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	<title>Outer Banks Market Report &#187; Coldwell Banker Market Reports</title>
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	<description>News about real estate values in the Outer Banks area</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Fri, 18 May 2012 18:52:59 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>Outer Banks Real Estate News: Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty Ranked #12 in North America!</title>
		<link>http://obxmarketreport.com/2012/05/outer-banks-real-estate-news-coldwell-banker-seaside-realty-ranked-12-in-north-america/</link>
		<comments>http://obxmarketreport.com/2012/05/outer-banks-real-estate-news-coldwell-banker-seaside-realty-ranked-12-in-north-america/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 15 May 2012 16:11:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gordon Jones</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Coldwell Banker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coldwell Banker Market Reports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[OBX News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Outer Banks Real Estate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Elizabeth City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[North America]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Northeast North Carolina]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[OBX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[offices]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Outer banks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ranked]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Seaside Realty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[top 20]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://obxmarketreport.com/?p=2219</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We are very proud to announce that Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty has been named among the Top 20 Coldwell Banker offices in North America - #12 to be exact! Below is the list of top 20 offices, and here&#8217;s a &#8230; <a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/2012/05/outer-banks-real-estate-news-coldwell-banker-seaside-realty-ranked-12-in-north-america/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_412" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 170px"><a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/cbsr-logo.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-412" title="Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty" src="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/cbsr-logo.jpg" alt="Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty" width="160" height="86" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty</p></div>
<p>We are very proud to announce that Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty has been named among the Top 20 Coldwell Banker offices in North America - #12 to be exact!</p>
<p>Below is the list of top 20 offices, and here&#8217;s a quick reminder of who we are and what we do&#8230;</p>
<p style="padding-left: 60px;">Founded in Kitty Hawk, NC in 1990, Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty is a dynamic full service real estate company, servicing the entire Albemarle region. More than 50 licensed agents provide both residential and commercial buying/selling assistance in Northeast North Carolina. Offices located in Kitty Hawk and Elizabeth City, NC. More information can be found on the Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty website at <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a title="Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty" href="www.ColdwellBankerOBX.com" target="_blank">www.ColdwellBankerOBX.com</a></span>.</p>
<p><strong>Top 20 Coldwell Banker offices in North America </strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<table width="302" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<colgroup>
<col width="64" />
<col width="87" />
<col width="151" /> </colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="64" height="36"><strong>RANK</strong></td>
<td width="87"><strong>COLDWELL BANKER</strong></td>
<td width="151"><strong>CITY/STATE or PROVINCE</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" height="21">1</td>
<td width="87">Premier Realty</td>
<td width="151">Henderson, NV</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" height="35">2</td>
<td width="87">United, Realtors</td>
<td width="151">Austin, TX</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" height="35">3</td>
<td width="87">Weir Manuel</td>
<td width="151">Plymouth, MI</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" height="69">4</td>
<td width="87">Homestead Group Select Professionals</td>
<td width="151">Camp Hill, PA</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" height="69">5</td>
<td width="87">Evergreen Olympic Realty, Inc.</td>
<td width="151">Olympia, WA</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" height="35">6</td>
<td width="87">United, Realtors</td>
<td width="151">Houston, TX</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" height="35">7</td>
<td width="87">United, Realtors</td>
<td width="151">Houston, TX</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" height="35">8</td>
<td width="87">United, Realtors</td>
<td width="151">Katy, TX</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" height="35">9</td>
<td width="87">Preferred Real Estate</td>
<td width="151">Winnipeg, MB</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" height="52">10</td>
<td width="87">Tomlinson Associated Brokers</td>
<td width="151">Kennewick, WA</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" height="52">11</td>
<td width="87">Boyd &amp; Hassell, Inc., Realtors</td>
<td width="151">Hickory, NC</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" height="35">
<h1>12</h1>
</td>
<td width="87">
<h1><a title="Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty" href="http://www.ColdwellBankerOBX.com" target="_blank">Seaside Realty</a></h1>
</td>
<td width="151">
<h1>Kitty Hawk, NC</h1>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" height="35">13</td>
<td width="87">Grass Roots Realty</td>
<td width="151">Grass Valley, CA</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" height="35">14</td>
<td width="87">Hartung &amp; Noblin</td>
<td width="151">Tallahassee, FL</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" height="52">15</td>
<td width="87">Sun Ridge Real Estate</td>
<td width="151">Roseville, CA</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" height="35">16</td>
<td width="87">United, Realtors</td>
<td width="151">Cypress, TX</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" height="52">17</td>
<td width="87">Barbara Sue Seal Properties</td>
<td width="151">Portland, OR</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" height="52">18</td>
<td width="87">Island Properties</td>
<td width="151">Wailea, HI</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" height="35">19</td>
<td width="87">Trails and Paths</td>
<td width="151">Mesa, AZ</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" height="52">20</td>
<td width="87">Home Owners Realty, Inc.</td>
<td width="151">Grand Junction, CO</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table width="670" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td colspan="5">
<h6 align="center">Office Size 4 (36-50 Sales Associates)</h6>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="5">
<h6 align="center">Total Number of Offices Participating: 170</h6>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0_XfTlv-As&amp;list=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Di0_XfTlv-As&amp;list=UU6OPtBeQOjDr4aHQs8NMqkw&amp;index=0&amp;feature=plcp"><span class="youtube">
<iframe title="YouTube video player" class="youtube-player" type="text/html" width="425" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/i0_XfTlv-As?color1=006699&amp;color2=54abd6&amp;border=0&amp;fs=1&amp;hl=en&amp;loop=&amp;showinfo=0&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;showsearch=0&amp;rel=1&amp;list=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Di0_XfTlv-As&amp;list=UU6OPtBeQOjDr4aHQs8NMqkw&amp;index=0&amp;feature=plcp" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</span><p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0_XfTlv-As"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/i0_XfTlv-As/default.jpg" width="130" height="97" border=0></a></p><p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0_XfTlv-As">www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0_XfTlv-As</a></p></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Outer Banks Real Estate Update: Video Market Report – April 23, 2012</title>
		<link>http://obxmarketreport.com/2012/04/outer-banks-real-estate-update-video-market-report-april-23-2012/</link>
		<comments>http://obxmarketreport.com/2012/04/outer-banks-real-estate-update-video-market-report-april-23-2012/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Apr 2012 19:30:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gordon Jones</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Coldwell Banker Market Reports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Outer Banks Real Estate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Elizabeth City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[North East North Carolina]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[OBX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Outer banks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[real estate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[report]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[update]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[video]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://obxmarketreport.com/?p=2173</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pa7wXQAU7Ho Hi y’all. It’s Gordon Jones, owner/broker with Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty here on the Outer Banks and in Elizabeth City. I’ve committed to myself to bring a monthly video market report to add my voice (and video  ) to the real estate discussion &#8230; <a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/2012/04/outer-banks-real-estate-update-video-market-report-april-23-2012/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="youtube">
<iframe title="YouTube video player" class="youtube-player" type="text/html" width="425" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Pa7wXQAU7Ho?color1=006699&amp;color2=54abd6&amp;border=0&amp;fs=1&amp;hl=en&amp;loop=&amp;showinfo=0&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;showsearch=0&amp;rel=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</span><p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pa7wXQAU7Ho"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/Pa7wXQAU7Ho/default.jpg" width="130" height="97" border=0></a></p><p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pa7wXQAU7Ho">www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pa7wXQAU7Ho</a></p></p>
<div id="attachment_412" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 170px"><a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/cbsr-logo.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-412" title="Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty" src="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/cbsr-logo.jpg" alt="Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty" width="160" height="86" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty</p></div>
<p>Hi y’all. It’s Gordon Jones, owner/broker with <a title="Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty.com" href="http://www.coldwellbankerobx.com/" target="_blank">Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty</a> here on the Outer Banks and in Elizabeth City.</p>
<p>I’ve committed to myself to bring a monthly video market report to add my voice (and video <img src="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" /> ) to the real estate discussion here on the Outer Banks and in Northeast North Carolina.</p>
<p>I&#8217;m happy to be back with my second update (you can <a title="Outer Banks Real Estate Update: Video Market Report – February 22, 2012" href="http://obxmarketreport.com/2012/02/outer-banks-real-estate-update-video-market-report-february-22-2012/" target="_blank">find my first update here</a>), and I&#8217;m very please to be able to share more positive real estate news.</p>
<p>The positive real estate trends on the Outer Banks are continuing;</p>
<ul>
<li>Overall sales up 25% over last year</li>
<li>Residential sales up 21%</li>
<li>Land sales up 40%</li>
</ul>
<p>The numbers are clearly great, and to &#8220;build&#8221; on the positivity <img src='http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> , I&#8217;ve been talking to local builders, and they are seeing a flurry of activity as buyers of the land are proceeding to plan for new construction. A very welcomed sign for the OBX building and real estate industry.</p>
<p>Let&#8217;s continue with some more numbers&#8230;</p>
<ul>
<li>Under contracts up 11% over 2011</li>
<li>Inventory down 3% over 2011</li>
<ul>
<li>Residential inventory down 7% over 2011</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<p>Again, all of these numbers look great, but I&#8217;d like to point out the decline in inventory as a strong indicator of the increased strength in the market. As inventory declines, demand increases, and strong demand makes for a strong market. This should lead to firm pricing, and if the trends continue, increased pricing.</p>
<p>On the flip side, distressed sales continue to play a role in the <a title="Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty" href="http://www.ColdwellBankerOBX.com" target="_blank">Outer Banks real estate market</a>. This puts a downward pressure on pricing, but the good news is that this effect is waning.</p>
<ul>
<li>Distressed property sales made up 25% of total volume for March 2012, compared to 44% in February 2012 and 37% in March 2011.</li>
</ul>
<p>From an &#8220;on the ground&#8221; perspective, I&#8217;ve been talking with agents, and they are very excited about the increased level of activity. Some have even likened it to the real estate activity on the Outer Banks in 2003 and 2004. That&#8217;s a big comparison. <img src='http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>So, what do these numbers mean? Well, these trends seem to indicate that it is a good time to sell your home if it is priced correctly. Pricing is always key. But it’s very positive to see this growth. And from a buyers standpoint, I would suggest that you make your offers a bit more competitive because you know there will be competition out there looking over your shoulder.</p>
<p>Thanks for tuning in. I’m looking forward to sharing my thoughts with you each month. Please join the conversation. If you have any thoughts or questions, please leave a comment, and I’ll be happy to share my thoughts.</p>
<p>Thanks,<br />
Gordon Jones<br />
Owner/Broker - <a title="Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty" href="http://www.ColdwellBankerOBX.com" target="_blank">Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty</a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Outer Banks Real Estate Update: Video Market Report &#8211; February 22, 2012</title>
		<link>http://obxmarketreport.com/2012/02/outer-banks-real-estate-update-video-market-report-february-22-2012/</link>
		<comments>http://obxmarketreport.com/2012/02/outer-banks-real-estate-update-video-market-report-february-22-2012/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:57:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gordon Jones</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Coldwell Banker Market Reports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[OBX News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Outer Banks Real Estate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2012]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[beach]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[buy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[February]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[homes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[house]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[January]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[market]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[OBX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Outer banks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[real estate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[report]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sell]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[under contract]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[update]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://obxmarketreport.com/?p=2014</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[www.youtube.com/watch?v=5W_-XxHShWs Hi y&#8217;all. It&#8217;s Gordon Jones with Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty here on the Outer Banks with an OBX real estate update for you. I&#8217;ve committed to myself to bring a monthly market report to y&#8217;all to add my voice &#8230; <a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/2012/02/outer-banks-real-estate-update-video-market-report-february-22-2012/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="youtube">
<iframe title="YouTube video player" class="youtube-player" type="text/html" width="425" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5W_-XxHShWs?color1=006699&amp;color2=54abd6&amp;border=0&amp;fs=1&amp;hl=en&amp;loop=&amp;showinfo=0&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;showsearch=0&amp;rel=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</span><p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5W_-XxHShWs"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/5W_-XxHShWs/default.jpg" width="130" height="97" border=0></a></p><p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5W_-XxHShWs">www.youtube.com/watch?v=5W_-XxHShWs</a></p></p>
<div id="attachment_412" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 170px"><a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/cbsr-logo.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-412" title="Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty" src="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/cbsr-logo.jpg" alt="Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty" width="160" height="86" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty</p></div>
<p>Hi y&#8217;all.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s Gordon Jones with <a title="Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty.com" href="http://www.ColdwellBankerOBX.com" target="_blank">Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty</a> here on the Outer Banks with an OBX real estate update for you.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve committed to myself to bring a monthly market report to y&#8217;all to add my voice (and video <img src='http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> ) to the real estate discussion here on the Outer Banks. So, please stay tuned for continued updates.</p>
<p>For my initial update, I&#8217;m going to focus on some data from January, and I&#8217;m happy to say that it&#8217;s been a pretty remarkable January. 2012 is definitely off to a great start here on the Outer Banks.</p>
<p>January is typically a slow period for real estate sales. The spring is usually when sales start to pick up, but that&#8217;s not the case this year.</p>
<p>In January, sales for Outer Banks real estate were up 7% and under contracts were up a whopping 38% over 2011. These are significant numbers considering that this is a slow time of year. If these trends continue, it should be a fantastic year for OBX real estate.</p>
<p>We are also seeing the inventory decline which is positive news from a supply and demand perspective. Distressed properties (foreclosures, short sales, and bank owned) are still making an impact at 31% of sales, but the trend line is moving down with an 8% decline from 2011.</p>
<p>So, what do these numbers mean? Well, these trends seem to indicate that it is a good time to sell your home if it is priced correctly. Pricing is always key. But it&#8217;s very positive to see this growth. And from a buyers standpoint, I would suggest that you make your offers a bit more competitive because you know there will be competition out there looking over your shoulder.</p>
<p>Thanks for tuning in. I&#8217;m looking forward to sharing my thoughts with you each month. Please join the conversation. If you have any thoughts or questions, please leave a comment, and I&#8217;ll be happy to share my thoughts.</p>
<p>Thanks,<br />
Gordon Jones<br />
President - Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Outer Banks Real Estate Update: The “Seaside Report” – 2.14.12</title>
		<link>http://obxmarketreport.com/2012/02/outer-banks-real-estate-update-the-seaside-report-2-14-12/</link>
		<comments>http://obxmarketreport.com/2012/02/outer-banks-real-estate-update-the-seaside-report-2-14-12/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:30:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gordon Jones</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Coldwell Banker Market Reports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[OBX News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Outer Banks Real Estate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Seaside Report]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2011]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[4th]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[January]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[overview]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Q4]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[quarter]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[rental]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trends]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[update]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vacation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://obxmarketreport.com/?p=1980</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Seaside Report The main economic driver on the Outer Banks is real estate. Yet, the OBX does not have an in-depth report analyzing the full spectrum of real estate on the Outer Banks – residential &#38; commercial sales, distressed &#8230; <a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/2012/02/outer-banks-real-estate-update-the-seaside-report-2-14-12/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div>
<h1 align="center"><strong><span style="color: #e74517;">The Seaside Report</span></strong></h1>
<p>The main economic driver on the Outer Banks is real estate. Yet, the OBX does not have an in-depth report analyzing the full spectrum of real estate on the Outer Banks – residential &amp; commercial sales, distressed properties (foreclosures &amp; bank-owned), and current vacation rental trends.</p>
<p>To meet this need for a detailed analysis of the current Outer Banks real estate market, including the often ignored but incredibly important vacation rental market, we have created the monthly “<strong><em>Seaside Report</em></strong>.”</p>
<p>We have combined the forces of both sides of our business – Outer Banks real estate sales with <a title="Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty" href="http://www.coldwellbankerobx.com/" target="_blank">Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty</a> &amp; OBX vacation rentals with <a title="Seaside Vacations" href="http://www.outerbanksvacations.com/" target="_blank">Seaside Vacations</a> – to bring you the first report to offer a comprehensive view of the OBX real estate market – real estate sales &amp; vacation rentals.</p>
<p>Please keep in mind that there is a lag time between “real time” and data collection/reporting. As a result, the information will be as close to “real time” as possible, but the data will be based in the past by a couple weeks at least. I will indicate the corresponding date/timeliness for each section of data.</p>
<p>As always, we appreciate your input, and we encourage you to leave your comments below. We are happy to address any questions you may have, and we are always interested in suggestions for improvement.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #e74517;">Outer Banks Real Estate Sales</span><br />
</strong>(Data Source: <a title="Outer Banks Association of Realtors" href="http://www.outerbanksrealtors.com/" target="_blank">OBAR</a>)</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e74517;"><strong>January 2012 OBX MLS Data: </strong></span></p>
<p>2012 is off to a great start for Outer Banks real estate. January is typically a slow period for real estate, but the OBX market has been anything but slow in January 2012.</p>
</div>
<ul>
<li>The total number of sales in January was up 17% over January 2011.</li>
<li>Under Contracts were up by 38% from January 2011.</li>
<li>January sales ran the gamut from $20k (land) to $1.6 million (KDH oceanfront).</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>YTD Sales Residential</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Up 13% (94 units vs 83 units)</li>
<li>Land – Up 13% (17 units vs 15 units)</li>
<li>Commercial – up 100% (2 units vs 1 unit)</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>YTD Under Contract </strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Residential – Up 32% (144 units vs 109 units)</li>
<li>Land – Up 43% (33 units vs 23 units)</li>
<li>Commercial – Up 500% (6 units vs 1 unit)</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Distressed Sales:  </strong>(<em>Distressed = Bank Owned and Short Sales)</em><strong><br />
</strong>Of the 347 new listings in January, 22 were potential short sales &amp; 42 were bank owned. Sold distressed sales data for the month:</p>
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="97"><strong> </strong></td>
<td valign="top" width="91">
<p align="center"><strong>Total Sold</strong><strong></strong></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="72">
<p align="center"><strong>Bank Owned</strong><strong></strong></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="78">
<p align="center"><strong>Short Sale</strong><strong></strong></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="140">
<p align="center"><strong>% Distressed</strong><strong></strong></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="97"><strong>January</strong><strong></strong></td>
<td valign="top" width="91">
<p align="center">113</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="72">
<p align="center">20</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="78">
<p align="center">16</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="140">
<p align="center">32%</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e74517;"><strong>4th Quarter 2011 OBX MLS Data</strong></span></p>
<p><strong>Summary </strong>– Overall, 2011 ended on a flat note with total sales down by approximately 1% and under contract listings down by 1%. However, there has been a notable decline in the median sale price of single family homes and condos. When comparing the yearly median sale prices there has been a 6 % decline in the price for single family homes and a 10% decline in the price for condominiums. Additionally, when looking at the 5 year trend in median sales prices there has been a 24% decline in single family home prices and a 41% decline in condominiums.</p>
<div align="center">
<table width="521" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td colspan="7" valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="521">
<p align="center"><strong>Median Sales Price</strong></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="140"></td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center"><strong>2006</strong></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center"><strong>2007</strong></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center"><strong>2008</strong></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center"><strong>2009</strong></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center"><strong>2010</strong></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center"><strong>2011</strong></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="140"><strong>Single Family Homes</strong></td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center">$416,833</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center">$383,599</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center">$352,607</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center">$319,500</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center">$334,795</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center">$316,269</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="140"><strong>Percent Change</strong></td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center">-10%</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center">-8%</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center">-8%</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center">-9%</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center">5%</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center">-6%</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="140"><strong>Condos</strong></td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center">$335,642</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center">$278,291</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center">$325,260</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center">$278,252</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center">$218,031</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center">$195,968</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="140"><strong>Percent Change</strong></td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center">8%</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center">-17%</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center">17%</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center">-22%</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center">-22%</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="64">
<p align="center">-10%</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p><strong>2011 Sales End-of-Year Breakdown</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Residential:</strong> Down 3% (1315 units vs. 1374 units)</li>
<li><strong>Land:</strong> Up 15% (323 units vs. 282 units)</li>
<li><strong>Commercial:</strong> Up 92% (25 units vs. 13 units)</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Year-End Sale Price Range: </strong>The best selling residential properties fell into the $200K to $299K range.</p>
<div align="center">
<table width="631" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="115"><strong>Price Range</strong></td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="48">$0 – 99K</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="60">$100 – 199K</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="60">$200 – 299K</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="60">$300 – 399K</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="60">$400 – 499K</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="60">$500 – 599K</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="60">$600 – 699K</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="60">$800 – 999K</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="48">&gt; $1M</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="115"><strong>Units Sold</strong></td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="48">81</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="60">302</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="60">328</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="60">219</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="60">117</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="60">88</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="60">88</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="60">49</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="48">55</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="115"><strong>Average Days on Market</strong></td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="48">168</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="60">191</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="60">208</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="60">267</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="60">270</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="60">264</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="60">260</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="60">302</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="48">308</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p><strong>Inventory:</strong> The majority of the current active residential listings fall in the following price ranges:</p>
<div align="center">
<table width="406" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="118"><strong>Price Range</strong></td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="78">
<p align="center"><strong>Number of Listings</strong></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="119">
<p align="center"><strong>Price Range</strong></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="91">
<p align="center"><strong>Number of Listings</strong></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="118">$1 – $99,999K</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="78">
<p align="center">73</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="119">
<p align="center">$600K – $699K</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="91">
<p align="center">109</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="118">$100K – $199K</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="78">
<p align="center">230</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="119">
<p align="center">$700K – $799K</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="91">
<p align="center">51</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="118">$200 – $299K</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="78">
<p align="center">330</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="119">
<p align="center">$800K – $899K</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="91">
<p align="center">58</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="118">$300K – $399K</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="78">
<p align="center">324</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="119">
<p align="center">$900K – $999K</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="91">
<p align="center">38</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="118">$400K – $499K</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="78">
<p align="center">217</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="119">
<p align="center">&gt; $1M</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="91">
<p align="center">121</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="118">$500K – $599K</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="78">
<p align="center">173</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="119"></td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="91"></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p><strong>Distressed Property (Residential):  </strong><em>Distressed = Bank Owned and Short Sales</em></p>
<p>Distressed property currently makes up 14% of the active inventory in the MLS and the sale of distressed property accounts for 31% of all residential property sales.  Overall, the sale of properties listed as short sales rose 27% and the sale of bank owned properties declined 22%; however, total distressed property sales were down by 8% from 2010.</p>
<div id="attachment_8232"><a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/?attachment_id=8232" rel="attachment wp-att-8232"><img title="Seaside Report: Distressed Property Market Overview - Q4 2011" src="http://seasidevacations.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/distressed-property-market-overview-q4-2011.jpg?w=584&amp;h=270" alt="Seaside Report: Distressed Property Market Overview - Q4 2011" width="584" height="270" /></a>Seaside Report: Distressed Property Market Overview &#8211; Q4 2011</div>
<div align="center">
<table width="473" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="124">
<p align="center"><strong> </strong></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="99">
<p align="center"><strong>Average</strong></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="103">
<p align="center"><strong>Median</strong></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="147">
<p align="center"><strong>Days On  Market</strong></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="124">
<p align="center"><strong>Q4 11</strong></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="99">
<p align="center">$290,550</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="103">
<p align="center">$205,000</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="147">
<p align="center">225</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="124">
<p align="center"><strong>Q3 11</strong></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="99">
<p align="center">$306,648</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="103">
<p align="center">$239,950</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="147">
<p align="center">231</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="124"><strong>% Change</strong></td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="99">
<p align="center">-5.25%</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="103">
<p align="center">-14.57%</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="147">
<p align="center">-2.60%</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p align="center"><strong>Market Highlights – Sold Properties</strong></p>
<p align="center"><em>Single Family Homes, January 1 – December 31, 2011</em></p>
<ul>
<li>Duck continues to have the lowest percentage of distressed property sales, ending the year with a total of 22%</li>
<li>Hatteras Island has the largest percentage of distressed property sales with 55% of all sold single family homes being either bank owned or short sales</li>
<li>Although the Outer Banks had a slight decrease in single family homes sold for 2011 (1159 vs. 1193) the amount of sales over $1 million dollars increased.  There were  46 homes sold for over $1 million this year compared with 39 last year.  Of the 46 sold, 9  homes sold for over $2 Million (compared to 4 in 2010)</li>
<li>Distressed sales accounted for 37% of all residential (single family &amp; condos) sales in 2011, which was the same as the previous year.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e74517;"><strong> </strong><strong>Outer Banks Vacation Rental Market </strong></span><br />
(Data Source: <a title="NAVIS GeoAnalytics" href="http://marketing.navistechnologies.com/NAVIS-Research/GeoData-Program/" target="_blank">NAVIS GeoAnalytics</a>)</p>
<p><strong>Average Booking Window<br />
</strong><strong>Legend: <span style="color: #1e18a9;">2011</span>;  <span style="color: #f19a0d;">2012</span></strong></p>
<p>This graph demonstrates the average number of days between booking and check-in date. This graph is summarized by month of booking, rather than month of stay.</p>
<p>For example, the reservations made at this time of year are about 170 days in advance of their check-in date. The takeaway message is that guests should book early for summer months in order to reserve the most desirable homes and weeks – about 170 days in advance at this time of year.</p>
<div id="attachment_8309"><a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/?attachment_id=8309" rel="attachment wp-att-8309"><img title="Seaside Report: Average Booking Window - January 2012 " src="http://seasidevacations.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/average-booking-window-january-2012-2-13-12.jpg?w=584&amp;h=334" alt="Seaside Report: Average Booking Window - January 2012 " width="584" height="334" /></a>Seaside Report: Average Booking Window &#8211; January 2012</div>
<div id="attachment_8310"><a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/?attachment_id=8310" rel="attachment wp-att-8310"><img title="Seaside Report: Average Booking Window - YoY Variance - January 2012" src="http://seasidevacations.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/average-booking-window-yoy-variance-january-2012-2-13-12.jpg?w=584&amp;h=100" alt="Seaside Report: Average Booking Window - YoY Variance - January 2012" width="584" height="100" /></a>Seaside Report: Average Booking Window &#8211; YoY Variance &#8211; January 2012</div>
<p><strong>Average Length of Stay<br />
</strong><strong>Legend: <span style="color: #1e18a9;">2011</span>;  <span style="color: #f19a0d;">2012</span></strong></p>
<p>The Length of Stay graph illustrates the average number of days between check-in date and check-out date of reservations, summarized by check-in month.</p>
<p>As would be expected for the Outer Banks, the average stay is seven days + for the summer months and varies in the shoulder season. A strong takeaway here is that full weeks are a must for the summer months, but Spring and Fall offer great opportunities for shorter stays and discounted rates, while maintaining the great benefits of gorgeous weather, empty beaches, and ample attractions and activities.</p>
<div id="attachment_8311"><a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/?attachment_id=8311" rel="attachment wp-att-8311"><img title="Seaside Report: Average Length of Stay - January 2012" src="http://seasidevacations.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/average-length-of-stay-january-2012-2-13-12.jpg?w=584&amp;h=334" alt="Seaside Report: Average Length of Stay - January 2012" width="584" height="334" /></a>Seaside Report: Average Length of Stay &#8211; January 2012</div>
<div id="attachment_8312"><a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/?attachment_id=8312" rel="attachment wp-att-8312"><img title="Seaside Report: Average Length of Stay - YoY Variance - January 2012" src="http://seasidevacations.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/average-length-of-stay-yoy-variance-january-2012-2-13-12.jpg?w=584&amp;h=100" alt="Seaside Report: Average Length of Stay - YoY Variance - January 2012" width="584" height="100" /></a>Seaside Report: Average Length of Stay &#8211; YoY Variance &#8211; January 2012</div>
<p><strong>Average Stay Value<br />
</strong><strong>Legend: <span style="color: #1e18a9;">2011</span>;  <span style="color: #f19a0d;">2012</span></strong></p>
<p>The Stay Value graph illustrates the average revenue actualized or projected for reservations, summarized by check-in month.</p>
<p>The clear message with this graph is that demand is high and supply is low during the summer months, and as a result, prices are driven higher during the summer months. As mentioned above, Spring and Fall offer great opportunities for shorter stays and discounted rates, while maintaining the great benefits of gorgeous weather, empty beaches, and ample attractions and activities.</p>
<div id="attachment_8313"><a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/?attachment_id=8313" rel="attachment wp-att-8313"><img title="Seaside Report: Average Stay Value - January 2012" src="http://seasidevacations.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/average-stay-value-january-2012-2-13-12.jpg?w=584&amp;h=315" alt="Seaside Report: Average Stay Value - January 2012" width="584" height="315" /></a>Seaside Report: Average Stay Value &#8211; January 2012</div>
<div id="attachment_8314"><a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/?attachment_id=8314" rel="attachment wp-att-8314"><img title="Seaside Report: Average Stay Value - YoY Variance - January 2011" src="http://seasidevacations.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/average-stay-value-yoy-variance-january-2011-2-13-12.jpg?w=584&amp;h=100" alt="Seaside Report: Average Stay Value - YoY Variance - January 2011" width="584" height="100" /></a>Seaside Report: Average Stay Value &#8211; YoY Variance &#8211; January 2011</div>
<p><strong>Bookings<br />
</strong><strong>Legend: <span style="color: #1e18a9;">2011</span>; <span style="color: #f19a0d;"> 2012</span></strong></p>
<p>The Bookings graph illustrates the number of reservations actualized or on the books, summarized by check-in month. This graph gives a good view of the “strength” of the reservations over the previous year. Reservations are up, which indicates that early reservations are wise and prices should remain constant. Although, at this point, July is slightly under-performing in comparison to 2011. This will be a trend to keep an eye on.</p>
<div id="attachment_8315"><a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/?attachment_id=8315" rel="attachment wp-att-8315"><img title="Seaside Report: Bookings - January 2012" src="http://seasidevacations.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/bookings-january-2012-2-13-12.jpg?w=584&amp;h=315" alt="Seaside Report: Bookings - January 2012" width="584" height="315" /></a>Seaside Report: Bookings &#8211; January 2012</div>
<div id="attachment_8316"><a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/?attachment_id=8316" rel="attachment wp-att-8316"><img title="Seaside Report: Bookings - YoY Variance - January 2012" src="http://seasidevacations.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/bookings-yoy-variance-january-2012-2-13-12.jpg?w=584&amp;h=100" alt="Seaside Report: Bookings - YoY Variance - January 2012" width="584" height="100" /></a>Seaside Report: Bookings &#8211; YoY Variance &#8211; January 2012</div>
<div></div>
<div>
<div id="attachment_2190" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 625px"><a title="The Seaside Report" href="http://info.outerbanksvacations.com/the-seaside-report/Default.aspx" target="_blank"><img class="size-full wp-image-2190" title="Sign Up for The Seaside Report - OBX Real Estate Update" src="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/seaside_report_CTA_FINAL.jpg" alt="Sign Up for The Seaside Report - OBX Real Estate Update" width="615" height="191" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Sign Up for The Seaside Report - OBX Real Estate Update</p></div>
</div>
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		<title>Preparing to Buy an Investment Property</title>
		<link>http://obxmarketreport.com/2011/10/preparing-to-buy-an-investment-property/</link>
		<comments>http://obxmarketreport.com/2011/10/preparing-to-buy-an-investment-property/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Oct 2011 19:25:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gordon Jones</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Coldwell Banker Market Reports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[National Housing Market]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coldwell Banker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[investment propert]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Outer banks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[real estate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Seaside Realty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vacation homes]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://obxmarketreport.com/?p=1685</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Via ColdwellBanker.com&#8230; It&#8217;s hard not to hear the rumblings. Experts and talking heads repeatedly say real estate can be a lucrative investment, especially for home buyers who buy at the right price and secure affordable financing.  However, for someone who has never &#8230; <a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/2011/10/preparing-to-buy-an-investment-property/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/as0yx1oiymic_beachhousefrontwithsignC4-web1.jpeg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1691" title="as0yx1oiymic_beachhousefrontwithsignC4-web" src="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/as0yx1oiymic_beachhousefrontwithsignC4-web1-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" /></a><em>Via <a href="http://www.coldwellbanker.com/real_estate/learn/preparing_to_buy_an_investment_property?topContentLast=MostRecent&amp;title=Real+Estate+News&amp;daysBackLast=30&amp;lastLinkFlag=CATEGORY&amp;contentIdLast=14507005">ColdwellBanker.com&#8230;</a> </em>It&#8217;s hard not to hear the rumblings. Experts and talking heads repeatedly say real estate can be a lucrative investment, especially for home buyers who buy at the right price and secure affordable financing.  However, for someone who has never done it before, real estate investment can be a tricky topic. Bankrate.com offers a few tips for homeowners who think they are ready to become a real estate investor.</p>
<p><strong>Determine goals</strong></p>
<p>The term &#8220;real estate investor&#8221; covers a wide breadth of roles. There are people who want to be a landlord and dote over their own property&#8217;s day-to-day care and management. Others simply want to purchase the property and let someone else handle the management. Still others may be interested in fixing up run down properties and re-selling them, or starting from scratch, buying undeveloped land and building something on it. Bankrate.com reports the first-time investor may want to stick with residential investment until they become more comfortable with the concept.</p>
<p><strong>Don&#8217;t be short on funds</strong></p>
<p>Home buyers may want to speak to a financial advisor to see if they actually have the capital needed to invest. Whether they&#8217;re becoming a landlord or commercial investor, a home buyer needs substantial cash reserves to cover periods of time when they won&#8217;t have tenants or the market is slow, according to Bankrate.com.</p>
<p><strong>As always, location, location, location</strong></p>
<p>Just as they would if they were buying a home to live in, real estate investors need to focus on location. High-population areas are ideal for the home buyer-turned-landlord, since they attract renters looking for easy access to work, retail locations and public services. An ideal investment opportunity would be situated between shopping centers, schools and public transit, Bankrate.com reports. Such a property would also attract future buyers if an investor decides to sell the property down the line.</p>
<p><strong>Look for an experienced real estate agent</strong></p>
<p>Bankrate.com reports a home buyer considering property investment should partner with a <a href="www.coldwellbankerobx.com">real estate agent</a> who knows the local investment climate and can find them a property that will bear substantial returns over time. Additionally, the investor should plan to keep a strong relationship with that real estate agent, since they could help them re-sell the property and find a new investment opportunity in the future.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		<title>Coldwell Banker Home Listing Report</title>
		<link>http://obxmarketreport.com/2011/06/coldwell-banker-home-listing-report/</link>
		<comments>http://obxmarketreport.com/2011/06/coldwell-banker-home-listing-report/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 16 Jun 2011 14:30:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gordon Jones</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Coldwell Banker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coldwell Banker Market Reports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[OBX News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[listing report]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[local]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[OBX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Outer banks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[real estate]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://obxmarketreport.com/?p=980</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Home Listing Report (HLR) serves as a “snapshot” of local real estate markets across the country. It provides the average listing prices for four-bedroom, two-bathroom homes in more than 2,300 North American markets that appeared on coldwellbanker.com between September &#8230; <a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/2011/06/coldwell-banker-home-listing-report/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: left;">The Home Listing Report (HLR) serves as a “snapshot” of local real estate markets across the country. It provides the average listing prices for four-bedroom, two-bathroom homes in more than 2,300 North American markets that appeared on coldwellbanker.com between September 2010 and March 2011. The infographic below allows you the ability to compare home values in more than 2,300 real estate markets.</p>
<div id="attachment_981" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://www.coldwellbanker.com/home_listing_report_infographic"><img class="size-medium wp-image-981 " title="Coldwell banker HLR" src="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Coldwell-banker-HLR-300x190.png" alt="" width="300" height="190" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Click image for infographic</p></div>
<p style="text-align: left;">&#8220;REAL ESTATE IS LOCAL!&#8221; said Jim Gillespie, CEO of Coldwell Banker. &#8220;So when Coldwell Banker issued our annual <a href="http://hlr.coldwellbanker.com/">Home Listing Report</a> (HLR), we kept that in mind.&#8221;</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Newport Beach, Ca topped this list as most expensive, with a four-bedroom, 2-bath listing for $2.5 Million, while Niagara Falls, New York came in as most affordable, with a listing price of $61,000. For most people, $2.5 million is out of the price range, but  1,545 markets had average listing prices of less than $300,000 for a four-bedroom, two-bath home.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">&#8220;At the end of the day, the housing market is about buying a  particular house, on a particular street, in a particular neighborhood.   It’s hyper-local, and I’m so proud that our trusted agents can help  buyers going through this process understand what’s going on in any  given market,&#8221; <a title="Gillespie" href="http://blog.coldwellbanker.com/home-listing-report/">Gillespie</a> said.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The full report, complete with market rankings and an automated formula to find out comparable prices for your home in other U.S. and Canadian markets, is available on <a href="http://hlr.coldwellbanker.com/">http://hlr.coldwellbanker.com</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">
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		<title>Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report &#8211; Q1 2011</title>
		<link>http://obxmarketreport.com/2011/04/outer-banks-real-estate-market-report-q1-2011/</link>
		<comments>http://obxmarketreport.com/2011/04/outer-banks-real-estate-market-report-q1-2011/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 20 Apr 2011 19:39:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gordon Jones</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Coldwell Banker Market Reports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Outer Banks Real Estate]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://obxmarketreport.com/?p=828</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report &#8211; Q1 2011 Summary – It would be an understatement to say that March was a good month for sales because March was, in fact, a fabulous month. March 2011 sales are at their &#8230; <a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/2011/04/outer-banks-real-estate-market-report-q1-2011/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report &#8211; Q1 2011</strong></p>
<div id="_mcePaste"><strong>Summary</strong> – It would be an understatement to say that March was a good month for sales because March was, in fact, a fabulous month. March 2011 sales are at their highest levels since March 2006 and sales are 34% higher when compared to March 2010. It should also be noted that sales on Hatteras Island have shown a 58% increase over March 2010 sales. The number of listings placed in an under contract status continues to rise with sales being up 20% from March 2010. The specifics are detailed below:</div>

<a href='http://obxmarketreport.com/2011/04/outer-banks-real-estate-market-report-q1-2011/obx-report-q1-11_page_1/' title='Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report Q1 2011 - Page 1'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/OBX-Report-Q1-11_Page_1-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report Q1 2011 - Page 1" title="Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report Q1 2011 - Page 1" /></a>
<a href='http://obxmarketreport.com/2011/04/outer-banks-real-estate-market-report-q1-2011/obx-report-q1-11_page_2/' title='Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report Q1 2011 - Page 2'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/OBX-Report-Q1-11_Page_2-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report Q1 2011 - Page 2" title="Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report Q1 2011 - Page 2" /></a>
<a href='http://obxmarketreport.com/2011/04/outer-banks-real-estate-market-report-q1-2011/obx-report-q1-11_page_3/' title='Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report Q1 2011 - Page 3'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/OBX-Report-Q1-11_Page_3-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report Q1 2011 - Page 3" title="Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report Q1 2011 - Page 3" /></a>
<a href='http://obxmarketreport.com/2011/04/outer-banks-real-estate-market-report-q1-2011/obx-report-q1-11_page_4/' title='Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report Q1 2011 - Page 4'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/OBX-Report-Q1-11_Page_4-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report Q1 2011 - Page 4" title="Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report Q1 2011 - Page 4" /></a>

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		<title>2010 Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report &#8211; Year End</title>
		<link>http://obxmarketreport.com/2011/01/2010-outer-banks-real-estate-market-report-year-end/</link>
		<comments>http://obxmarketreport.com/2011/01/2010-outer-banks-real-estate-market-report-year-end/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 26 Jan 2011 21:34:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gordon Jones</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Coldwell Banker Market Reports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[OBX News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Outer Banks Real Estate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bought]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[house]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[market]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[OBX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Outer banks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[real estate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[report]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sold]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://obxmarketreport.com/?p=740</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[2010 Year End Report Total Property Sales – A total of 1672 units were sold in 2010 which is a 21% increase over 2009 sales with residential property leading the way (see below). Total Volume Sold for 2010 was also &#8230; <a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/2011/01/2010-outer-banks-real-estate-market-report-year-end/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_741" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 485px"><a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/OBX-Report-Q4-10_Page_1.jpg"><img class="size-large wp-image-741 " title="Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report - Q4 2010" src="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/OBX-Report-Q4-10_Page_1-791x1024.jpg" alt="Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report - Q4 2010" width="475" height="614" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report - Q4 2010</p></div>
<div id="attachment_742" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 485px"><a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/OBX-Report-Q4-10_Page_2.jpg"><img class="size-large wp-image-742 " title="Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report - Q4 2010" src="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/OBX-Report-Q4-10_Page_2-791x1024.jpg" alt="Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report - Q4 2010" width="475" height="614" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report - Q4 2010</p></div>
<div id="attachment_743" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 485px"><a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/OBX-Report-Q4-10_Page_3.jpg"><img class="size-large wp-image-743 " title="Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report - Q4 2010" src="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/OBX-Report-Q4-10_Page_3-791x1024.jpg" alt="Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report - Q4 2010" width="475" height="614" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report - Q4 2010</p></div>
<div id="attachment_744" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 485px"><a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/OBX-Report-Q4-10_Page_4.jpg"><img class="size-large wp-image-744 " title="Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report - Q4 2010" src="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/OBX-Report-Q4-10_Page_4-791x1024.jpg" alt="Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report - Q4 2010" width="475" height="614" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report - Q4 2010</p></div>
<div id="attachment_745" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 485px"><a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/OBX-Report-Q4-10_Page_5.jpg"><img class="size-large wp-image-745 " title="Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report - Q4 2010" src="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/OBX-Report-Q4-10_Page_5-791x1024.jpg" alt="Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report - Q4 2010" width="475" height="614" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report - Q4 2010</p></div>
<p><strong>2010 Year End Report </strong></p>
<p><strong>Total Property Sales </strong>– A total of 1672 units were sold in 2010 which is a 21% increase over 2009 sales with residential property leading the way (see below). Total Volume Sold for 2010 was also up by 19% over 2009 with a total volume of $504,568,644. For historical perspective, sales in 2010 were approximately 57% of what the sales were at their peak in 2004.</p>
<p><strong>o Residential property </strong>- Sales in December were up 16% from November and up 22% for the year and the sales volume was up 18%.</p>
<p><strong>o Land </strong>– Sales in December were down slightly (3%) from November but were up 19% for the year.</p>
<p><strong>o Commercial </strong>– Sales were down 26% for the year; however the sales volume was up by $838,475 (12%)</p>
<p><strong>How Sold </strong>– Buyers were looking for different / unique ways to finance their purchase. The data showed that the numbers of “Cash” sales were up 54%, “Other” sales are up 312%, “Conventional” loans are up 17%, “VA” loans are up 18% while the number of “FHA” loans were down 6.7%.</p>
<p><strong>Distressed Properties </strong>– Distressed properties accounted for approximately 16% of residential property inventory while sales of distressed properties accounted for 38% of all sales in 2010.</p>
<p><strong>Under Contracts </strong>– The number of listings placed under contract took a dramatic downturn in December (-46%) when compared with November 2010; however, this appears to be a seasonal trend. The number of listings placed under contract in 2010 was up by 19% from 2009.</p>
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="152" valign="top"><strong>Inventory </strong>– The total number of active listings declined 10%   in December and 15% for the year. Overall, residential listings declined by 11%,   land listing declined by 21% and commercial listings declined (23%). The   majority of the current active residential listings fall in the following   price ranges:</p>
<p><strong>Price Range </strong></td>
<td width="152" valign="top"><strong>Number of Listings </strong></td>
<td width="152" valign="top"><strong>Price Range </strong></td>
<td width="152" valign="top"><strong>Number of Listings </strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="152" valign="top">$1 &#8211; $99,999</td>
<td width="152" valign="top">58</td>
<td width="152" valign="top">$600K &#8211; $699K</td>
<td width="152" valign="top">140</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="152" valign="top">$100K &#8211; $199K</td>
<td width="152" valign="top">252</td>
<td width="152" valign="top">$700K &#8211; $799K</td>
<td width="152" valign="top">69</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="152" valign="top">$200K &#8211; $299K</td>
<td width="152" valign="top">309</td>
<td width="152" valign="top">$800K-$899K</td>
<td width="152" valign="top">64</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="152" valign="top">$300K &#8211; $399K</td>
<td width="152" valign="top">323</td>
<td width="152" valign="top">$900K-$999K</td>
<td width="152" valign="top">49</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="152" valign="top">$400K &#8211; $499K</td>
<td width="152" valign="top">233</td>
<td width="152" valign="top">&gt;$1M</td>
<td width="152" valign="top">175</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" width="304" valign="top">$500K &#8211; $599K</td>
<td colspan="2" width="304" valign="top">167</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
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		<title>Outer Banks Real Estate Market Report &#8211; 3rd Quarter 2010</title>
		<link>http://obxmarketreport.com/2010/10/outer-banks-real-estate-market-report-3rd-quarter-2010/</link>
		<comments>http://obxmarketreport.com/2010/10/outer-banks-real-estate-market-report-3rd-quarter-2010/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 22 Oct 2010 20:12:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gordon Jones</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Coldwell Banker Market Reports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[OBX News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Outer Banks Real Estate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2010]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[3rd]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[market]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Outer banks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[quarter]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[report]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[third]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://obxmarketreport.com/?p=674</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Highlights of the 3rd Quarter: * There were 417 units sold in the 3rd Quarter of this year: * Bank owned: 121 * Potential Short Sale: 30 * Distressed properties accounted for 36% of all units sold in this quarter, &#8230; <a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/2010/10/outer-banks-real-estate-market-report-3rd-quarter-2010/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_675" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 423px"><a href="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Outer-Banks-Market-Report-Q3-2010.jpg"><img class="size-large wp-image-675" title="Outer Banks Market Report Q3 2010" src="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Outer-Banks-Market-Report-Q3-2010-791x1024.jpg" alt="Outer Banks Market Report Q3 2010" width="413" height="781" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Outer Banks Market Report Q3 2010</p></div>
<div><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri-Bold;">Highlights of the 3rd Quarter:</span></strong></div>
<p><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri-Bold;"></p>
<div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">* There were 417 units sold in the 3rd Quarter of this year:<br />
* Bank owned: 121<br />
* Potential Short Sale: 30<br />
* Distressed properties accounted for 36% of all units sold in this quarter, compared to 19% for the same period last year<br />
* Listings for the 3rd Quarter were down 21% over the 3rd Quarter of 2009 but unit sales were up 23%<br />
* Pending sales were up 15%</span></div>
<p></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></p>
<div><strong><em><span style="font-family: Calibri-BoldItalic; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Calibri-BoldItalic; font-size: medium;">Featured Information</span></span></em></strong></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: Calibri-Bold;">10 Reasons To Buy a Home</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Enough with the doom and gloom about homeownership. Brett Arends explains why owning a home is a good thing.</span></div>
<p></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1. You can get a good deal. Especially if you play hardball. This is a buyer&#8217;s market. Most of the other buyers have now vanished, as the tax credits on purchases have just expired. We&#8217;re four to five years into the biggest housing bust in modern history. And prices have come down a long way- about 30% from their peak, according to Standard &amp; Poor&#8217;s Case-Shiller Index, which tracks home prices in 20 big cities. Yes, it&#8217;s mixed. New York is only down 20%. Arizona has halved. Will prices fall further? Sure, they could. You&#8217;ll never catch the bottom. It doesn&#8217;t really matter so much in the long haul.  Where is fair value? Fund manager Jeremy Grantham at GMO, who predicted the bust with remarkable accuracy, said two years ago that home prices needed to fall another 17% to reach fair value in relation to household incomes. Case-Shiller since then: Down 18%.</p>
<p>2. Mortgages are cheap. You can get a 30-year loan for around 4.3%. What&#8217;s not to like? These are the lowest rates on record. As recently as two years ago they were about 6.3%. That drop slashes your monthly repayment by a fifth. If inflation picks up, you won&#8217;t see these mortgage rates again in your lifetime. And if we get deflation, and rates fall further, you can refi. </p>
<p>3. You&#8217;ll save on taxes. You can deduct the mortgage interest from your income taxes. You can deduct your real estate taxes. And you&#8217;ll get a tax break on capital gains-if any-when you sell. Sure, you&#8217;ll need to do your math. You&#8217;ll only get the income tax break if you itemize your deductions, and many people may be better off taking the standard deduction instead. The breaks are more valuable the more you earn, and the bigger your mortgage. But many people will find that these tax breaks mean owning costs them less, often a lot less, than renting. </p>
<p>4. It&#8217;ll be yours. You can have the kitchen and bathrooms you want. You can move the walls, build an extension-zoning permitted-or paint everything bright orange. Few landlords are so indulgent; for renters, these types of changes are often impossible. You&#8217;ll feel better about your own place if you own it than if you rent.  Many years ago, when I was working for a political campaign in England, I toured a working-class northern town. Mrs. Thatcher had just begun selling off public housing to the tenants. &#8220;You can tell the ones that have been bought,&#8221; said my local guide. &#8220;They&#8217;ve painted the front door. It&#8217;s the first thing people do when they buy.&#8221; It was a small sign that said something big..</p>
<div><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5. You&#8217;ll get a better home. In many parts of the country it can be really hard to find a good rental. All the best places are sold as condos. Money talks. Once again, this is a case by case issue: In Miami right now there are so many vacant luxury condos that owners will rent them out for a fraction of the cost of owning. But few places are so favored. Generally speaking, if you want the best home in the best neighborhood, you&#8217;re better off buying.</span></strong></div>
<p></span><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;">6. It offers some inflation protection. No, it&#8217;s not perfect. But studies by Professor Karl &#8220;Chip&#8221; Case (of Case-Shiller), and others, suggest that over the long-term housing has tended to beat inflation by a couple of percentage points a year. That&#8217;s valuable inflation insurance, especially if you&#8217;re young and raising a family and thinking about the next 30 or 40 years. In the recent past, inflation-protected government bonds, or TIPS, offered an easier form of inflation insurance. But yields there have plummeted of late. That also makes homeownership look a little better by contrast.</p>
<p>7. It&#8217;s risk capital. No, your home isn&#8217;t the stock market and you shouldn&#8217;t view it as the way to get rich. But if the economy does surprise us all and start booming, sooner or later real estate prices will head up again, too.  One lesson from the last few years is that stocks are incredibly hard for most normal people to own in large quantities-for practical as well as psychological reasons. Equity in a home is another way of linking part of your portfolio to the long-term growth of the economy-if it happens-and still managing to sleep at night. </p>
<p>8. It&#8217;s forced savings. If you can rent an apartment for $2,000 month instead of buying one for $2,400 a month, renting may make sense. But will you save that $400 for your future? A lot of people won&#8217;t. Most, I dare say. Once again, you have to do your math, but the part of your mortgage payment that goes to principal repayment isn&#8217;t a cost. You&#8217;re just paying yourself by building equity. As a forced monthly saving, it&#8217;s a good discipline.</p>
<p>9. There is a lot to choose from. There is a glut of homes in most of the country. The National Association of Realtors puts the current inventory at around 4 million homes. That&#8217;s below last year&#8217;s peak, but well above typical levels, and enough for about a year&#8217;s worth of sales. More keeping coming onto the market, too, as the banks slowly unload their inventory of unsold properties. That means great choice, as well as great prices.</p>
<div><strong><strong><em><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;">10. Sooner or later, the market will clear. Demand and supply will meet. The population is forecast to grow by more than 100 million people over the next 40 years. That means maybe 40 million new households looking for homes. Meanwhile, this housing glut will work itself out. Many of the homes will be bought. But many more will simply be destroyed-either deliberately, or by inaction. This is already happening. Even two years ago, when I toured the housing slump in western Florida, I saw bankrupt condo developments that were fast becoming derelict. And, finally, a lot of the &#8220;glut&#8221; simply won&#8217;t matter: It&#8217;s concentrated in a few areas, like Florida and Nevada. Unless you live there, the glut won&#8217;t have any long-term impact on housing supply in your town.</span></strong></em></strong></strong></div>
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		<title>Outer Banks Real Estate Market Update &#8211; Fourth Quarter 2009</title>
		<link>http://obxmarketreport.com/2010/02/outer-banks-real-estate-market-update-fourth-quarter-2009/</link>
		<comments>http://obxmarketreport.com/2010/02/outer-banks-real-estate-market-update-fourth-quarter-2009/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 19:44:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gordon Jones</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Coldwell Banker Market Reports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[OBX News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coldwell Banker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[market]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Outer banks]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[Below is the Outer Banks Real Estate Market Update for the fourth quarter of 2009 provided by Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty.  Please double-click the images to enlarge.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Below is the Outer Banks Real Estate Market Update for the fourth quarter of 2009 provided by <a href="http://www.ColdwellBankerOBX.com">Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty</a>. </p>
<p>Please double-click the images to enlarge.</p>
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<a href='http://obxmarketreport.com/2010/02/outer-banks-real-estate-market-update-fourth-quarter-2009/2009-q4-outer-banks-market-report-p1/' title='2009 Q4 Outer Banks Market Report - p1'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/2009-q4-outer-banks-market-report-p1-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="2009 Q4 Outer Banks Market Report - p1" title="2009 Q4 Outer Banks Market Report - p1" /></a>
<a href='http://obxmarketreport.com/2010/02/outer-banks-real-estate-market-update-fourth-quarter-2009/2009-q4-outer-banks-market-report-p2/' title='2009 Q4 Outer Banks Market Report - p2'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/2009-q4-outer-banks-market-report-p2-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="2009 Q4 Outer Banks Market Report - p2" title="2009 Q4 Outer Banks Market Report - p2" /></a>
<a href='http://obxmarketreport.com/2010/02/outer-banks-real-estate-market-update-fourth-quarter-2009/2009-q4-outer-banks-market-report-p3/' title='2009 Q4 Outer Banks Market Report - p3'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/2009-q4-outer-banks-market-report-p3-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="2009 Q4 Outer Banks Market Report - p3" title="2009 Q4 Outer Banks Market Report - p3" /></a>
<a href='http://obxmarketreport.com/2010/02/outer-banks-real-estate-market-update-fourth-quarter-2009/2009-q4-outer-banks-market-report-p4/' title='2009 Q4 Outer Banks Market Report - p4'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/2009-q4-outer-banks-market-report-p4-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="2009 Q4 Outer Banks Market Report - p4" title="2009 Q4 Outer Banks Market Report - p4" /></a>
<a href='http://obxmarketreport.com/2010/02/outer-banks-real-estate-market-update-fourth-quarter-2009/2009-q4-outer-banks-market-report-p5/' title='2009 Q4 Outer Banks Market Report - p5'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://obxmarketreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/2009-q4-outer-banks-market-report-p5-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="2009 Q4 Outer Banks Market Report - p5" title="2009 Q4 Outer Banks Market Report - p5" /></a>
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