Here's a free infographic on the most and least affordable areas for home buying in the U.S.! The market varies greatly throughout the nation. You can use this infographic for a social media or blog post targeting potential contacts! Feel free to share this image wherever you like. It can be downloaded right below the image!
Finding an affordable home can be difficult as prices continue to rise. One area that is affordable is in Buffalo, New York. Buffalo is popular for having low median house prices but still a high quality of life!
Another affordable area is Kansas City, Missouri! Kansas City's downtown is more and more popular as time goes on and has a low cost of living. Dayton, OH is also affordable - and the state of Ohio is more sought after each year as a place to live. Home prices are an average of 70,000 in Dayton.
Omaha, Nebraska is another area with decently priced housing and an up and coming downtown area. Omaha has a very young population with over a third of its residents being under 24. Closing out our list of cost-effective areas to live in the US is Birmingham, Alabama with diverse neighborhoods and a low cost of living.
On the other end of the spectrum are the least affordable areas in the US. Unsurprisingly, California holds four of the five areas. San Jose, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego are all listed in the least affordable areas to own a home in the country. New York City is the only area outside of the Golden State. A high appreciation rate can be to blame in all five areas, with some going over 200%. The average monthly cost in all of these areas is also 3,000 or higher a month for housing expenses.
Here is another infographic you can use for a social media or blog post targeting potential contacts! This time on expectations vs reality in real estate! Feel free to share this image wherever you like, download it right below the image!
Right from the beginning - expectations on pricing can be really tricky. If selling a home; one may add their emotional value to the price-tag and want to list at a price outside of the market range. If buying a home; one may be unrealistic about their budget! These are hard expectations to come to terms with and the reality is that an agent can help competitively price a home and also look for homes within a realistic budget!
Speaking of selling a home - the expectation is that selling a home means a chunk of change in the pocket. While this is nice in theory, selling a home can cost a good amount of money when closing costs, staging, etc. are thrown into the mix.
A really difficult expectation vs reality is the one placed on the agent themselves. Agents need work/life balance as well. Working hours outside of 9-5, doesn't make them at anyone's beck and call. Agents do want to help however, and will do the best they can! Respecting a professionals time is always the right move.
Perhaps the expectation that is hardest to deal with is finances. Especially when it comes to buying, finances can cause a lot of frustration. If one has a large down payment OR great credit score; it may not be enough to get them a home. A lot of times buyers need both great credit and a sizeable down payment - this reality can be harsh.
All in all, it's important to be clear on the realities of real estate!