Today, many experts agree that the United

States real estate market is on the mend. These

experts point to many factors: there are fewer
distressed properties on the market; the
demand for houses is growing faster than the
number of homes on the market; and home
prices are steadily increasing month after
month. In fact in many markets, home prices
are near their 2006 peak!
Because of the market crash, many homeown-
ers found themselves underwater, with
mortgages worth more than the value of their
homes. The last five to six years showed little
light at the end of tunnel, and many simply
stopped believing the market and their situa-
tion could improve. However todays market
has improved drastically, but many have yet
to realize it.
Today, there is hope for homeowners who
found themselves stuck or struggling due to the
market crash. If you know one of the millions of
homeowners who were underwater on their
mortgage, or if you have been waiting to sell
your home until the market improved, now
may be the time to sell!
Home Prices Continue
to Increase
According to CoreLogics Home Price Index
(HPI

), September 2013 was the 19th consecu-

tive month with year-over-year increase in
home prices nationally.
September 2013 was the 19th consecutive
month with year-over-year home price
increases
This is tremendous news for homeowners! This
nationwide increase in home prices speaks to
the steady recovery of the real estate market
over the last year. For homeowners underwater
on their homes, it means their homes may
reach the surface for the first time in years,
and they may finally find equity back in their
homes. For homeowners who have been
waiting for the market to improve, it may
mean they can now finally sell, whether to
move or to upgrade to a bigger home.
More and More States
Near Peak Prices
Nationwide, more and more markets are
edging closer to their peak home sale prices.
South Dakota, North Dakota, Vermont, and
Nebraska all reported home prices that
matched their peak 2006 levels. 22 other states
reported that home prices are now within 10
percent of their peak prices.
22 States are within 10 percent of their peak
prices
The map above from CoreLogic shows the
difference between peak home prices and
current home prices for each state. As you can
see, more and more states are returning to
peak levels.
2014 Charfen Institute All Rights Reserved. The above brokerage assumes no responsibility nor guarantees the accuracy of this information and is not engaged in the practice of law nor
gives legal advice. It is strongly recommended that you seek appropriate professional counsel regarding your rights as a homeowner.

And while some states still seem far off from

their peak prices, such as Nevada, California,
Arizona, Michigan, these states are also show-
ing some of the fastest appreciation rates, as
shown in the table below.
In many cases, the high appreciation in those
markets is due to higher demand for homes,
with few homes available. So even if you find
yourself in one of these markets, you may still
be able to get much more for your home than
you think!
Its a Sellers Market
Home prices continue trending upwards for
many reasons. Two of the core reasons, how-
ever, make todays market a sellers market.
1. More and more people are looking to
purchase homes as the market improves.
However, the number of homes for sale is low.
Today more people want to buy homes today
than at any time in the past five or six years.
However, housing inventory remains low. This
simple law of supply and demand is allowing
homeowners to ask more for their homes.
2. There number of distressed properties has
dropped dramatically, lessening their impact
on the market.
When the economy crashed, many homeown-
ers found themselves in financial hardship and
unable to pay their mortgages. Facing foreclo-
sure, they tried to sell only to find that the value
of their home was less than what they owed.
For the last five or six years, these properties
have kept home prices low. Today, much of
the distressed property inventory has been
sold, so these properties dont affect the
market as significantly.
This means both distressed and non-distressed
sellers find themselves in a much better posi-
tion as they can ask more for their homes!
If You Have Been Waiting to Sell
Your Home, Now May Be the
Time
The market has dramatically improved, and
looks to continue improving. So if you or some-
one you know have been waiting to sell your
home, especially if the home was underwa-
ter, now is the time to start exploring options.
Do you know what your home is worth? Do you
know what other homes in your area are
selling for? As youve seen from this report, the
market has changed dramatically. Those who
have been underwater may not be any
longer. Those who have been waiting until
home prices recovered may have gained that
value back in their homes.
As a real estate agent and Certified Distressed
Property Expert, I have the most up-to-date
information and training to help you under-
stand exactly what your situation is. Contact
me today for a free market analysis and let me
help you determine your best options!
2014 Charfen Institute All Rights Reserved. The above brokerage assumes no responsibility nor guarantees the accuracy of this information and is not engaged in the practice of law nor
gives legal advice. It is strongly recommended that you seek appropriate professional counsel regarding your rights as a homeowner.