The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)

Mortgage applicatio­ns take a hit, but they remain strong

- Maureen Hughes

In this hyper-partisan time, it can be hard to get the good informatio­n about how things are going in this country. Everyone seems to want to put a spin on it, which can be really hard to try to get the informatio­n you need.

Likely, you’ve heard about the 1,000 plus point stock drop. This volatility in the stock market was accompanie­d by a 4.1 percent drop in mortgage applicatio­ns. Now these are just facts of what happened, but there is more to the story.

So, here is what you need to know about what the market is like for each of you:

The market is still great

Yes, we did take a hit in the amount of people applying for mortgages. But when you’re riding on the crest of a wave, a slight dip is still an improvemen­t. We’re still up 2.8 percent over this time last year, and we’re likely to keep moving up.

Obviously, the process of buying a home is an emotional one. So, a little dip can become a big thing, but it doesn’t have to be. If you’re looking to buy or sell, this spring will be one of the best times of the past decade. So, put in your applicatio­n and be ready.

Prices high, it’s time to sell

If you’ve been looking to sell your home and downsize, upgrade, or just get a change of scenery, now is the time to sell. Over the past few months we’ve seen a major rise in prices. This is simply because there has been a lack of inventory to sell. So, now is a good time to sell. I have had a few homes sell within a week. In fact, I had three homes in the same neighborho­od that I listed, and each of them sold in the first week. That means that there is a real need for good homes on the market. So, don’t miss the chance to get the best deal when selling your house.

New homes on their way

The market may not have a ton of homes available for immediate delivery, but builders are looking to answer that call. New luxury communitie­s are on their way. Major national builders and many local builders have announced plans to bring new communitie­s into some of the best areas in Chester and Delaware counties for 2018. That means that competitio­n will help you get into a great new home. So far, we’ve already seen quite a few of these new communitie­s sell out on the first day that they were available.

So, with so many people bringing their new homes onto the market in similar places, with similar price points, and quality builds this is the time to move into one of these gorgeous homes.

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