Normally, when a website like lexology.com assesses the year in real estate as one “which faced unprecedented challenges,” Forsyth County readers know what to expect: details that amount to a torrent of excuses justifying a lame showing in the year just ending. But–not so this time.
As Year 2021 goes into the record books, its history is anything but lame —as any number of Forsyth County homeowners will attest. They have good reason to be elated by the ballooning value of their primary investments—their Forsyth County home.
The upbeat details weren’t limited to Forsyth County, either. Throughout most of the nation, the story was the same. Home.com “saw home prices skyrocket like never before.” CNBC headlined, “Homeowners are sitting on record equity,” while theclose.com went on to note, “the average listing price for a home in 2021 has risen more than 32% since March 2020” (to $374,900).
The superlatives extended to residential investors so that even the normally staid Wall Street Journal could headline a “Golden Age” for apartment owners—one “Primed to Continue in 2022.”
The strong showings traced their beginnings to the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Following early expectations that centered on the health restrictions bound to hamper residential showings and open houses, it soon became apparent that buyers were going to be undeterred. There followed the opposite of the anticipated slowdown, triggering a dramatic reduction in the supply of homes for sale. And when inventory levels “went from a six-month supply to a one-month supply over the course of a year” (nhbr.com), the resulting competitive atmosphere had buyers dealing with a real estate market where closing prices could wind up eclipsing listing prices. In November, Realtor®Magazine cited existing-home prices that rose another 1.9% over October’s closings, reflecting the prevalence of “determined buyers” looking to “land housing before mortgage rates rise further in the coming months.” By the time the year ends on Friday, the U.S. home values will likely have chalked up more than the 13.3% registered at the close of November.
For Forsyth County homeowners who will be listing in the new year, the outlook continues to be bright. For those looking to escape rising rental rates, a few bright spots may be emerging—the brightest being a year-end prediction by Fannie Mae: those rising mortgage interest rates are expected to end 2022 at 3.3%. For buyers and sellers, as always, I’ll be manning the phones, awaiting your call!
This Cumming GA Real Estate blog is hosted by Gayle Barton of BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HomeServices Georgia Properties.
I specialize in Real Estate sales in the following Forsyth County and North Fulton County cities: Cumming, Suwanee, Alpharetta, Milton and Johns Creek. Other north metro-Atlanta suburbs are serviced by request, so please call.
Gayle Barton Forsyth County Real Estate | Cumming GA Real Estate | Mountain Crest Homes For Sale
Gayle Barton Cumming GA Real Estate | Forsyth County Real Estate
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