by Osman Parvez
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In case you missed it, there was a piece on Boulder market conditions in yesterday’s Daily Camera.

The number of homes sold in Boulder in the first quarter of 2009 was down by a whopping 50 percent compared to the same period last year, and the city is far from alone in its poor statistics.

I was interviewed for the article.

To clarify…

1. Mortgage Rates – Yes, I believe rates are still trending downward and will continue to do so, possibly bottoming around 4%. But that alone shouldn’t drive your purchase decision. If rates drop substantially from where you purchased, you can refinance (check for restrictions when you shop). This will cost you a few grand in closing fees, but over the life of the mortgage it could save you many, many times that amount.

2. House Prices – Primary home markets like Boulder (not vacation markets) are supported by the local job market. We’ve been lucky in Boulder because the job market has held up relatively well during this recession. There have been job losses, but unemployment is still well below the national average. At some point, the economy will bottom and employment will begin to increase. When that happens, real estate markets will follow.

The trouble is that in all business cycles, it’s virtually impossible to time the bottom or the top. What I said to the reporter was… if you have confidence that your income is not going away (I specifically said 5+ years of visibility), now might be a good time to shop for a home.

We’ve been helping our clients negotiate great deals on houses, particularly at the mid to high range. Going forward, prices might drop in value a bit more (at certain segments) and rates might drop a bit too. But you can’t time the absolute bottom of the market and for a buyer, high inventory is currently giving you lots of options. Selection of the best houses might be more advantageous to a buyer than hoping to time the bottom. In most market cycles, it’s usually better to buy before a correction takes hold.

In the article, I was positioned as being bearish on the market. I’m not.

In a nutshell, I think this is a good time for savvy buyers with long term visibility. Through careful targeting of property and tough negotiation, we can help you get a very good deal on property in Boulder.

For sellers, we can help you avoid the seller’s walk of shame by providing a deep analysis of market conditions and instituting a very effective, highly customized marketing campaign. This will help you get the most value for your real estate.

If you’d like to reach me to discuss your real estate situation, email me at osman@realtyunique.com or call 303.746.6896.

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