Homes in San Diego Selling Below Value
Written by Announcement Author on Saturday, November 21st, 2009 in Real Estate.
What’s the value of a home? Of course prices fluctuate, but somehow there should be a standard way to determine the real value of a house. Like anything else, it’s determined by the benefits its owner receives. It’s not just the house that sets the price, or homes in Virginia wouldn’t command a higher price than homes in Wisconsin. To a large degree, it’s related to availability of jobs. People will move to where there are good paying jobs. Their income determines how much house they can afford. Even in a metropolitan area, homes that are more centrally located are worth more. Logically, there should be a way to calculate a home’s value based on its location. Economists have developed such a formula, and determined that prices do tend to move in the direction of the realistic value over time.
If this is true, we should be able to do the math and go out and buy a home for its actual value? Right? Well, no. In the near term prices fluctuate with other factors, like availability of funds and buyer and seller expectations. A few years ago banks were making subprime loans left and right. Anyone who could qualify at the teaser rate based on stated income could buy a house. The increased demand drove prices up to unrealistic levels. Nobody gave much thought to what they would do when the rate went up. They assumed that prices would continue to rise and mortgage financing would be available. But as we all know, artificially inflated prices can’t increase indefinitely. When the interest rates on those subprime mortgages went up and people couldn’t afford their mortgage payments, the crash began.
A market correction was definitely in order, but as we often see, it went too far. The mortgage lenders didn’t just revert to more traditional requirements. They made the requirements so stringent that even buyers who could qualify during ‘normal’ times couldn’t get a loan.In addition to that, the many forclosures and distressed properties on the market drove prices down below their values.Now buyers are waiting until they’re sure that prices have hit the bottom. But when will that happen?
History has shown that the market will overcorrect. Just as optimism and easy lending drove prices too high, fear will drive prices too low. When will it stop? A few smart buyers will realize that the prices can’t fall much more.If you are able to buy something for less than it’s worth, you come out ahead – even if someone else gets the same thing for a little less the next day. Once it starts, an avalanche of buyers will join in and prices will rise. Most of us won’t know that has happened until months after the fact.
Economists are saying that homes are undervalued in many markets. Which areas, you ask? The areas that saw unrealistically huge price increases are now suffering the largest declines. In a review of Southern California real estate prices, Global Insight said that real estate in Los Angeles is 6.4% undervalued, Orange County real estate is 10.9% undervalued, homes in Riverside-San Bernardino are 15.7% undervalued, and San Diego homes are 21.2% undervalued.
So, should you go out and buy a home in Riverside or San Diego?Well, it depends.Even within a geographic area, conditions differ in various price ranges. Currently there are still a lot of distressed properties on the market, mostly starter homes. At the same time, higher end homes are relatively scarce. If you’re looking for a condo, you might want to wait a little longer.If you’re looking for a larger home, there are some deals available. And right now interest rates are at historic lows and the government is offering tax incentives to home buyers in an effort to get the real estate market moving again.