Housing Trends from the Iowa Realtors Association - Mid-Year Report

According to the Iowa Realtors Association the Storm Lake Board is up considerably over 2006.
The Median Price for 2006 was - $69,500
The Median Price for 2007 is - $88,800
That's an increase of 28%

Days on Market have increased
DOM in 2006 at midyear - 86
DOM in 2007 at midyear - 118
That's an increase of 37%

What do those numbers mean?

1) Local real estate is appreciating in general - that's a good thing
2) DOM is also increasing, that may not be a good thing, it means properties are staying on the market longer - possibly a reflection of the Doom Sayers in the national market. It could also be an indication that properties are being priced higher than the market will bear. I will look into the number of properties by percent that had price reductions before selling in 2007 as compared to 2006.

On our Wednesday MLS tours I have been disappointed to see an increasing number of unrealistically priced homes. This is a disservice to the client (Seller), it also goes against the Realtor's code of ethics that we are all bound by if we use the term Realtor behind our name.

If you want to sell a property, you contact a Realtor and they don't do a CMA prior to listing your home - RUN! This analysis is one tool that helps you price your home correctly. A CMA is a report that will show what the market will bear (in other words what you will most probably sell your property for). A CMA is also used with Buyers, it is how a Realtor best represents a Buyer - it is a report that will show what the market has paid for similar properties. This tells your Buyers whether they are offering a realistic amount. Not that they don't trust you or anything - give them the facts to backup your opinions.