El Paso Real Estate Market Results 2011

Here are some El Paso market stats for 2011:

The median sales price remained unchanged at $135,000.

The number of days on the market until sale remained unchanged at 135.

The number of closed sales decreased 9.6%.

The number of months supply of homes for sale decreased from 7.2 to 6.5.

What does all of this mean? The El Paso home market was quite stable in 2011. I’m expecting a stronger year in 2012 due to the smaller supply of homes for sale, the still affordable prices, and super low interest rates.

If you’d like to search for a home for sale in El Paso, Texas click here .

The Golden Age of Real Estate Investment

This is the best time I have ever seen for investing in real estate in El Paso, Texas. We have a unique set of circumstances – super low interest rates, high rents, a shortage of rental properties, and low sales prices. Most real estate investments will now yield a high cash flow – especially compared to the alternatives – bank accounts are paying next to nothing, and stock market returns haven’t been any better.

Most long term wealth has been created through owning real estate. Whether you are an experienced investor or just starting out, give me a call or email and I’ll be glad to help you find a great property to help you achieve your goals.

You can search all of the homes for sale in El Paso Texas by clicking here.

El Paso Texas Real Estate Market Strong

The El Paso Texas real estate market has weathered the economic downturn very well compared to most cities in the country. Values have held fairly stead over the last 3 years, and have even appreciated this year. Take a look on this graph:

El Paso Median List Price

El Paso Home Values – Interactive chart

As the economy continues to improve, I expect the market to be even stronger. Now is still a great time to buy a home, though. Interest rates are at record lows and home prices are very reasonable.

To see all the homes for sale in El Paso, Texas click here.

Incredible First Time Home Buyer Financing Available!!!

BREAKING NEWS: Incredible financing available for first time home buyers. Lowest rates I have ever seen! With down payment assistance(you don’t have to make a down payment), rate is just 3.95% If you make your own down payment, rate is an incredible 3.35%!!! 30 yr fixed rate loans. Let me know if I can help.

You can reach me at 915-549-4663 or 1-800-963-1909 or by email at BarrySKarch@aol.com.

You can search all of the homes for sale in El Paso by clicking here .

Tempting Times for Home Buyers

Welcome to the great buyers market.  The monthly cost of owning a home is now more affordable than at any time in the past 15 years!  As a matter of fact, it is well less expensive than renting a home.

Low home prices, combined with low mortgage rates – around 4%, or even less – have created a very appealing buyer’s market.

You may never see another opportunity like this in your lifetime – but as you know, there are very unusual times!

You can search all of the homes listed for sale in El Paso, Texas by clicking here.

To get started taking advantage of the buyer’s market, give us a call or email at 915-549-4663 or 1-800-963-1909 or BarrySKarch@aol.com . We are glad to help. Our goal is to help you find the perfect home for your needs and to make your home buying experience an enjoyable one!

Down Payment Assistance Financing Now Available In El Paso, TX!

Special down payment assistance financing has just become available. You do not need to make a down payment to purchase a home! This money can be used to purchase a home anywhere in the city. It is earmarked for first time home buyers or buyers who have not owned a home in the last three years.

To get more information and to find out if you qualify, please call me at 915-549-4663 or 1-800-963-1909 or email me at BarrySKarch@aol.com .

This money is available on a first come, first served basis – so if you are interested, please contact me right away.

To search all of the homes for sale in El Paso Texas click here.

Moving and the Cost of Living: The Dos and Don’ts

Here’s an interesting article by James Kim:

If you’re looking to move, you know that the not-so-great economy requires you to think hard about where to go. To make sure you’re making a good choice, you have to consider both the job market where you’re moving and what the cost of living is. To help you, here are some quick lists of dos and don’ts that should steer you in the right direction (Austin real estate over the exorbitantly expensive studio apartments of New York City, for example).

Cost of Living
Do:
• The Midwest
• Texas
Don’t:
• Hawaii
• California
You probably saw these ones coming from a mile away. Simply put, Hawaii is tied with California as the most expensive state while Robert Helsley, a professor at UC Berkeley, tells Forbes that “Midwestern cities in general tend to have a relatively low cost of living” because of their landlocked locations. In fact, St. Louis is ranked by Forbes as the city with the lowest cost of living in the country. You can still find your beaches in Texas, but, in general, miles of sand and aquamarine waters will end up costing you more than you first thought.

Job Market
Do:
• Texas
• Illinois
• Minnesota
Don’t:
• Hawaii
• New Mexico
• New Hampshire
• West Virginia
If you want to move to a place with a good job market, check to see what large companies are already there. As you can see, this list points out some of the best and worst job markets in the country based on how many Fortune 500 companies are present in each (which helps to show a stronger economy). Texas, Illinois and Minnesota all have a huge corporate presence, with 57, 31 and 21 Fortune 500 companies, respectively. In fact, Texas is tied with California for the most Fortune 500 companies in one state. On the other hand, all of the “Don’ts” are states across the country with no Fortune 500 companies at all, which hints at a stale job market that you’ll want to avoid if you’re in dire need of a job.
In the end, one of your best bets when it comes to moving is Texas, a state with a low cost of living and thriving job market that was one of the least hit by the economic downturn. If the South is not your style, though, you can safely bet on the Midwest for your new home. Good luck and happy hunting!

To search all the homes for sale in El Paso Texas click here.

James Kim writes for Austin Real Estate service Homecity.com. HomeCity combines powerful online Austin MLS search technology and other online tools with personalized real estate services to provide clients with the knowledge they need to make the right buying and selling decisions.

El Paso Number 1 In Country For New Home Sales

El Paso has the largest share of new home sales in the country. According to Inman News, 25% of all homes sold in El Paso are new homes. This is a higher percentage than anywhere else in the US.

There is a good reason for this. We have a large selection of beautiful homes at very attractive prices, often with great incentives. New homes are no more expensive than existing homes, and sometimes cost less.

Let me know if I can be of service. I work with all of the new homes builders in El Paso, Texas.

You can see all of the homes for sale in El Paso Texas, including new homes, by clicking here.

Have You Ever Considered Investing In Real Estate?

Have you ever considered investing in real estate? Now is probably one of the best times ever to do so. In El Paso, Texas, we have a unique combination of super low interest rates, reasonable house prices, and an incredibly strong rental market – rents are way up as occupancy is near 100%.

Compared to returns in the bank or the stock market, real estate looks very attractive.

How do you begin? First of all, you’ll need a minimum of a 20% down payment – banks require larger down payments for investment properties – then you’ll want to find a nice home in a good rental area. I recommend a single family home, since most people prefer to live in a home over a duplex or apartment. I also like brand new or newer homes because you are less likely to have maintenance issues for a while.

You can search all of the homes for sale in El Paso Texas by clicking here.

If you’d like to investigate investing further, give me a call at 915-549-4663 or 1-800-963-1909 or email me at BarrySKarch@aol.com .

Foreclosures Down In El Paso Texas

Foreclosures were down 79% in April 2011 compared to April 2010. The market as a whole has been strengthening and is now a balanced market. With interest rates being near historic lows, it is still a good time to buy a home – and the selection of homes is excellent. There are many new homes and resale homes to choose from. You can search all of the homes for sale in El Paso Texas by clicking here .