​Happy spring to you all. I know you must be wondering how this spring market is stacking up to markets of the past. Has inventory increased at all? Are buyers still out buying? How fast will my property sell? All good questions and we at the Angels Sadat Group are here to help!
 
Inventory: Last March, we had just 1.7 months of inventory, therefore, it is good news that we are up from last year, at 2.1 months of inventory. This may not seem like a big leap; however, it shows signs that we are moving in the right direction. Seller’s market? Yes. Remember, that a balanced market is about 6 months of inventory. This means that if no new homes came on the market, we would run out in 6 months. At this point, if no new homes came on, we would be out of inventory in just 2.1 months. Still, we are moving in the right direction!
 
Buyers: Yes! We have lots of buyers out looking for the right home, currently; however, pending sales in the Twin Cities are down about 8% from last year. Interest rates and increasing prices have held many buyers back from jumping back into this competitive market, but those who know that it is time for a change are out searching and hoping for more inventory!
 
Sellers: Of course, every micro-market is different, but our listings are still selling within the first weekend and they have all had multiple offers. Homes under $800,000 in most markets that are priced right and staged to sell are selling quickly right now; therefore, buyers are preparing more than ever to be competitive with their offers.
 
What about you? Is it time for you to start thinking about your next move? Call now, so we can have a conversation about your ideas and plans. I am always happy to help you sort out the details and strategize so that you can navigate your local market with wisdom and help you to successfully accomplish your goals. We are happy to help!

How's the market? This is the most common question I am asked when out and about in the world.

Many of our clients pulled back at the end of 2023, wondering if interest rates would continue to climb and if home prices would come down. Let's take a look at our stats coming into the New Year and find out what might be ahead for this year! 
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Have interest rates stabilized? Well, thankfully, interest rates have fallen a bit since their height in November of 2023. Only time will tell us what to expect next on this one!
 
Have home prices come down at all? As always, I have to say, "It depends." The market is always shifting, and we find that prices soften up at various times throughout the year. However, on the whole, we have found that though prices have stabilized a bit, they have not declined. The median sales price in January was still up 1.1% from last year. So, though the arc of price appreciation has flattened a bit over the past year, we have not gone backward in most areas. 
 
What about inventory? On this one, perspective is key. We "bottomed out," so to speak, in the months of November 2021-April of 2022, where we had an average of just 1.2 months of inventory. These were historically low months! There has been a slow but steady climb since then, and today (As of January 2024), we are at 2.0 months of inventory. It doesn't seem like a huge increase, but it's getting better for buyers. 
 
Overall, things are looking up! As interest rates and prices even out a bit and inventory comes into the market this spring, we should see lots of movement from both our buyers and sellers. Who do you know that needs our help this year? We love helping your family and friends, so send them our way. We are happy to help!

Are you (or someone you care about) looking to sell, buy, build, or invest in real estate this year? Great! We love to be your resource for everything "real estate." To this end, I want to answer a question I frequently get from our clients:

"We’re planning our move, so, what do we do first?"

Obviously, and it might get redundant, but I’ll say it again, "give me a call; let’s start the conversation." And why is this so important, especially as we see the market changing monthly and weekly and sometimes even daily? Because the market is changing, financing is changing, inventory is changing, and opportunities for buyers and sellers are changing. We are on the front lines of all that is changing in our market, and our team includes financing specialists, title specialists, and data analysts that can help you to navigate any and all market dynamics that affect your unique situation and goals.

"So, really, what comes first?" Well, as soon as we discover your overall goals, the first conversation is a financial conversation. "Oh, no! Those conversations are no fun!!" I know. However, clarity in the financial realm of your goals will set you free. How? Clarity is power in the real estate realm.

Now, you don’t need to disclose your personal financial information to ME, but I will connect you with the best professional for your financial needs. You have cash? Well, you may still want to discuss options with a professional - clarity, even if it’s just confirming your plan, is power. Let’s get started! If you, or a loved one of yours is even beginning to consider a move over the next year, call/text/email now, so we can get clear on making the wisest decisions and preparing well. Happy to help!

Many of our clients are looking forward to a big move in 2023, as they are wondering what this market will look like, as they begin their process. And many of them have done the exact thing we recommend, as we look to WIN for our clients this year: They called us! Ahead of time!
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Yes, now, more than ever, it is important for us to prepare our homes for sale. We are consulting with many future sellers right now because they are realizing that if we want to get them top dollar, a few preparatory steps will go a long way. This is the type of market our team thrives in, because we know what it takes to attract buyers who write offers, in a market where buyers are often hesitant, due to higher interest rates and payments.

What about buyers? How can YOU win on the buy side this year? Well, the first step is to make sure you have updated your money plan. We know rates are very fluid, so we must revisit the pre-approval often to make sure we are prepared to write a solid offer when we find "the one." With many buyers sitting on the sidelines due to concerns over the unknown, now is the time to snap up a great deal on the home of your dreams. There are fewer homes going into multiple offers right now and when you are positioned to win, you can secure your future with a lot less stress than just a year ago.

Whether you are a buyer or a seller (or both!) looking to win in this changing market, call us, so we can help you put all the pieces together and celebrate YOUR WIN this year!

‘Tis The Season… For Seasonality? ‘This the Season! This is the time of year we enjoy some extra time with friends and family, get out our sparkly decorations, watch our favorite Christmas movies, and there is a general feeling of brightness and celebration. We celebrate the incarnation of the King of kings at this time of year; the eternal salvation and abundant blessings given to all who believe in Jesus Christ.

And with the celebratory mood that this snowy month brings, we get a lot of questions around seasonality in the real estate market. Should we move in the winter? Should we wait until spring? What about my investment property; is winter still a good market for selling? Are people too distracted by Christmas and cold to think about buying and selling property? Great questions!

I was recently doing some data analysis on just this topic. The market is shifting and always in flux, so what does the data say regarding seasonality in 2022 (and into 2023)? Well, it certainly depends on your property type and other details relating to the specifics of your sale; however, the trend continues in the direction of our area being one of "all-season selling." The numbers for last year show that many property types are selling at the same rate with similar price and days on market in our winter months (Dec-Mar) as they are when we move into spring (Apr-Jul).

So what should you do? How can you plan for a successful move? Call us and we can pull data that relates specifically to your home and neighborhood. We want to position you for the most successful move possible, so allow us to do this work for you and ensure a spectacular outcome for your next adventure.

​We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and look forward to serving your with excellence for many years to come. We are always happy to help! -Angel

Here we are again at the most thankful time of the year! As I think about another holiday season coming up and consider changes in life, shake ups in the real estate market, and the general ups and downs of the day-to-day… I recall the 1989 film, Parenthood, with Steve Martin and a host of many of our ‘80’s favorites. If you haven’t seen it, you should. There is a scene where Martin’s character is feeling completely overwhelmed with the tumult of life with kids, wife, extended family; and "grandma" tells a story that is intended to help. She uses a metaphor that at first, appears to fly right over Martin’s head; describing the thrill of the "roller coaster" and how it is scary yet exhilarating at the same time; and yet, some prefer the "merry-go-round," which only goes around… As you look at life, which do you prefer?

Most of us, admittedly, enjoy the status quo. We prefer for things to go the way we want and/or expect. And yet, the reality is that we don’t always get to choose our "roller coaster" moments, and they often seem to just pop up on us at the most inconvenient times. But what if we had no ups and downs? How would we appreciate the "merry-go-round" seasons if we had no hills and valleys? How would we experience the victory of arriving on the other side of a challenge if our path was always level?

​This year, I am thankful for the roller coaster. For all of the trials and triumphs we experience as we look to live out this short time on earth in a meaningful way. At the end of grandma’s story, Martin marvels at the supposed "wisdom" of grandma, as she is sitting in the neighbors’ car (ha!); to which his "unplanned pregnant" wife responds, "I happen to like the roller coaster." May we endeavor to embrace, and even find gratitude in, the roller coaster of life as we find resilience and a certain amount of exhilaration when we do. Have a Happy Thanksgiving and we will see you soon!

We have been getting a lot of questions around the shift that we see in our market, and many times the question becomes, "As I prepare to make a move in today’s real estate environment, how can I position myself to maximize the sale of my current property?" This is an excellent question, as the answer has certainly changed over the last year and especially over the last several months.

Home Prep? Yes. We are back to the days of seriously considering spending a few dollars to get many dollars in return. As you may notice, many listings are sitting on the market for 30 days or more right now. This is a great opportunity for buyers to negotiate a more opportunistic sale, of course. But it also causes us to marvel at the homes in all price points that are still "flying" off the market with multiple offers. What’s the difference? Home prep. And I am not just talking about a good clean up and some flowers on the front porch. This may include carpet replacement, professional painting rather than just touch up, staging that creates a "feel" that buyers want… basically, digging into the details where preparing a home for sale is concerned. This is not new; we just have not had to get so nitty gritty about home prep over the last several years. Therefore, sellers, and Realtors alike, have mostly forgotten how to truly maximize the sale of their properties.

This news may cause you to think… hmm… maybe I should just sell "as-is" to one of THOSE companies? This is certainly an option, if you are not concerned with maximizing the equity in your home and your plan does not require getting top dollar. For most of us, it hurts to give large chunks of money away when a tiny bit of concentrated work could net us a nice down payment for the next home. Of course, along with home prep comes deep-dive pricing analysis, deep-dive marketing strategy, and aggressive negotiation. We are experts in all of these, and we are happy to help make home prep as easy as it can possibly be, in order to get your money into your bank account. You need a team that is not taken aback by a market shift; a team who has solutions, not excuses. This is not our first rodeo! We have the experience and ability to make your move a success! Call/text/email, and let’s chat!

The question today is: What can cause a market to change from a seller’s market to a buyer’s market EVEN if we still have low inventory? Answer: Government intervention. Now, I am not here to get political... however, I recall the founder of our company, Gary Keller, discussing market shifts and the dynamics that surround them. What dynamics can we predicts and assess at any time in any given market? What dynamics will surprise us and are totally outside the realm of "the normal market tide?”
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Predictable: Of course, we have the law of supply and demand, which assumes that if we have extremely low inventory, naturally, prices will rise and a seller’s market will prevail. Also, we can assume that as prices rise (and rise), some buyers will be relegated to the sidelines and unable to afford homeownership. We can also safely say that cyclical market dynamics such as these have been and always will be just that: cyclical. The tide rises and the tide falls.

(Somewhat) Unpredictable: Inflation reports that cause major disruption in the stock market which eventually makes its way into our local real estate market. And... Why? Of course, there are many factors. One factor: As the Fed raises the federal funds rate in an attempt to fight inflation, mortgage rates are often affected (whether directly or indirectly). Our market is experiencing an upward trend in mortgage rates, which restricts buyers’ purchase power and will likely lead to a multitude of changes in our local real estate market. We will get into some of those dynamics next month.

BUT! Don’t fear. We are staying on top if the market daily, and will remain your local specialist, even as we enter a time of changing tides in our market. No change is ALL bad (or ALL good, for that matter); it is all a matter of perspective and evaluation of your specific goals and needs. Let’s chat! I am happy to help you determine whether this market is the right market for you to make your move.

Everyone is wondering about the buyer situation, as we notice the market twisting and turning. So, are things getting better for buyers?

Although our local stats will not reveal the real "feel" of the market as we see prices still rising and inventory still at an all time low, yes, things are getting better for buyers. Active buyers, that is. You see, the rising prices and interest rates have edged many of our buyers out of the market, leaving fewer buyers for each listing. Rather than 20 offers on a particular listing, we may see 3-5 offers and sometimes only 1 offer! It’s true!

We recently wrote an offer for a client and we were the only offer and secured the property at the list price. Granted, this listing had previously been overpriced for the shifting market, and yet, because we were willing to be patient and wise about our approach, we got it with no hassle-and both buyer and seller are elated!

​Buyer opportunity dynamics are in constant flux, but the bottom line remains: buyers have a great opportunity to buy with less stress this year than last. Sure, interest rates have creeped up, but they are still historically low. None of us thought we’d ever see 5% when I entered the market in 2002, and we have seen much lower than that! Interest rates are always in flux, so when there is an opportunity in our market, and you are looking to move… take it! Call to discuss. We are always happy to help!

The question that everyone is asking, as our interest rates rise: "Will prices come down? Have they come down already?" A loaded question, indeed! Well, the answer is, of course, "yes and no."

According to our local stats, pulled from Northstar MLS, June of 2022 records the median sales price to be just about equal to that of May 2022, which was up slightly from the month before. But what does median (or a average, for that matter) sales price across the whole Twin Cities tell us, really? Well, not much.

As a local professional, I always turn to a more micro-market approach when identifying trends in pricing, as real estate is what we would call, "hyper-local." One neighborhood may stay steady while others decline or even increase as interest rates change. Price ranges and property types will vary where these dynamics are concerned, as well. Have I noticed a decrease in price on specific property types in specific areas on specific days? Yes. Do I consider this to be the trend overall? Yes, no and maybe.

Often times, we find that prices continue to climb as interest rates begin to rise. Buyers who were formerly on the sidelines will often jump into the market to make their move before rates go any higher. Considering our inventory shortage, which is still very real, I do believe that though prices may ease in their rapid climb, we will still see them continuing to move upward in many of our micro-markets. Pricing is both an art and a science, and a deeper analysis of each unique situation is required now more than ever.

If you would like to know how your home will fare as you consider your upcoming move, give me a call and I can share a hyper-local perspective that takes into account all of the dynamics we are currently experiencing in our local market. I am always happy to help! -Angela