So you think you know your market? What market you ask? Real Estate. Lets start with how much is my house worth? That is usually the first question people want to know. Or " I live in California what is the market trend in the rest of the Nation? " To my chagrin I have been in culture shock now for about 2 years. Let me explain, this "Real Estate" market from a home buyers perspective. What a better place to start then someone who has lived in San Francisco for the past 17 years only to move to the deep south. Rehabbing Katrina homes will make even the most experienced home owner squeamish. After hiring every Tom Dick and Bubba with a tool belt that had a contracting license I can say I know the difference between a jack stud and a 3 tab shingle. Whoda thunk a jack stud would only cost $2.66. I didn't realize I would get to know the attorney generals name here in MS let alone become well aquatinted with the State of Mississippi's office of the state Auditor. But that is another story I am sorry I do regress. You see there is always a Realtor who has a secret jewel. Could be in South Texas or somewhere in Florida. They will all promise you the insiders scoop and how it has continued under the radar waiting for someone like you to take advantage along with a few real estate insiders. In coordination with most part of the country, single family home construction continues to slowly decline in this market. However, it is being more than offset by strong growth in commercial work, which has pushed up the overall value of construction in the first four months of 2007 an 18 percent increase compared with the same period last year. This news comes one month after reporting a record low unemployment and construction growth in April. Therefore lets break this down. We all make mistakes when trying to sell a home. Over improving, or putting a home on the market before it's ready. These are just a few things I have learned after 2 years of playing contractor extraordinaire. Even as? foreclosures continue to mount locally, home sales are booming in areas where schools have high test scores. But here in the South where F.E.M.A. has become the Realtor of choice there is no market to speak of. Once the home owner realizes what type of market they are dealing with the better equipped they will be in selling their home. What your home is worth sometimes is the million dollar question. Maybe one should ask what can I sell my home at after knowing the reality of the market? Their market, not the country. Look around your area, talk to your local realtors and don't be afraid to call on the house down the street. Just because homes in your area aren't selling doesn't mean yours won't. You would be surprised at how much some owners are asking for gutted homes or even rehabbed homes. Just keep in mind your local market and never shy away from offers.
You know you can help
