Negative Housing Reports Runs Risk of Becoming Market Reality!

Negative housing reports in the media have altered the public's perception of the value - and potential - of today's real estate market. When too many people share too many exaggerated messages of gloom and doom, market perception runs the risk of becoming market reality.

The truth is, there is still plenty of good news on the Georgia real estate market. When we hear consumers echoing the negative media reports, let's also consider sharing the following facts:

• Interest rates remain at historic lows; today's consumers are not battling the interest (or inflation) rates of the 1970s and 1980s.
• Conventional financing remains available to many, and FHA loans are on the rise.
• The value of a home typically doubles every 10 years, on average. How's that for a return on investment?
• Over the past 30 years, homes have appreciated an average of 6.6% per year, more than any savings account interest rate, and more than most CDs or other investment vehicles. And the return on the actual initial investment is even more significant when you consider that most homeowners invest only a small fraction of their home's total value in their down payment. That's the power of leverage.
• The average homeowner today holds 36 times the wealth of the average renter. Why? Keep reading below.
• 60% of the average homeowner's wealth rests in their home's equity. Homeowners who look at home ownership as a long-term proposition are the homeowners who most reliably build equity. So putting down roots with home ownership can be the most important step in building your financial foundation.
• Home equity is the largest single source of wealth for most Americans.
• Lastly, A house becomes a home. and that's more than an investment: it's a way to enjoy your life, and provide a stable environment for your loved ones.