Teton Realty Blog

Teton Region Real Estate Market Stats, Articles & News

Assumable Loans

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FHA LoansMost of us in the industry know that interest rates have already begun to rise, and while they are nowhere near historic levels, they are approaching levels we started to see prior to the recession. Average 30-year rates dipped into the low 3s at the bottom of the 2008 downturn, and held at these levels for some time.

While the recession was detrimental to most of us, many first-time home buyers with undamaged credit were able to purchase at very affordable prices, with very attractive interest rates. FHA loans also came back in full force due to their less stringent requirements for credit and other reasons.
FHA loans tend to have their ups and downs. More recently, the requirement for mortgage insurance to be carried until a debt ratio of 78% was reached was further implemented to stay with the loan, for the life of the loan. On the other hand, almost all FHA loans are assumable. This may afford new buyers the opportunity to inherit some of these FHA loans that were written while interest rates were abnormally low. Also, during much of this time, mortgage insurance was not required to stay for the life of the loan. These buyers may have the opportunity to assume the existing loan, and carrying a second loan at the higher rates for the difference. For loans held for a long period of time, there could be significant cost savings for these new buyers.
In case many of you are wondering, there’s really only one other loan product that is assumable, or at least the majority of the time. That product is the VA product. While the VA loans are almost always assumable, they can have a negative effect for that Veteran and their ability to borrow using the VA product in the future. VA loans have guarantee periods with dollar amounts associated with those periods of time. These dollar amounts are associated with how much the Veteran can borrow using the VA product. That amount has been just over $104,000 since January 1st of 2006. This number represents 25% of the total borrowing power. If the Veteran doesn’t use the entire borrowing power amount on one loan, they can use the remaining balance to borrow using the same loan product for another loan. However, if that loan is assumed, that borrowing power still counts it against the Veteran until it is assigned otherwise. This is an important element for those using this loan program to remember in the event the opportunity arises for this loan to be assumed.
For these opportunities to be a benefit to the buyer and the seller, all parties need to be aware of the current loan conditions, and if the seller has interest in allowing their loan to be assumed. This should also be explained to any real estate agents involved with the transaction, particularly the seller’s agent so it can be used as a marketing tool.
FHA Loan limits are increased in Teton County Idaho, currently at 625,000.

Deal of the Week

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8120 Trout Bend Victor, ID

This 2200SF home in the popular Victor “Brookside Hollow” community in Victor boasts 5 bedrooms, dramatic vaulted ceilings, a large yard, and room to expand with a partially finished basement.

Why it’s a good deal:

Nicely appointed homes between 3 and 400,000 are getting hard to come by in the Victor area.

How much?

$340,000.

How quick will it sell?

Homes in this price range (especially in Victor) tend to sell quickly. I would anticipate a contract before Spring.

MLS info below. Log in to save this property.

December ’16 Market Stats & Year End Report

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Teton Valley 2016 Overview

Teton Valley including Alta saw nearly 200 residential single-family sales in 2016, an improvement from 2015, even though inventory remains low. Condo and townhouse sales were on par with the year prior, though prices have increased in various sectors in the Valley. The number of building site sales in the Valley increased by 10% in 2016, and the average sale price ended at over $120,000 for the month of December 2016.

Residential Snapshot

Homes in Driggs saw a 24% Improvement in absorption ratess, a 12% increase in the average sale price, and a 33% decrease in the average number of days on Market.
Victor saw similar similar absorption when compared to 2015, and a 10%increase in the average sale price. The average number of days on Market decreased by about 19%.
The Tetonia area also performed well with an 4% Improvement regarding absorption, and a 39% decrease in the average number of days on Market. Average sales prices were slightly lower than 2015, by about 2%.
Alta, WY sale price information is skewed due to the lack of available sales as with most years, and this is due to the number of available listings which has diminished as the market improves.
Teton County, WY 2016 Overview
Teton County Wyoming ended it’s year with a bang, with nearly 400 residential sales including condos, townhouses and timeshares.
Residential Snapshot
The Town of Jackson saw a small increase in terms of absorption rate change, and the average sale price did increase, but only by about 2%. The number of days on Market was almost identical to the year prior, around 4 months on average.
Wilson, WY saw a decrease in the number of days on Market, and also a decrease in the average sale price. Like the Alta, WY market, the Wilson market is small, and easily skewed by high dollar listings, or low inventory.
Congratulations to the team at Teton Valley Realty, closing 140 transactions in the Teton Valley Market in 2016, over 50% more than it’s closest competitor.
Here’s to a successful 2017!

Building a Home? New Construction Tips, Q & A

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In anticipation of new construction in the coming year, I thought I would run through a couple of frequently asked questions and provide a bit of advice for new home shoppers.
Does a new home lose value?
In general, real estate appreciates. We are finally seeing some new construction, and likely to see loads more this coming season. With that said, most of the homes you might compare with were built in, or around 2007. While I don’t think demand will diminish, or necessarily increase, I think the prices will likely stabilize because of the higher supply. Nothing drastic, but there will be more supply than there is now. Regardless, the newer homes will likely have a slight premium, but I wouldn’t look at it as if you are driving a new car off the lot. While real estate appreciates, it also comes with maintenance and repairs. The homes we’re seeing on the market today are already a third through their roof life span, assuming it’s a comp shingle or similar. In this regard, it’s sixes. Buy the house you like.

Does new construction cost more?
This question goes hand-in-hand with the last. I talked about the increase in supply which should reduce prices, but only to a certain degree. Remember that new construction only comes if it pays for itself. I think it’s going to cost more, but probably not substantially more than the prorated share of future maintenance that will come sooner than when purchasing a new home.
Should I get a home warranty?
It depends what you are referring to. If you are thinking about a home warranty like you see on TV for appliances and HVAC systems, in my opinion, no. Your new home will likely come with manufacturers warranties on all of the major appliances and systems. If you are talking about a builder’s warranty, I would advise working with a builder who offers one. If a builder is willing to stand by general workmanship and materials, it’s a good indication that they take pride in their work.
Local or Regional contractors?
In my local experience, subcontractors can be extraordinary difficult to line up, and shift around it another contractor gets delayed. If your general contractor does not have an existing relationship with the local subcontractors you will likely have to use, you could face major delays when it comes to the completion of each step in the process. Further, if that contractor has several jobs out of the area, you will find that they will likely take care of their local client base first. My best advice would be to at least find a contractor that has a pre-existing relationship with the local subcontractors.
Any other advice?
1) Be involved with your construction project, but not over involved when it comes to moving things around or changing finishes. Many people have a hard time visualizing what they want until they see it, at which point they begin to make changes. This is where higher than expected costs can come back to bite you. Your contractor should have a good idea of what you were looking for, and they are skilled in visualizing in anticipation of the end result.
2) Know that your project likely won’t be completed on time. I hate to bring it up out of the gate, but we have such a limited number of available contractors, and the Teton region is relatively secluded when it comes to available materials. Set high expectations, but prepare for this in the back of your mind.
 
3) I have a vast number of construction related articles available at tetonrealtyblog.com as well. If you have questions about HVAC systems, insulation, or other construction-related items, you might try searching them in the search bar on the site. Also, the Idaho Office of the Attorney General has put together a very nice 12-page brochure on what to expect in terms of residential construction in Idaho with a few tips when it comes to choosing, and working with your contractor. That link is below.
http://www.ag.idaho.gov/publications/consumer/ResidentialConstruction.pdf

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