4 Bedrooms/3 bathrooms with a pool
only $295.000  MLS # 13-145542

The Real Estate market in Washington County Utah is red hot.  The market over the past year has really heated up.  What does that me to those who are trying to purchase a home?  If you are looking for a home your money will buy less home than it did a year ago.  The average sales price has gone up over 23% in the past year.  Homes under $200,000. are getting hard to find.  Don't worry though because home prices will continue to rise in the next 12 months and so if you buy now you will look pretty smart in a year from now.  With land prices going up and the cost of developing going up, if you can get in now you will certainly be in a better position than you will in a year from now.  Most of the cheap lots are gone and so the new lots coming to the market will be considerably more money.  When new home prices go up then the existing home prices will follow.  Interest rates are still very low, but rising as well.  Last year you could buy a nice starter home for a payment of under $1000.00 a month.  Now that same home will cost you about $1200.00 a month.  It will also be a little smaller home than what you could have bought with the same payment last year.  A small change in interest rate can make a big difference in your purchasing power.  There are some big changes coming to FHA guidelines in the next month which will also impact mortgage insurance.  The biggest one is that on FHA loans mortgage insurance will be for the life of the loan. (OUCH)
For those who are looking to sell their home it means that you will be able to get more money for your home and that if priced properly and in great condition it will sell quickly.  There will always be those who think that because it is a sellers market that they don't have to do anything to get their home ready to sell.  This attitude will end up costing the seller thousands of dollars.  There are still enough homes on the market that the best offers will go to the best homes.  Most people looking for a home don't want to have to do a lot of fix up on deferred maintenance.  The bottom line is that to get top dollar for your home in a sellers market still requires your home to be in top condition.  I recently sold a home before it ever made it to the multiple listing service.  The home was in great condition and the seller spent some money on doing new counter tops in the kitchen and new laminate flooring in the kitchen.  The first people through the door paid her full price.  I have another home in a great neighborhood that is in good condition with many new things like roof, air conditioning, furnace, water heater, ect.  The home is very cluttered and doesn't show well.  The home would sell very quickly if it were de-cluttered and ready to show.  The bottom line is if you want the home to sell, get it ready to sell.  Most people wouldn't by a car if they got in and it smelled funny, if there was junk in the back seat and under the front seat, if the paint was faded and scratched and the body rusted.  People don't buy houses and pay top dollar for them if they can't see them and if they are dirty.  Buyers are wanting to buy and sellers are wanting to sell, using a little common sense will make a win win for both.
Happy House Hunting,