On the House
Charlie Lawson
We see polls and surveys in the news all the time. Have you ever participated in one? Ever wonder ‘who the people are’ answering the questions that create the statistics and basis for stories and hype – both good and bad? I can’t answer that here, but there is something a bit funny in the National Association of Realtors (NAR) March 2016 Home Survey – along with some interesting factors that renters and homeowners should consider. First, here are some results:
75% of U.S. Households believe now is a good time to buy a home
44% believe this strongly
I would love to know how that question was asked. After getting an affirmative answer to the buying/timing question, I wonder if the pollster said something like, “Are you sure about that?” Here’s another great nugget that hits close to home: 80% of people in the Midwest believe now is a good time to buy, compared with 77-percent in the south, 74-percent in the Northeast and 61-percent in the West. Even with 31-percent of respondents believing now is a good time to buy a home not specifying they believe that strongly, this is encouraging news for the spring and summer market season locally.
The public is “in the mood for home buying.” As real estate and lending professionals, we need to make sure they have all the information they need to move forward and make choices. Where shall we start? Neon signs and sandwich boards with “buy versus rent” comparisons won’t cut it, but working together to reach the public will. Let’s reach out together! ~Charlie