Housing Predictor, an independent real estate forecasting service, has ranked the Columbus area 2nd in the country in the Best 25 Housing Markets. Ohioans should feel especially positive as the ranking lists Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati as the top three housing markets, respectively. Check out the article to review the Best 25 Housing Markets as forecast by Housing Predictor.
While I think it’s too early to know how accurate the prediction is, I can say that Tony and I saw a marked increase in real estate activity during January. The number of homes we put into contract exceeded our numbers from previous Januarys. There are 15% more homes “In Contract†in New Albany, OH than the same time last year which seems to substantiate my own observations.
The extended home buyer tax credit is probably responsible for a large part of the increase. Buyers (and NOT just first time buyers) have until the end of April to enter into a contract to purchase a home in order to qualify for the tax credit of up to $8000. Contact Tony or me if you have any questions about how the tax credit might impact you.
Until next time,
Kate