Quarter 1 Review and an Update on Interest Rates
The first quarter of 2022 is in the books! So far, things look quite different than they did a year ago. In the first three months of 2022, 21 SunCrest homes were listed and 16 sold. Compare that to the same time period in 2021 when we saw 60 SunCrest home listed and 30 sold. Buyers are still feeling like there is a shortage of available homes to see and ultimately buy. This has led to double digit percentage price appreciation and in many cases, multiple offers for sellers with many homes selling above a seller’s asking price. So far in April, we’re seeing an anticipated seasonal increase in the number of homes coming to the market, which has been welcomed by eager home buyers.

Interest Rates
Recently, we discussed some reasons why rates are rising. This month we wanted to explore what impact the recent rise in interest rates is having on buyers. For the sake of illustration, we ran a hypothetical scenario of a home buyer purchasing a $750,000 home using the average interest rate in the first quarter of 2021, and then that same buyer purchasing that home in the first quarter of this year. As you can see, a buyer would expect to pay $406.91 per month more now, versus in 2021, due to the rise in rates. Of course this is a very simplistic way to look at it, and it does not take into account things like debt payments, or home appreciation, but we think that it demonstrates the impact of interest rates on a mortgage payment. Interest rates were never intended to remain at those historical low levels from last year, so those in the market will need to adjust to the fact that rates are indeed trending higher.

Our Take
The SunCrest real estate market is fluid and changing. March, and so far April, have brought some much needed inventory and we’re off to a steady start to 2022. For sellers, we’re monitoring what impact the rise in rates are having on home sales and price growth. For those who are looking to buy, the recent rise in rates have impacted monthly payments and we’re not seeing any signs that rates will be coming down in the near term. If you’re in the market to buy or sell, working with an agent who is keenly aware of the most accurate and up to date information can help you prepare the best plan for your needs.