Tampa Home Values May Not Be Accurate On Zillow

Automated Appraisals (AVM’s) Don’t Tell All….

zillow-inc-logoHomeowners who are using Automated Valuation Models (AVM’s) or ”free online home values” such as Zillow to determine the value of a property need to know what those results aren’t telling them.

  1. Whether unique features of a property might add to or detract from market value. So a computer returns an estimated value of $150,000. Did it account for the sewage treatment station next door? The railroad tracks nearby with trains that blow their whistles every night? The school district? The desirability of its tree-lined street versus the next street over?
  2. How long ago the property was assessed. Many AVMs and free online services rely on public assessment records. In many states, for example, assessments may only be required every three years – the value may be nearly three years old in that case. Some states mandate that an assessed value not increase beyond a certain percentage, even if sales activity indicates the property has appreciated far more. When you use an AVM or free online service, you risk a lower or higher value than reality.
  3. What makes the comparables comparable? A computer might compare your subject property to another property with similar square footage sold three months ago a quarter of a mile away. Even if that “comparable” property is in a different, less desirable school district, fronts a four-lane, 55 M.P.H. street, and is flood-prone. Or even if the property was sold under duress, such as in a divorce situation, or not at arm’s length, such as to a family member. A computer simply does not know all the adjustments that might need to be made to a “comparable” property’s sales price.     Continue reading →

Tampa Housing Market Not Really Tied to Wall Street

Tampa Housing Market

Tampa Waterfront HomeEven though the Tampa housing market looks as certain to rise as the spring shoots, behind that optimism is the perennial question about whether another “dip” is coming — a lot of which has to do with Wall Street. Remembering how 2008’s economic downturn saw the housing market and stock market take blows pretty much simultaneously, it’s not far-fetched to assume that the two markets always move together. And while some folks are emboldened as stocks soar to record-level heights, for others, the same phenomenon causes altitude sickness. What goes up must…well, you know the rest!

Historically, the housing market and stock market are hardly inextricably joined. Nor should that be a surprise. On the one hand, the housing market reflects a real good (as ‘real’ as it gets!) — something that carries intrinsic utility. That won’t change until people figure out a way to exist without shelter.

Stocks, on the other hand, represent participation in ownership of a venture, and a share of financial gain (or loss) from its success. Both markets are influenced by some of the same factors (employment, inflation, etc.), but to different degrees. It’s widely agreed that the direct influence of one on the other waxes and wanes.     Continue reading →

Tampa Short Sales Rise While Distressed Sales Decrease

Tampa FL Short Sale Process Takes Teamwork

fishhawk-short-salesA Tampa short sale is the option usually preferred by anyone who faces foreclosure. It’s the path that, with the approval of the mortgage lender, promises to ultimately minimize damage to the homeowner’s credit score.

According to Realty Trac, distressed sales of all kinds continued to decrease in the last reported quarter, yet the non-foreclosure short sale volume increased by 4%. That amounts to a significant 22% of all sales. Realty Trac’s are the most reliable national statistics, and our local short sale profile has likewise reflected the continuing working out of the distressed property phenomenon.

Completing a short sale in Tampa (or anywhere else, for that matter!) can be challenging. If you’ve decided that it is your best course, you can do a lot to help your agent accomplish it:

  • From the beginning of the Tampa short sale process, keep your agent informed of any changes in the financial picture. That means keeping up-to-date on the changing balance remaining on the mortgage, as well as the number of missed payments. When the information is at hand, your agent can impart the sense of urgency that gets your home sold as fast as possible.     Continue reading →