Have We Forgotten Something?

by Dean Hartman

Over the past few weeks and months, the media, so-called experts and most of our friends and relatives seemed to have almost soured on buying a home at this time. With fear of a fragile economy and high unemployment rates, who can argue with caution?

When the pervasive sentiment among even real estate and mortgage professionals is that home prices will continue to move downward and that mortgage interest rates don’t appear to be jumping significantly any time soon, the question remains… “Why would anyone that doesn’t have to buy now, buy now?”

One commenter to a previous blog post even went so far as to challenge the entire industry for promoting the “hurry up and buy” approach by asserting that buyers who listened to that advice six months ago are bemoaning taking that advice. That made me think: “Are people who bought six, eight, ten months ago kicking themselves because their home is worth less now than when they bought it?”

I had my team call some of our recent buyers and this is the feedback we received:

“Last year at this time, I was cooped up in a small apartment. Today, I am planning our Fourth of July celebration with 25 friends and family in our new home. Regrets? Are you kidding? We couldn’t be happier.”

“We are glad we now have a place of our own. We have a few friends looking to buy and we are helping to get them excited. Five years ago, we couldn’t afford it….now, we have our American Dream.”

“We were crammed into my in-laws’ home with no real privacy or room for the kids to just be kids. Now, they have a backyard to play in and they have settled in to their new school and made new friends. We couldn’t be happier.”

“Yeah, I realize, I might have been able to buy a home for $10,000 less if I waited, but there are two things to remember. One, what memories would we have missed if we weren’t here? And two, I am not selling my home now. Who cares what it is worth until we look to move again in 5-7 years? By then, we believe everything will be back to normal. Right now, we have a payment we can comfortable manage and we have a home to build roots and a foundation. I would urge everyone to do it, if they can.”

A home does remain a good long term investment. However, first and foremost, it really is a place for pride, peace, preference, and pleasure. We need to be reminded that the emotional component to buying a home may be worth more than simply the financial benefits. And from a financial perspective…who in your life is a better financial mentor? Donald Trump or Uncle Joe? Warren Buffet or your local newspaper writer who makes $30,000 a year? Remember, conventional wisdom breeds mediocre results (at best).

If you are considering Relocating to Colorado Springs, Purchasing a Home for Sale in Colorado Springs, considering Selling a Home in Colorado Springs, or want more information on the Colorado Springs Real Estate Market, Contact your Colorado Springs Real Estate Expert, Mike MacGuire Today!