Is There No Winning in Today’s Housing Market?

There is no question it’s a buyer’s market in some rather uncertain times. Sellers still appear unrealistic about price and condition, and purchasers feel no sense of urgency to make a decision – and both sides are unhappy about it. This must be the reason why people feel like there is no winning in today’s housing market.

What’s truly surprising to me is that when making important decisions about their homes folks often don’t use the data provided by us as professional Realtors. They want our opinion, our experience our knowledge, but when the facts are delivered they would rather take the advice of a neighbor or close friend living in another state. I can’t figure it out. I’ve come to the conclusion that irrational justification supersedes all commonsense; there is just no helping some people. The thing to remember for the rest of us is that statistics, when gathered correctly and looked at honestly, tell the story every time. What we must also keep in mind that this target is always moving!

I work hard to get it right! In some cases I’ve missed the chance to represent a seller due to honest evaluation of the market, or I’ve simply had to walk away because of unrealistic expectations. I know I’m better off in the end, but there still remains the feeling that I’ve failed by not being able represent their housing needs. The bottom line is, when not taking good advice from a professional Realtor, sellers keep chasing the market and buyers are missing great deals.

In my market area of Richmond, Virginia where unemployment is 2% lower than the national average, and foreclosures are almost twice as low as the national average, the question remains, who are the winners in today’s market? I can tell you they’re out there, but they are being very, very quiet. They are the one’s who are successfully buying and selling real estate NOW!


Source: John VanderSyde is an Associate Broker with Virginia Properties, A Long & Foster Company, and is also a Licensed Architect. You can learn more about John and Ann VanderSyde by visiting www.InSydeHomes.com