Calvert County Housing Market Trends Through April 2010

The State of Calvert County Real Estate, lets discuss the activity and trends we’ve been seeing over the last couple months. The chart below, presents a lot of data, but tells a few key stories. Some noteworthy points are:

• There was a significant drop in sales during February and March in Calvert County, most likely due to all of the snow, but in April home sales began to slowly return to the steady totals of late 2009.
• Closing cost assistance rates are remaining consistant.  If you are selling your homein Calvert County or Southern Maryland, be prepared to offer closing assistance to the buyer.
• On average, homes in Calvert County are on the market 95-120 days before selling.

Rental properties of one to four units are both a good choice for many of today’s investors, and a good area of specialization for many of today’s real estate professionals. For many sound reasons investing in a rental unit can be a good place to put your money. 

Why rental properties? For one thing, a growing number of people will seek out new places to live, and an increasingly attractive choice will be renting. In fact, vacancy rates have already begun to ease. A recent study cited by The Wall Street Journal reported that apartment rents rose in the first quarter of 2010 after five straight quarters of declines. As have single family homes.

In the past, investors bought rental properties based on the reasonable expectation that their market value would rise along with rents, and that they could take advantage of tax benefits.

Recently, in addition to tax advantages, investors have been able to realize a positive cash flow early in the process. In fact, in many markets, it may be possible to structure transactions that provide an immediate positive cash flow. With many homes in short sale sand forclosures, you may get a good deal on your renal purchase.  This is not always the case, of course, and investors will benefit greatly from professional guidance.

For investors who like a hands-on experience, operating rental properties can prove to be a satisfying experience. The more work the investor is willing to do for themselves, from painting interior walls to handling the books, the higher the profits will be.