Taking a quick peak at the real estate market, it is no secret the market remains very strong with buyers competing for limited inventory. Well priced properties continue to garner multiple offers however, there is a little bit of a change in the buyer’s thought process where they are now not making offers on properties well in excess of their perception of market value. In short, the days of paying whatever a seller wants I personally feel is winding down.

New construction has been an option for many willing to wait 18-24 months for a new home to be built however, builders are including escalation clauses in those contracts should there be a rise in material costs from when the contract was originally signed. Typically many builders will order materials after the permitting process which can take 3-4 months to approve. Once permitting has been approved, the builder will then order the materials. This is when the increase in price usually surfaces from the original estimate to build. Many builders will charge a fee or the buyer may lose their deposit should they cancel the purchase agreement at this time.

When it comes to new construction in many of the new communities being developed, the developer will release a small percentage of lots for bid. Sometimes there are upwards of over 100 people bidding for the lot which drives the lot up significantly. Then you have to go through the building process where there can be additional costs as material costs rise. All this being said, I am finding many people not wanting to go through the feeding frenzy created in this format and start reconsidering the purchase of an existing home knowing that it may not be ideal, and remodeling will have to be performed to get something closer to what they like.

The thing to keep in mind is you are coming to a beautiful state, and even a home that needs a little TLC will make you feel much better than sitting up north, cooped up for a significant period of time wishing the winter away.