I saw on MSNBC the other day that a recent poll by Realtor.com revealed that more than half of those parties interested in purchasing a new home are not ready to pull the trigger and buy yet. Their biggest concern was that they would lose their job and be unable to support the new home. Other fears potential homebuyers expressed in the poll was that they were bothered by falling home prices and worried that they would be unable to sell the home they were currently living for enough money.
In my day to day business I am seeing that while more restrictive lending is stopping some would be purchasers from moving forward, even those who are highly qualified to purchase a new home are not rushing to snap up the deals and feel that values will continue to drop. They are unwilling to take on a large financial risk in the current economic environment even though foreclosed properties are providing great deals to those who can buy. Furthermore, many concerned customers feel that purchasing foreclosed properties is much more confusing and complicated than a standard sale.
The poll by Realtor.com also found that Americans generally are skeptical about Obamas plan to alleviate the foreclosure crisis by giving the lending industry $50 billion in incentives to lower borrowers monthly payments. Only 28 percent of those surveyed said the plan is working, compared with 41 percent who said it isnt and 27 percent who didnt know.
What is the end result of all this? In my business , I am seeing an increased interest from both potential sellers and buyers in home rental rather than traditional sales and purchase.
Home rental instead of purchasing allows someone relocating to a new area to get to know the market and test out their different options, and also gives those customers needing to upgrade an ability to do that without having to qualify for a complicated mortgage program. Home owners are also finding rental over selling attractive, as it allows the real estate market to rebound and their property values to increase. In my opinion, until Americans become convinced that the market is changing for the better, renting will become the preferred option for many who would otherwise have purchased a home.