The Worst May Be Over! Housing Market Rebounding Slowly.

Consumer confidence soared in December and it looks like the worst of the housing downturn is gradually ending. Consumer confidence shot up to an 8-month high of 109.0 according to an Associated Press report. The National Association of Realtors reported that existing home sales edged up 0.6% in November following a 0.5% rise in October, the first back-to-back increase since spring 2005. Sales of new homes rose 3.4% in November. Predictions for 2007 are encouraging with the housing market expected to rebound slowly but steadily.

As the calendar rolls over to 2007, it will still be a buyer's market. Housing prices are expected to continue falling as sellers are forced to lower asking prices in response to the glutted market. However, lower prices will attract more buyers, leading to the eventual stabilization of the housing market in 2007.

"In October the median price of an existing home fell for a record fourth consecutive month, dropping to $218,000, down 3.1% from a year ago," wrote Martin Crutsinger for the Associated Press. "David Lereah, the [National Association of] Realtors' chief economist, estimated that each 1% decline in home prices brings an additional 50,000 buyers into the market."

Even though existing home sales for 2006 are down 9% nationwide, sales have increased marginally along the East Coast. While sellers can't expect to receive the inflated housing prices of the past few boom years, sales are expected to increase slowly as asking prices level out.

Aggressive marketing will enable sellers to compete effectively in the adjusting 2007 housing market, and an experienced and savvy realtor will allow buyers to get the most from their investment. If you're selling or buying a home in Maryland or the Washington DC area, veteran realtor John Day is your key to success. Visit John's informative website and read his valuable hints for sellers and buyers.

• If you're selling, John Day is a marketing genius. He'll design a dynamic marketing plan to sell your house, making powerful use of the internet. An expert at staging homes to sell quickly, John will provide valuable tips on getting your home ready to sell. A top seller with prestigious Long & Foster Realtors, you'll appreciate John's market-savvy advice on pricing your home to sell in today's changing market and his tough bargaining skills when it comes time to negotiate the sale.
  
• If you're buying, John Day has the knowledge, contacts, and experience to help you find the perfect home in the perfect neighborhood in Maryland or the Washington DC metro area. You'll depend on John's intimate knowledge of Maryland's many neighborhoods. He knows the communities, schools, recreation resources, shopping areas, restaurant and entertainment districts -- all the important qualities that make a community a good place to live. Personable and easy to talk to, John listens to his clients and is dedicated to their satisfaction. He won't drag you to properties that don't meet your criteria. John is a tough and proven negotiator who will get you the best price when it's time to close the deal. John will guide you through every step of the complicated process of buying a home from prequalification through closing, and even help you acclimate to your new community.

Give John Day a call today. If you're selling or buying a house in Maryland or the Washington DC metro area, you want expert realtor John Day by your side.