More Positive News on The Real Estate Market for 2013

 here are many positive terms being attached with the 2013 housing climate.  Terms like growth, increase, etc.  There are many conversations about the good signals in the housing market which are great and more meaningful as the housing chugs along.   There is much chatter about how to capitalize on this opportunity and turn the upward trends into a real profit.   

Here are five trends you can profit on in 2013.

1. New Homes

According to a late December Census Bureau report, new home sales are growing at their fastest pace in two years.  This report showed that new home sales are up 15% from 2011. As the market recovers, more consumers are using this opportunity to buy the new home of dreams.

To make the most of the surge in new homes and generate buyer leads make sure that you are sharing new home listings to catch the attention of these buyers. 2013 could be your best year ever but that won’t happen unless you have a plan that includes capitalizing on the market’s hottest trends.  The surge in new Denton County homes and Tarrant County homes has exceeded the national average.

2. Mortgage Approval Rates

The main worry of most buyers is the daunting mortgage qualification process.  This has many qualified potential buyers deciding to delaying purchasing Plano real estate due to lending anxiety. One trend you can communicate to your buyers that will help encourage your buyers  is that mortgage approval rates are up a full 11%. According to a mortgage expert “New mortgage programs with looser and  simpler qualification rules have been introduced and  in many cases the steps required for a home mortgage approval are more simple for today’s mortgage applicants as compared to just a couple of years ago.”

Not only are approval rates up but the  government has taken some major steps to clear up the ambiguity surrounding the mortgage process. If you’re an agent who is targeting and counseling buyer you will need to learn the new mortgage guidelines recently released and connect with a local lender who can help you qualify your leads quickly.

3. More Jobs 

The sharpest real estate agents are always looking for the next stream of revenue and potential clients. With that said, one trend these agents should not ignore is the growing class of 25 to 34 year olds that are quickly approaching their goal of homeownership. Recent employment numbers showed that increasingly, more 25 to 34 year-olds are working. This group saw an  employment rise of almost 2% according to a recent jobs report.

There are two things every agent should know about this group. This age bracket is one demographic that should not ever drop off our radar screens, as they are the prime age for making housing purchases. Marketing to this demographic should be continuous. The second fact is that this generation’s preferences means that marketing effectively to this group will be by using online recommendations and real time information. As an agent, that means you should make getting and adding recommendations a part of your marketing strategy.

4. Relocaters

In a recent article in the Wall Street Journal showed that one of the major fallouts of the housing recovery has been a surge in relocating buyers around the country. While still at a low, for the fourth year in a row the number of folks moving is up, according to the most recent Census data. You need to figure out where your city or region falls on the relocation spectrum. 

Start positioning yourself as the local area expert online. That includes not only targeted real estate online classified ads but also answering real estate questions that are asked in your area on online forums.

5. Real Estate - Never Boring

This next 2013 trend isn’t seasonal, but it’s of paramount importance. People, in general, are intrigued by real estate and will be asking you a ton of questions when they find out you are a real estate agent.

Getting an online visitor and getting them to become your client isn't easy. That’s why, this year you should capitalize on the real estate trends and headlines to Grow your exposure in front of potential real estate leads. Share the headlines in your blogs, tweets, and newsletters with your own local twist. This is a great way to show that you are the area expert.