about buying or selling in 2018? Reach out to me and get prepared for a market that keeps getting stronger. I will have 2017 numbers for Days On Market soon. I beat the market by 60% in 2016 and 2015. You can reach me at 515.639.0047 or RyanLynch@KW.com.

~Ryan Lynch

There are a couple of things that are happening in the market right now that make it an ideal time to sell your house and/or to look for your new home.

#1 is that in the past 12 months (according to Core Logic) houses nationally have appreciated at 7%. That means that if you bought a house one year ago for $100,000, today it would (on average) be worth $107,000.

#2 is that today (December 13th, 2017) the Federal Reserve raised interest rates for the third time this year. They are expected to raise rates 3 times again next year as well. Interest rates are projected to only go up.

What this means to you as a buyer: money to buy houses is projected to only get more expensive. The house you could have afforded yesterday might have just been pushed out of your price range. You can get more money cheaper if you are looking to buy a house than you are projected to at any point in the next year.

What this means to you as a seller: your home is growing in value at ridiculous rates. The normal growth is 3% per year, and we are at more than double that. You have the chance to sell your house at a market high, while still getting historically low interest rates for the houses that you can buy.

If you have been thinking about downsizing, upsizing, or any sizing at all, I would recommend getting me to tell you what your house is worth in this market (for free and with no commitment), and what is available for you. You can reach me at 515.639.0047 or RyanLynch@KW.com.

~Ryan Lynch

I seem to do something that is mostly unique when pricing the homes that I sell. I have been compared to A LOT of other realtors. Sometimes I am being compared to one realtor. One time I was up against seven other realtors! (I got the listing and I sold it!) What I have found is that I am repeatedly told that I am the only one who is showing people one very specific thing when talking about pricing:

The Market.

Almost everyone looks at comparables. That is, houses that are the same style, in the same geographic region, similar in size and rooms, and sold within the past 6 months. Hopefully, the realtor you are talking to is at least finding similar houses. If you are just given a list of houses that does not match at least these very basic criteria, you might want to consider interviewing more realtors. (Or just interview me.)

What amazes me is that I am told that I am the only one looking at current competition. I am really happy that four houses that are very similar to yours sold for $250,000. Right now there are 6 houses that are just like yours on the market for $240,000. How well do you think your house will sell if you price it at $250,000? This also matters one week after you list, one month after you list, and so on. I update all of my clients every week with what is happening in the market and what my recommendations are based off of the data.

In fact, I would say that this is the most important piece of information to look at when pricing your home. Who you are competing against matters. It can go the other way as well. What if those same four houses that are similar to yours sold for $250,000, and now there are six houses on the market just like yours that are priced at $275,000? Do you want to lose that $25,000?

Understanding the market, and understanding your competition is a huge advantage in getting your house sold quickly and for the most money possible. Get me on your team so that you have someone that understands the market. You can reach me at 515.639.0047 or RyanLynch@KW.com.

~Ryan Lynch

You have 30 to 60 minutes to convince the average person to buy your house. That is all! You need to put your house in the best light possible so that the small amount of time they have gets people excited. There are three areas to focus on if you are planning to sell your house. These three things will make your house more attractive, more open, and more sell-able:

1. De-Clutter – Pick up and put away everything. Better yet, pack it up and get it ready to move. Have as little on the floor as possible. Have as little on cabinets, counter tops, and any surface as possible. The more open and spacious your house feels, the better.

2. De-Personalize – Put away all family pictures. Take down all non-generic art. What I mean by non-generic art is if you like art that is racy, taboo, or anything that you might not want to show your children, put it away. You want to make the space as clean as possible so that when people walk through your house, they see themselves in it. That is hard to do if they see your family’s faces everywhere they look.

3. Light and Bright – Turn on every light you can. Put in new bulbs if necessary. Open every curtain, shade, and blind. Let as much light into the house as possible. This again adds to the effect of making things look bigger and more spacious.

These simple steps will dramatically impact people’s first impression of your house. Here are a few bonuses that cost money:

4. Paint – I have never seen a fresh coat of paint make any house look worse. Unless you choose orange. Don’t choose orange.

5. New Carpet – I have had so many people ask me whether or not they should replace their carpet. My answer is almost always to do it. People have no imagination and will say no to a house they love because of stains on a carpet. People want a house that they can just move into, or they expect to pay less if they know that it is going to need work.

6. Power Wash the Exterior and/or Roof – Both of these things are much more cost effective than you might imagine, and can be incredibly powerful in changing people’s perception of your house.

These are just the beginning of tips that can make your house feel like home to a buyer. I am always happy to add value by coming out to your house and being honest with you about what is and isn’t a good use of your time and money for getting a house ready. You can reach me anytime. If you are thinking about buying a home, selling a home, or investing in real estate, get me on your team! You can reach me at 515.639.0047 or RyanLynch@KW.com.

~Ryan Lynch

I thought I would share a solid list of things that will make buying a home or selling a home easier. I have had many clients tell me that they are happy they worked with me for the same reason: because I help keep them calm and I am not pushy. I have had it said so often I thought I should share it in case you or anyone you know is looking for a realtor like this.

Buying or selling a home can be one of the most stressful transactions you will ever do. It is usually one of the largest financial transactions of most people’s lives. And if you have never done it before you will find so much that you did not expect. I have now been involved in over 100 transactions of buying and selling real estate. I have learned an incredible amount in that time. I have found that there is always something different and that there are so many ways to protect yourself.

Here are some simple steps for helping you through the transaction:

1. Wait – I am not pushy. If you are not instantly in love with a house, I tell you to wait and see if you are still thinking about it tomorrow, or the next day. Take your time and get what you want.

2. Don’t wait – If you are instantly in love with a house and you know that it is the one you must have, make an offer. If something comes up that makes you change your mind, I can get you out of it. If you miss it though, that house can be gone the very next day.

3. Realize that most people don’t even think about you – That guy is not out to get you. That girl is not trying to screw you. They are thinking about themselves. I guarantee you that they are thinking about themselves and you are not even in their mind.

4. Everything is fixable if you are willing to pay for it or work on it – I have seen houses go from shells to high end. I have seen cramped quarters become spacious. I have seen UGLY become beautiful. You can do anything if you find the one that is just right and you are willing to do what is necessary to make it perfect for you.

5. Breathe – There are always more houses. There are always more buyers. There are always more options and you are almost never boxed in.

Get someone one your team who makes it feel easy. If you are looking to buy a home, sell a home, or invest in real estate, put me on your team. You can reach me at 515.639.0047 or RyanLynch@KW.com. Have a fantastic day!

~Ryan Lynch

The Federal Reserve recently released their Survey of Consumer Finanaces. In it they said that the average homeowner’s worth is 44 TIMES higher than the average renter. This was from data pulled from 2013-2016. Beyond that they found that the average homeowner’s net worth went up 15% while the average renter’s net wroth actually went down by 5%.

What this means to you is that simply owning your own home puts you in a stronger financial position on average. Imagine what the difference would be if you also looked at investment property? If you are interested in buying a home, selling a home, or investing in real estate (or you know someone else who is), put me on your team. You can reach me at 515-639-0047 or RyanLynch@KW.com.

~Ryan Lynch