Weichert Sees Great Opportunity for First-Time Home Buyers in Today's Market

By: Weichert | 2 Shares 67 Reads

April 10, 2008 // Franchising.com // MORRIS PLAINS, N.J. – Purchasing a home for the first time marks a major milestone in a person's life. James M. Weichert, president and founder of Weichert, Realtors, wants those thinking about buying a home to know that the current market offers one of the best times in history to get in to real estate.

Interest rates remain at historically-low levels, home prices continue to be attractively affordable, there is a large supply of homes to choose from, and despite the media-driven perception, there is plenty of financing available for qualified buyers. While these factors make it a great time to purchase a home for anyone, there are a handful of reasons that make now an opportunistic time particularly for first-time buyers.

"Buying your first home is a life-changing occasion and symbolizes the realization of the American dream," said James M. Weichert, president and founder of Weichert, Realtors. "Right now is a great time to check out the market and learn about the great opportunity that exists to become a homeowner."

With no home of their own to sell, first-time homebuyers get to take full advantage of the cost savings offered in today's affordable market without having to deal with any loss of equity that an existing homeowner might encounter.

First-time buyers also have a great deal of flexibility and can pursue a wide variety of housing options. Those purchasing for the first time typically have immediate access to their assets to allow them to move quickly when they find the home that is right for their needs. Often with no time constraints of their own, first-time buyers can also accommodate sellers who need a quick closing or can patiently wait should a seller need several months before they can complete the transaction.

The plentiful inventory of homes on the market today has created strong competition among those with a house for sale. As a result, many builders and sellers are offering all kinds of incentives to help their homes stand out such as offering to pay mortgage points and fees, providing a home warranty or free moving services, including furniture or big-screen televisions with the home or even throwing in a tropical vacation. This increased competition also makes it easier for buyers to negotiate with sellers.

For both first-time and repeat buyers alike, purchasing a home continues to be a sound long-term investment. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), on average, the value of a home nearly doubles every 10 years. With the typical first-time buyer often trading up several times over the course of their lifetime, buying a home now offers a great way to build up equity they can reinvest in to a larger home down the road.

"We know there are a lot of renters out there who are interested in learning how they can become a homeowner," said Weichert. "Our open house attendance is up, our Web site traffic is at an all-time high and we are seeing thousands come out to our buyer seminars. Clearly, more and more people want to seize the opportunity this buyers' market is offering."

Weichert has nearly 18,000 sales associates in more than 500 company-owned and franchised sales offices in key markets throughout the U.S. A family of full-service real estate and financial services companies, Weichert helps customers buy and sell both residential and commercial real estate, and streamlines the delivery of mortgages and home and title insurance. For more information, Weichert's customer service center can be reached at 1-800-USA-SOLD or at Weichert's Web site, www.weichert.com. Each Weichert franchised office is independently owned and operated.