Author: anthonylasvegas

What are the best real estate investing strategies for 2014?For those trying to close real estate deals during the holiday season, 2014 can seem a long way off. A lot needs to be done between now and the New Year. However, experienced real estate investing pros not only understand the importance of maintaining an advantage, but get that winning in 2014 involves keeping up with the trends. Neglecting to realize the best real estate investing strategies for the end of the year and into 2014 can be devastating to any business.Many investors, particularly those that are new to the industry, find themselves wondering what will help them prevail in the next year. With so many options and changing market conditions, it is easy to get confused. Is wholesaling, rehabbing, or something else the best real estate investing strategy for 2014?

via Best Real Estate Investing Strategies for 2014.

5 real estate game changers evolving now:1. Huge BetsTrophy properties are back in and huge bets are being made by spec builders looking to serve those chasing them. Florida builders are selling spec homes for tens of millions of dollars, a 1 bedroom property just sold for over $20 million in California and two thirty something year old developers are currently building a $322 million spec home in London.2. Private Lending Becomes MainstreamBetween higher taxes, poor returns elsewhere, a need for solid income investments and surging confidence in the housing market private mortgage lending is becoming mainstream. It will no longer be a mission to sell the idea to affluent investors but getting an opportunity in front of them which will serve their needs and egos.

via The New Real Estate Game Changers | FortuneBuilders.

According to Redfin, as the holiday season nears, the housing market is showing signs of stability and even resilience through the seasonal slowdown. Redfin has more:The 19-market median sales price is up 15.3 percent year-over-year at $327,302, Redfin said.Month-over-month prices ticked down slightly with a 0.9 percent decrease. Home sales were up 0.6 percent over last year’s very strong October with 74,363 homes sold this month. Inventory continues to be the low point in the housing market, down 10.4 percent over last year, and down 5.5 percent from last month. As we said last week, shifting market conditions, such as reduced competition and falling mortgage rates, likely sustained demand in October.

via Housing market remains resilient during seasonal slowdown | 2013-11-14 | HousingWire.

The real estate market will continue its road to recovery in 2014, with home prices rising 6 percent and mortgage rates hitting 5.4 percent. In addition, demand is predicted to plateau, all according to Lawrence Yun, chief economist and senior vice president of Research for the National Association of REALTORS®, who presented his 2014 market forecast during last week’s REALTORS® Conference and Expo.Other factors aim to set the market back on the right path. Although there could be a possible negative impact due to rising mortgage rates, job creation and loosening underwriting standards should balance out 2014’s sales volume.“There were two million jobs created in the past few months and we’ll see the same next year,” says Yun. “These people could potentially enter the market.”

via Recovery to Continue in 2014, Says NAR; Rates and Home Prices Predicted to Rise.

For quite a number of years, these Las Vegas residents lived in a hotel right off the Strip. So when it came time to build their own home, they had a different point of view than most homeowners.Forget a traditional three-bedroom, two-bath home. These homeowners wanted their custom residence to look like a resort.ZillowThe pool holds center court in this Las Vegas resort-style home.\”If for any reason it looked like a house, [the owner said] he was doing something wrong,\” explained listing agent Paula Burlison of Coldwell Banker Premier Realty.That means the home has no hallways — he didn’t want it to look like a \”mousetrap,\” Burlison says.Rather, the house is designed like a wheel, with eight rooms jutting out like spokes from the main room. An enormous pool with a 20-foot stone water feature holds center court in the home. Above, a 15-foot skylight is framed by a blue tile mosaic.

via Listing of the Week: Resort-style living in Vegas home – NBC News.com.

Land and home sales keep climbing in the largest master-planned community in the Las Vegas Valley.Summerlin developer Howard Hughes Corp. said today it sold 76.5 acres of land to homebuilders for $29.7 million during the three months ending Sept. 30.That’s almost four times better than the same period last year, when it sold 21.7 acres for $7.7 million.Meanwhile, builders sold 153 new homes in Summerlin in the third quarter, up 20 percent from 128 sales a year earlier.

via Sales of homes, land continue to soar in Summerlin – VEGAS INC.

After soaring fast and crashing hard, Las Vegas home values are recovering at one of the fastest rates nationally.But this market isnt alone: Several other cities that experienced housing bubbles and economic destruction when the bubble burst are also leading the pack in real estate recovery.In Sacramento, home values climbed 34 percent over the past year, the fastest rate among major metropolitan areas, according to housing data firm Zillow. Las Vegas came in second at 33 percent, followed by Riverside, Calif., at 32 percent.Nationally, home values climbed just 6 percent during the same period.

via In real estate, those who fell farthest are now soaring highest – VEGAS INC.

Housing Leads Construction Industry to Moderate Growth in 2014, According to McGraw Hill ConstructionDodge Outlook Report Predicts Rise in Construction Starts for Housing, Commercial & Manufacturing Building Sectors; Stability for Institutional Building After Lengthy Decline; Weaker Activity for Public Works & Electric UtilitiesWashington, D.C. – October 25, 2013 – McGraw Hill Construction http://www.construction.com/, part of McGraw Hill Financial NYSE: MHFI, today released its 2014 Dodge Construction Outlook, a mainstay in construction industry forecasting and business planning.  The report predicts that total U.S. construction starts for 2014 will rise 9% to $555.3 billion, higher than the 5% increase to $508 billion estimated for 2013.“We see 2014 as another year of measured expansion for the construction industry,” said Robert Murray, McGraw Hill Construction’s vice president of Economic Affairs.  “Against the backdrop of elevated uncertainty and federal spending cutbacks, the construction industry should still benefit from several positive factors going into 2014.  Job growth, while sluggish, is still taking place. Interest rates remain very low by historical standards, and in the near term the Federal Reserve is likely to take the necessary steps to keep them low.  The bank lending environment is showing improvement in terms of both lending standards and the volume of loans.  And, the improving fiscal posture of states and localities will help to offset some of the negative impact from decreased federal funding,” said Murray.

via Housing Leads Construction Industry to Moderate Growth in 2014.

For the second consecutive week, fixed-rate mortgages declined, lowering borrowing costs and helping to alleviate some signs of softening in the housing market, according to Freddie Macs weekly mortgage market report. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 4.10 percent this week, its lowest average since June. The Federal Reserve announced this week after its monetary policy meeting that it would be keeping its $85 billion per month bond-buying program in place for now, which should help sustain low mortgage rates in the near future, says Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. The Fed also noted an improvement in economic activity but a slowing in the housing market recovery in recent months as unemployment remains high, Nothaft notes. Freddie Mac reports the following national averages with mortgage rates for the week ending Oct. 31:

via Mortgage Rates Fall to Lowest Levels Since June | Realtor Magazine.

NAR says the biggest factors influencing neighborhood choice were quality of the neighborhood, cited by 63 percent of buyers; convenience to jobs, 48 percent; overall affordability of homes, 40 percent; and convenience to family and friends, 38 percent.

Other factors with relatively high responses included quality of the school district, 29 percent; neighborhood design, 28 percent; convenience to shopping, 26 percent; convenience to schools, 22 percent; and convenience to entertainment or leisure activities, 20 percent.

Commuting costs remain a significant factor, with 73 percent of buyers saying transportation costs were important in the purchase decision process.“Green” features also played a role, with 85 percent saying heating and cooling costs were important, and 68 percent wanting energy efficient appliances.

via 2013 home buyer and home seller trends report – AGBeat.