Buy a House Fast

Sales are down

March’s national home sale numbers are in, and as they say in the movies, there’s good news and bad news.  Based on data from a National Association of Realtors report released last week, sales of existing homes went down from 4.71 million units (units include condos, co-ops, townhouses and single family homes) in February to 4.57 million in March, a 3% drop.  To put 2009’s falling sales numbers in perspective, there were 4.92 million existing-home sales in March 2008, 7.1% more than this year.  In light of the struggling economy, a drop in sales makes complete sense: with jobs disappearing, many are hesitant to commit themselves to a mortgage they’re worried about being able to pay a few years (or worse, a few months) down the line.  The silver lining here is that many homes are now available for less than they would be in a good economy, when demand for property would be high.  In fact, homes went for 12.4% less in March 2008 than they did in March 2009, at an average price of $175,200.

First-time buyers to the rescue

We’ve been saying for a while that, contrary to popular belief, now may be the right time to pull the trigger on a refurbished home, especially if you’re a first-time homebuyer.  According to the numbers in the report, first-timers accounted for 53% of all sales, a percentage that’s likely to get a lot higher since the $8000 tax credit provided by the government had only recently become available by the time these statistics were compiled.  As more people begin to take advantage of this offer, it’s likely that first-time homebuyers will continue to establish themselves as the driving force behind the real estate market.

Our purpose in presenting you with these numbers is to make sure you know how things stand around the country as you decide how to proceed.  If you’d like to learn more about the homes we have available, get in touch with us here at www.ExpressRs.com.

First-Time Homebuyers Seminar: Mortgage Assistance. Credit Repair. Home Selection. Closing.

This is a great opportunity to gain valuable insight into the process of purchasing your first home.

May 16, 2009 10:00AM to Noon
Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church
201 Fourth Street SE Washington DC
Corner of 4th and Independence Ave. SE.
Located close to the Eastern Market or Capitol South metro stations. Please note that parking for the event is extremely limited.

This seminar will:

1. Suggest ways to improve your credit rating. Credit scores can be raised by as much as 100 points through our simple, legal, and no-hidden-costs method.

2. Explain how you can secure up to $18,000 in down payment assistance. No strings attached, and available to all qualified first-time home buyers. This is grant funding you won’t ever have to pay back if you occupy your home for a certain length of time.

3. Teach you to identify and target the best DC-area properties for your budget. Learn simple tricks and techniques to get the most value for your money.

4. Remove the mystery from the closing process. Learn to understand concepts such as deeds, closing costs, title and ownership.

This Home Buying seminar is unique in that you can pre-qualify, apply and view new home opportunities right on the spot. You won’t want to miss out!

Hosted by Express Realty Services – www.ExpressRS.com.

Featured Speakers:      Marc Hershkowitz – Realtor and Host
Kristine O’Neill – Senior Loan Officer, Virginia Heritage Bank Mortgage
Mark Schrader – Principal, Millennium Title
Steve Conover – Credit Guru, MyCreditABC.com

Seating is limited. Sign up today to reserve your spot or arrive early take advantage of our first-come-first-served seating.

Please contact Tina@ExpressHomebuyers.com or 703-752-1374 to make a reservation or for any further information you may require.