In 2012 and 2013, we had a borrower looking to buy in Oakland and she was obsessed with getting the absolute lowest possible price.
As a result, she kept walking away from transactions, b/c of $5,000 to $10,000 price discrepancies, even though she was shopping in the $650,000 range in what was becoming the hottest market in the country.
The $10,000 differences she quibbled over worked out to be less than $50 per month in payment. What is most interesting is that she waited so long that she was ultimately unable to buy in her desired Rockridge neighborhood altogether, and she ended up buying in a suburb east of Oakland.
The houses she was bidding on are now worth twice what she was offering too. Her “cost of waiting,” or cost of not executing, was extremely high, to say the least. Unfortunately, her story is not unique.
RATES HIT 7 YEAR HIGH
According to this CNBC Report, “interest rates are surging to their highest level in seven years.”
And, it looks like they are going to continue to climb, based on continued strong economic reports and announcements by the Fed.
Despite the rate increases, the demand for housing remains very strong. In addition, property values continue to appreciate at a surprisingly fast pace.
COST OF WAITING IN 2018
These factors (increasing rates and appreciation) combined make the “cost of waiting” as high as ever.
In a recent National Real Estate Post Video, at about the 9-minute mark, Barry Habib uses a $500,000 Orange County purchase as an example.
At current appreciation rates, waiting even six months can cost a buyer an additional $200 per month, according to Mr. Habib.
Waiting a year can cost over $400 per month.
Jay Voorhees at (925) 855-4491 Real Estate Broker, CA Bureau of Real Estate, BRE# 01524255, NMLS# 335646
