One sign of a healthy community is a healthy housing market. Unlike most communities, has had a more or less stable home prices throughout the great recession. We have had our share of foreclosures, short sales, HUD homes and a large volume of resale homes on the market, but all in all we have not seen major home price reductions during these trying times. It is a good place to buy a home right now and a good place to sell a home right now too. It is probably still a buyer's market in home prices up above $400,000, but it is approaching a balanced market in the under $300,000 pricing range.
Current stable home prices are really important to the community and its real estate market because it means that sellers can afford to sell their homes if they have equity in them beyond the mortgage and are not upside down because of collapsed home values. Buyers benefit because the homes that are on the market are just as good a buy now as they were 3 years ago - especially when you throw in the current interest rates, which continue to sit remarkably low around the 5% range.
We are proud to say that the people just passed a sales tax increase to support maintenance of infrasture, parks, and city services. Poudre School District also just received a funding increase from the people as well. This all adds up to a really healthy place to live where people are looking to the future and placing community interest before specific self interest. The net resultvis that they will not remain stable for long - Fort Collins will probably be the first community in Colorado to see its home values increase as we move forward out of recession.
If you would like more information about buying or selling a home - private residences or properties for investors (rental occupancy rates are very positive!) please give me a call at 970-412-1657.