New Mobile Search of the MLS

I'm excited to announce that our company has partnered with Smarter Agent, the nation’s leader in mobile real estate technology, to provide mobile search capability to ALL of our clients! 

CENTURY 21 advantage Gold's custom mobile App allows consumers to search homes for sale anytime, anywhere - right from their cell phone! The App works on standard cell phones and smartphones across all mobile carriers. The public can download the app to their phone to view all homes for sale in Southeast Pennsylvania, South Jersye and Delaware - the region covered by Trend MLS. 

Now consumers will have easier access to property information no matter where they are or what they're doing, including rentals, and properties sorted by location using the GPS features of your phone. Whether driving, or walking around looking at properties, consumers have access to all of the MLS information on the homes for sale around you, with just one touch of a button on your cell phone.   Hit “Call to See” and you will be put right in touch with our call center where you can get even more information to assist you in your home search.

The App is free and easy to obtain.  Just text C21AG to 87778, and the application will be sent to your phone by text message.  Just click on it and the application downloads right away.

With all of us relying on our phones more and more for valuable information, I know our consumers will love this great new way to look for homes.  So don’t delay – start searching for your dream home TODAY!

Philadelphia and Surrounding Counties Market Statistics

Image by reeltor99 via Flickr

As Congress discusses a 6 month Extension of the First Time Home buyer Tax Credit with an additional credit for repeat home buyers, the results of the initial credit seem to be obvious when we look at the Pending Sales Market statistics from September for Philadelphia and surrounding counties.

Pending Home Sales	Sept 2009	Sept 2008	% Change
Philadelphia	1287	941	36.77%
Bucks	582	414	40.58%
Montgomery	739	571	29.42%
Delaware	526	366	43.72%
Chester	492	354	38.98%

With such substantial increases in the pending sales for all five counties, its obvious that our housing market has recovered substantially. Though its tough to know exactly how much the tax credit influenced this, logic tells us that it has had a substantial impact. When we add to this the decrease in inventory, we see what would be defined as a recovering real estate market.

Current Home Inventory	Sept 2009	Sept 2008	% Change
Philadelphia	9,704	10,559	-8.10%
Bucks	4,011	4,262	-5.89%
Montgomery	5,276	5,718	-7.73%
Delaware	3,542	3,697	-4.19%
Chester	3,924	3,997	-1.83%

So what does this mean for the next 6 months?

• With a tax credit extension, motivation for first time home buyers will continue
• A tax credit for repeat buyers will increase motivation for a new group of buyers
• Shrinking inventory generally means competition between buyers for more desirable homes and possible upward pressure on prices.
• Though the tax credits are significant, the 6 month window is still a limited window off opportunity.
  
• The limited opportunity provides substantial additional motivation for buying even at a time of the year which is traditionally slower because of the retail market.

So though there is still uncertainty about the unemployment numbers, and we have not seen a great resurgence in consumer confidence yet, it does seem that in the house buying arena, there are substantial reasons for potential home buyers to get off the fence and take action now to benefit from the combination of affordable prices, low mortgage rates, and tax benefits that may not be extended again in the more active spring market.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Realtors group says pending home sales climb (latimesblogs.latimes.com)
• Senators Look to Expand Home Buyer Tax Credit (abcnews.go.com)