Wow! It’s officially spring and we couldn’t be happier to welcome in warmer months and more sunshine to the communities of West Virginia. While we've been busy all year long, this season is always associated with an uptick in real estate activity. The best way to get through it - by working together!
We would like to take this moment to thank all our lenders, bankers, and real estate attorney friends for all the hard work they’ve put in this year. Keep up the great work, and thank you for trusting the West Virginia Bankers Title team, no matter what season it is.
Let’s have another wonderful month!
Bob Drummond, Vice President/Agency Manager of West Virginia Bankers Title
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Low Inventory Fuels Homebuyer Competition This Year
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We see price gains as low inventory continues to fuel the homebuyer competition this year. As more homes are selling above list price than ever seen before at this time of year, the power is in the hands of home sellers. Record-low inventory of homes for sale continues to fuel unprecedented levels of competition. “Rather than dropping out of the housing market, homebuyers only seem to be getting even more voracious, driving prices up at a startling clip,” said Redfin chief economist Daryl Fairweather.
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Why Title Insurance is Essential
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We talk a lot about title insurance and why it’s important, so we were happy to see this piece explaining why it’s not only important, but also essential. The author, ALTA CEO Diane Tomb, dives into all the ways title insurance protects new homebuyers, and why they need it, especially following the pandemic. According to Tomb, title insurance provides one less thing to worry about for as long as you own your home and beyond, in some cases. Read more at the Real Trends article.
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How the Housing Market Has Changed Since March 2020
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Last month marked two years since the official start of the pandemic, and there are plenty of articles looking back at the last 24 months. According to a new report from Redfin, the housing market has changed drastically as there are now half as many homes to choose from, and prices have increased by 34% since March 2020. The share of homes selling above listing price has doubled, while homebuyers are now twice as likely to pay more, as they strive to beat the competition. Nationwide, 46.3% of homes sell for more than the asking price, up from 21.8% in 2020.
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There is some exciting news from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac! As of March 19, lenders now have access to use Desktop Appraisals instead of the total, traditional appraisals for most purchase loans. As the real estate industry moves towards more advanced technology, we look forward to seeing a lot more of these transitions. The Desktop will empower the appraiser to focus their valuable time on what they do best: analysis and value conclusion.
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Monthly mortgage payments reached a new high this past month. According to the National Mortgage Professional, the average monthly mortgage payment is up 25%. Not to mention, the U.S. median home sale price surged by 7%. There seem to be no signs of the real estate market cooling off, which is great news, especially as we transition further into the year.
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The American Land Title Association (ATLA) Board of Governors approved the creation of a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Council. Focusing on diversity in all areas of work is extremely important, which is why this is great to learn about. As mentioned in the Ris Media article, several of ATLA’s engagement groups already work on various initiatives addressing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, such as the Discriminatory Covenants Work Group. ALTA CEO Diane Tomb said, “Bridging opportunity gaps and ensuring that all people have a greater chance to succeed is the right thing to do.
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So far this year, over 6,000 homes sold for at least $100,000 above the asking price. An analysis by Redfin found that 5,897 homes nationwide sold for at least $100,000 above the asking price between Jan. 1 and Feb. 15, 2022. In the same period last year, a much fewer, 2,241 houses sold for at least $100,000 above the asking price. Many buyers rushed to take advantage of the 30-year-fixed mortgage rate before it increased.
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Be a resource through email marketing
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Email marketing is one of the best ways to grow your real estate business and it’s the digital marketing channel with the highest return on investment, returning $42 for every dollar spent. The click rate for email is much higher than Facebook and emails influence purchase decisions. Email marketing helps you to stay top of mind and nurture buyer and seller leads. You can actively distribute valuable information promoting new listings, giving business updates, and letting clients in on changes to the market.
Don’t know where to start? Subscribe to West Virginia Bankers Title’s email list for some inspiration! Email marketing allows you to be a resource to your clients, and our West Virginia Bankers Title team wants to be a resource to you! We’ll give you market updates, company news, and plenty more tips on how to communicate with and market to your clients.
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