According to data collected by the United States Census Bureau, approximately 13% of all American homes are unoccupied. Why is this? If you’re an adult and have been even semi-conscious over the past five or six years, you know all about the “Great Recession,” and how the bursting of the “housing bubble” played a significant role in that catastrophe.
When the public began to realize the severity of the recession during the first few months of 2008, many folks were looking around for someone to blame. Depending on who you asked, it could have been the Wall Street, greedy CEOs, the auto industry, the banks, or debtor irresponsibility. Regardless of who was to blame, the real estate industry was in shambles five years ago.
Fortunately, the housing industry is growing stronger every month. In fact, during July of 2013, there were 2,430 homes sold in San Antonio, Texas. Furthermore, at the beginning of 2013 the list prices and sold prices of American homes are nearly equivalent, which is a positive sign that the housing market is finally stabilizing.
Whether you are interested in investing in real estate, or just looking for a good deal on buying your first home. If you are beginning the process of buying your first home, you might want to weigh consider the advantages of building vs buying a home. Then you will want to consider the benefits of using a real estate agent.
When it comes to choosing a realtor, you want to be sure to hire one that has your best interests in mind. For instance, most good realtors will recommend that most first time home buyers buy an existing home rather than building a home. Of course, this is because building a new home can be far more expensive than buying an existing home.
Basically, when first time home buyers partner with reputable and experienced real estate agents, they can avoid the common purchasing mistakes made by buyers who dive in without guidance. Buying your first home is exciting, but that excitement shouldn’t look like something out of the Money Pit.