95 Days Is Average?

Here we go again. It's the story about how local home sales went up again for the month of January in a rural area southwest of Chicago. That's good news.

However, the local realty association also "reports" that the "average" home sale took 95 days, which is one week less than a year ago.

Why can't they simply tell us all how many homes were sold, and if sales are up, report that, and be done with it?

Ninety-five days as "average"? This is still February (at press time). This would tell me, as a homeowner, that if I decided to sell and picked up the phone today, that my home would sell sometime in June. And that's if it takes the "average" amount of time.

June???

Had the association report focused only on the rise in local home sales, it would leave area residents with a  positive spin.

http://www.morrisherald-news.com/2017/02/23/january-home-sales-up-in-will-and-grundy-counties/autu8nc/

Nashville Home Sales Should Be Music To Our Ears, But.....

The Nashville area received great news with the announcement that the month of January set a home sales record for the area.

Yet, for some reason, the story gets treated like one of those TV commercials for medications with side effects that are worse than taking the drug.

Perhaps in the medical community, doing the "good" and then the "bad" is necessary. But in real estate, it doesn't need to happen.

This story about it is typical. The first paragraph gives the great news, before the very next paragraph expresses concern. This takes a consumer right back down.

If this story didn't tell people that "inventory is down 10%", chances are the typical consumer would have no idea. The writer might as well have told them "But it won't last!".

Just let the word get out that the past month was a home sales record. I'm confident that knowing this would get more people to consider the sale of their home if conditions are good. Expressing an immediate concern keeps doubt in their minds.

Keep this "low inventory" stuff a secret. If you must tell someone, alert your doctor if the inventory is still low after 4 hours.


http://www.tennessean.com/story/money/real-estate/2017/02/07/nashvilles-january-home-sales-breaks-record/97598478/

Keep the Dallas to Houston Train On Track

We still have people on both sides of the tracks in Texas between Dallas and Houston. Literally.

Having a high speed train allowing for passengers to get from one of those cities to the other in roughly 90 minutes makes solid business sense.

However, there is the "not in my back yard" aspect to it.

Here is a suggestion for those who don't want it. Make a request. "If you come through this town, put a station stop in it."

Even if it takes two hours, instead of 90 minutes, to get to/from Houston to/from Dallas this is still a huge benefit over driving through traffic and rain storms. That "extra" half hour (or less!) could be because of stops along the way.

If you research property values near a major train station around the country, you'll see why. Businesses can prosper with a prime location with a captive audience. Home sales benefit from people who could easily commute by walking to the train station.

Not to mention all of the jobs created by such a project.

https://www.recenter.tamu.edu/articles/tierra-grande/Courts-Trains-Eminent-Domain

This is something that should happen!