We had a very busy season, lots of sales and increases in values.  Not enough to rent, so that inventory is low which caused Rents to gone up.  Great time to buy or sell.

The weather up north was horrible in some places and people came in droves.  It is quieter now, which is normal for this time of year, but with inventory lower it is a good time to sell.

On the other hand, some prices have been lowered to attract buyers since season is over, so if your thinking of buying, great time to buy.

Still plenty of foreclosures and short sales, call me today at 239-734-4663

The market still has a long way to go nationally, but the healing process -- and a return to a normalized housing market -- is definitely well underway," said Jim Baird, chief investment officer for Plante Moran Financial Advisors.

Home prices have been helped in recent months by a number of factors, including tight inventory of homes available for sale, near record-low mortgage rates and a drop in homes in foreclosure. A decline in unemployment is also helping the housing recovery.

The housing recovery itself is helping support overall economic growth, as builders scramble to hire workers to meet the renewed demand. The lift goes beyond the impact of increased construction on the economy, as the rise in home prices lifts household wealth.

Rising home prices also reduce the number of people owing more on their mortgages than their homes are worth. That, in turn, can help them to refinance those loans at a lower rate, freeing up money to spend on other goods and services.

Average U.S. rates on fixed mortgages fell this week and remained near historic lows, a trend that has supported a recovery in housing.

Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average rate for the 30-year loan fell to 3.54 percent from 3.63 percent last week. That’s near the 3.31 percent reached in November, which was the lowest on records dating to 1971.

The average rate on the 30-year loan has been below 4 percent now for a full year.

The average rate on the 15-year fixed mortgage slipped last week to 2.72 percent from 2.79 percent last week. The record low is 2.63 percent.

The lowest mortgage rates in decades are spurring more home purchases and refinancing. That’s helped the broader economy. Increased sales are also pushing home prices higher.

As the spring home-buying season begins, low mortgage rates could spur more people to buy homes or refinance. Refinancing often lowers monthly mortgage payments and leaves consumers with more spending money.

The National Association of Realtors reported Thursday that sales increased 0.8 percent in February from January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.98 million. That was the highest sales pace since November 2009, when a temporary tax credit for homebuyers had boosted sales.

WASHINGTON – March 22, 2013 – Existing home sales rose modestly in February and more people listed homes for sale, the first sign of a potential turnaround in a supply crunch in some markets.

Home sales rose 0.8 percent in February from January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.98 million, 10.2 percent above last year’s level, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday.

The sales rate was the highest since November 2009, when a federal tax credit propped up home sales.

A more important number in the report may be the supply of homes for sale. That rose to 4.7 months, at the current pace of sales, up from 4.3 months in January, NAR says.

The increase in supply is the first of any real significance for more than two years, says Paul Diggle, economist for Capital Economics. While too soon to say that the trough in supply is past, “We get the sense that it’s close,” he says.

Historically, Realtors have considered a six-month supply to be balanced between buyers and sellers.

Even if the inventory crunch is on the verge of easing, “it’ll be years, not months,” to get it back to more normal levels, says Jed Kolko, chief economist for real estate website Trulia. That’s because inventory is so low and new home construction, while picking up, hasn’t yet caught up to the pace of new household formation.

February’s uptick in supply “may be the first hint of a trend or it may be a blip,” Kolko says.

Much of the increase in total inventory, up almost 10 percent to 1.94 million homes, was seasonal, says Patrick Newport, economist at IHS Global Insight. Typically, inventory rises about 6 percent in February.

Even with the increase, February’s inventory of single-family homes for sale was at an 18-year low, he says.

The low inventories are adding up to rising prices, multiple offers and a slowdown in sales in some markets.

In February, California’s single-family home sales were down almost 6 percent from a year earlier, in part because of listing shortages, the California Association of Realtors says. California’s supply of single-family homes for sale stood at 3.6 months in February.

In parts of the Silicon Valley and San Francisco, more homes are selling even before they hit the multiple listing service, says Rick Turley, president of Coldwell Banker in the San Francisco Bay Area.

He estimates that off-market sales are running at 25 percent or more in Palo Alto and Menlo Park. Without such tight inventories of homes for sale, they’d be 2 percent to 4 percent of sales, he says. Multiple offers are also common.

Copyright USA TODAY 2013

2013 has proven to be a very busy season.  The cold winter blasts and blizzards have sent a lot of buyers and renters to sunny SW Florida!

What does that mean for Sellers.  LIST NOW Please call me so I can help  you sell your home today!

I will use my almost 20 years of experience to give you an accurate list price for you your home.  It will sell quickly and smoothly.

When it comes to your most valuable investment, dont trust a friend, trust a professional, please call 239-734-4663

It wont cost anything to find out what the true market value is, and I can guide you through the process.

thank you

Kat Batten

Broker Associate

Licensed in Florida, Iowa and Illinois over 18 years, Bank owned REO and tax deferred specialist