​With warmer spring weather right around the corner, you may be starting to dream up ways to make the most out of your backyard in the months ahead. With outdoor gatherings still considered one of the safest ways to spend time with friends and family, your yard could become the new socially distanced hang out place! Why not make it as cozy as can be? Below are eight tips for transforming your outdoor space to enjoy now and throughout the summer. If you want to start on a bigger project, call us for a great contractor referral! 

Stock market booms come and go, but real estate typically remains a solid investment. In today’s market, owning a home — or two — is one of the best moves you can make for your portfolio. Even just owning your principal residence is an exceptional way to build your personal wealth!
 
To bring you more context on why real estate is still the hottest commodity, we wanted to share a few impressive statistics on equity, net worth and asset appreciation that come as great news for homeowners. If you’re thinking about selling as we approach the spring buying season, the information we're sending you this month provides a few reasons why now is the perfect time to make your move.
 
As your trusted real estate professionals, we are committed to serving your housing needs at the highest possible level. If you want to buy or sell, but you’re concerned about the current inventory, give us a call — there may be more homes out there than you think. We’ll share how we will go above and beyond to make your search a breeze!

We all have dreams worth saving for! Whether you’re putting away money for retirement, a down payment on a home or your kids’ college tuition, it’s easier to save when you have a road map telling you how to get there.

As you track your budget for 2021, remember to track your savings goals too! This Item of Value offers some strategies to help you save for short-term, mid-term and long-term goals. Find out how to determine exactly what you need to save each month to hit your target amount and ways to make it easy. You’ll also learn about a few savings vehicles to help your money grow along the way, so you can pick the one that’s right for you.  
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Got bigger goals? To make sure you’re saving in the smartest way possible, consider working with a finance professional.  Call us for a trusted referral who can help you organize all of your financial plans! 

It’s never too early to begin preparing for tax season! Take some time this month to take stock of your finances and tax situation, so you won’t have to stress come April.
    
Each year, there are a few changes to the tax policy that you’ll want to be aware of when filing your tax returns. In this month’s Item of Value, you’ll find a brief outline of the most significant updates and important deadlines, as well as information about COVID-19 relief and your taxes. We’ll also share a few factors that will help you decide when to go with a pro when it comes to filing your taxes.
  
If you decide you need help with your taxes, give us a call. We can connect you to a trusted and thorough tax professional in our network who can get the job done right. Prepare now to get ahead of the game and make your life easier this spring!  

Happy New Year from the McDowell Team! 

2021 has got to be better than 2020!  We have vaccines coming out and being distributed, and we're going to get through this!  Check out the video below to learn what the market is doing!

​As of the end of December, we have RECORD low inventory at 0.8 months.  This means that if we don’t put any more homes on the market to sell, it would take us just a little over 3 weeks to sell everything.
 
DECEMBER 2020 vs DECEMBER 2019
NEW LISTINGS are up 37%, with 1,740 vs 1,270 new homes on the market.
PENDING SALES are up 13%, with 2,003 vs 1,772 homes going under contract during the month.
CLOSED SALES are up 26%, with 2,789 vs 2,213 home closing escrow during the month.
 
YTD AVERAGE SALES PRICE: 2020 vs 2019
$494,000 Vs $459,000, or a 7.6% increase
 
YTD MEDIAN SALES PRICE: 2020 vs 2019
$440,000 Vs $410,000, or a 7.3% increase
 
AVERAGE SALE PRICE: DECEMBER 2008 vs DECEMBER 2019
$514,000 Vs $457,700, or a 12.3% increase
 
The market is moving very fast. Homes are selling very quickly and for more money. This is a GREAT TIME TO SELL, and the market needs more houses to sell. This is being driven by very low interest rates making it A VERY GOOD TIME FOR PEOPLE TO BUY as well! The problem is that the level of competition makes it harder to get into accepted deals.

We have great programs and systems that we work with that helps our clients get into houses! If there is anything that we can do for you, please don’t hesitate to give us a call! We are here to help however we can.

We hope everyone has a fantastic 2021!