Real Estate Market News for March – Leslie Lerner Properties – Houston Realtor

[wpcol_2third id=”” class=”” style=””]The first three months of the year have started off with a bang.  Leslie Lerner Properties is putting sale pending signs on listings within days of coming on the market.  Many homes are selling for list price or greater.

When working with Leslie Lerner Properties, we will assess the value of your home using comparable sales, just as an appraiser will do for the buyer when your home is under contract. We will review all of the data with you, and determine the current market value of your home.  Together, we will then pinpoint the best listing price, while making sure we do not overprice the home. Overpriced homes may look and sound great, but the number of people that will actually visit your home and/or be interested in learning more, will be greatly lower than if you price your home appropriately from the beginning.  If your home is priced within the range of recent comparable sales, you are more likely to get multiple offers on your home with sales prices greater than your list price.  All in all, homes priced correctly sell quickly, overpriced homes gather dust while waiting to be shown.  Always remember, lenders require appraisals when buyers finance a home.  The appraisal must come in at sales price or greater or you will likely have to renegotiate or lose the sale.

For more information about listing your home with Leslie Lerner Properties, The Home of Flat Fee Listings and Rebated Commissions, feel free to call us at 713.489.9900.  A great amount of information can be found at www.LeslieLernerProperties.com.

>>>SEE WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT LESLIE LERNER PROPERTIES

Read more about the current housing market below.  Also, see your Spring 2014 landscaping tip from the Garden Guy, Todd Farber.  We hope you are having a great month!

INVENTORY IS STILL SHRINKING, BUT BUYING CONTINUES

Leslie Lerner Properties listed four houses at the end of last week and three are already pending.  When homes go up, they go under contract quickly depending on location, quality and being priced right for the current market.

Houston currently has the lowest supply of homes it has ever seen.  Although inventory is in short supply, February real estate sales were in positive territory for the 33rd month in a row.  The long-term shortage of housing is still resulting in bidding wars, which continue to push prices up.  Houston currently has a 2.6 month supply of homes down from a 3.6 month supply one year ago.  The national figure is 4.9 months of inventory.

According to the latest monthly report prepared by the Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR):

  • Single-family home sales increased 8.3 percent year-over-year, resulting in the market’s 33rd consecutive monthly increase;
  • Single-family home sales broken out by price range:
    • $1 – $79,999: decreased 31.0 percent
    • $80,000 – $149,999: decreased 6.8 percent
    • $150,000 – $249,999: increased 17.7 percent
    • $250,000 – $499,999: increased 33.3 percent
    • $500,000 – $1 million and above: increased 40.0 percent
  • Total property sales rose 8.9 percent compared to one year earlier;
  • Total dollar volume soared 22.5 percent, increasing from $1.1 billion to $1.4 billion on a year-over-year basis;
  • A 2.6-month supply of inventory of single-family homes is unchanged from December but down from a 3.6-month supply in February 2013 while comparing to the national average of 4.9 months;
  • Sales of townhouses/condominiums grew 5.2 percent year-over-year;
  • Rentals of single-family homes rose 19.2 percent while rentals of townhouse/condominium units rose 4.3 percent.

>>>Read the entire release.

SPRING 2014 LANDSCAPING TIP FROM TODD FARBER, THE GARDEN GUY
Todd Farber, Owner of Garden Guy, BS Horticulture Texas A&M 

Ready for a FRESH look for your yard this spring? We’re ready for spring, as I’m sure you are too! Beautiful landscapes don’t have to be a lot of work. You can enjoy a low-care landscape with beautiful blooms from spring to fall — it’s just a matter of choosing the right plants. We’ve pulled together a group of plants that are among the easiest to grow in the South. These perennials are old-fashioned favorites — in fact, you may see them thriving in old gardens that have been untended for years. Garden Guy Favorites: Crinum, Daylilies, Amaryllis and antique roses of any kind!

Criniums are also called hot country lilies.  They are pretty, big and tough.  You can’t kill crinium lilies.  They will take sun or shade,wet or dry soil and bloom repeatedly from spring to fall. When the flower wilts, you can snap it off, and new bulbs will continue to open.

Daylilies are often called “the perfect perennial” due to its bright colors, ability to survive in different climates, tolerate drought and generally require very little maintenance.  Daylilies have a short blooming period, depending on the type.  Some will bloom in early spring and others will wait until the summer or autumn.

Amaryllis is the easiest of all flowering bulbs to bring to bloom.  They can grow indoors or out, and over an extended period of time.  The amaryllis comes in many beautiful colors. The bulbs need to be put in a warm place with direct light for the stem to develop.  Generally, the bulbs will flower in 7 – 10 weeks.  To flower again, cut the old flowers from the stem, and when the stem starts sagging, cut it back to the top of the bulb.

Garden Guy clients want a garden they can love and then leave.  FRESH low-maintenance choices in plants with a well-thought out design make this happen. The Garden Guy is ready to plan a spring garden you can enjoy for a long time or at least until you want to change it.

Personal landscape consultations are available by emailing Todd Farber, The Garden Guy, at [email protected] or calling 281.208.4400.  You can also visit www.Garden-Guy.com or www.facebook.com/gardenguyhouston.
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All of the service, for less money!

LESLIE LERNER PROPERTIES WILL:

  • List Homes $300,000 – $799,999 for $4,500
  • List Homes $800,000  and up for $12,000
  • $200,000 – $299,999 for $1.5%
    >>Read More
  • We will rebate 1.5% of the Buyer’s Agent’s Commission if we show you 1 – 3 homes.
  • We will rebate 1% if we show you 4 – 6 homes.
    >>Read More

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