Now is a great time to invest in a rental: Low home prices and low interest rates make this a great time to become an investor.

Now is a great time to invest in a rental: Low home prices and low interest rates make this a great time to become an investor.

If you're thinking about investing in a rental property, experts say low home prices combined with low interest rates make this the best time in years to become a real-estate investor.

"We haven't seen home prices this low in so many years, coupled with the rates being so low," says Steve Albin, an agent with Realty Investors LLC / Justlistedknoxville.com in Knoxville. Tennessee. "When the money is cheap to borrow and the houses are cheap to buy, it's absolutely the best time to invest."

Partner with experience. First-time investors should find a real-estate agent experienced in investment property deals who can help you locate promising properties. "Look for relational brokers who expect to do business with you again and therefore are going to be much more careful with what they recommend," Tina Mounger says an agent with Realty Investors LLC / Justlistedknoxville.com.

Whatever you do, understand that buying investment property is an entirely different experience than buying your primary residence. "When you go to buy your own home, you usually have emotions in it," Tina Mounger says. "When you go to buy an investment property, you need to put all that aside and ask, 'What makes sense?'"

Steve ALBIN 865-235-1520 Tina Mounger 865-748-6216 OUR clients know us by our name, and our reputation and our cell phone number The CRS Designation, awarded by the Council of Residential Specialists, is the highest professional designation awarded to Realtors® in the residential sales field. Fewer than 4 percent of all Realtors® nation wide hold the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) "Only a buyer's agent is obligated to provide complete confidentiality of the buyers personal motives or financial intentions. " Your JustListedKnoxville.com real estate agent is: Technologically literate, A local market expert, Your guide, Your advocate, A lifesaver, Your resource with Turnkey Service and Privacy. We offer you seasoned, professional "Buyer's Brokers".

About US .... JustListedKnoxville.com is an alliance of independent licensed real estate agents and locally owned, independently operated real estate firms and agents with in those firms spanning a nine-county marketing area. Alliance Members bring 76 years of continuous real estate service to the community. The alliance shares the area's finest interactive systems and marketing programs offering state of the art professional consumer centered real estate services... access from anywhere at any time.

You have an important decision to make.

You have an important decision to make. Are you going to be one sellers in your area who will place their property SOLD this month or will you still be for sale next month? JustSOLDKnoxville.com

Real Estate Today RADIO covers the benefits and challenges of homeownership, from expert advice on buying and selling, to remodeling and landscaping,

Real Estate Today RADIO covers the benefits and challenges of homeownership, from expert advice on buying and selling, to remodeling and landscaping, to the state of the current market and home financing issues. The show's interactive experience offers listeners an opportunity to exchange information and learn from some of the nation’s most recognized experts on a variety of real estate related topics such as buying and selling homes, obtaining mortgages, seasonal markets, home improvements and more. Guests often include key lawmakers, NAR leadership, staging and remodeling experts, and respected members of the national media.

Cost of Waiting for Prices to Fall

Many purchasers have been sitting on the sidelines waiting for home prices to hit bottom. They want to guarantee that they are purchasing at the best possible price. Like them, we also believe that prices still have some room to fall in most markets. However, we disagree that waiting is a good financial decision. The buyer should not be concerned about housing prices. They should be concerned about cost.

The cost of a house is made up of the price AND THE INTEREST RATE they will be paying. Two different pieces of news released yesterday highlight this point.

PRICES

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) released their 4th quarter housing research report. In the release, they reported that home sales rose 15.4% in the 4th quarter over the 3rd quarter. They also showed that prices remained stable during the year: The national median existing single-family price was $170,600 in the fourth quarter, up 0.2 percent from $170,300 in the fourth quarter of 2009.

A buyer who delayed a purchase might find solace in the fact that prices have not increased. However, the other news released yesterday paints a different picture.

INTEREST RATES

The Primary Mortgage Market Survey was released by Freddie Mac which showed that the 30 year fixed rate mortgage was at 5.05%. Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist of Freddie Mac said: “Long-term bond yields jumped on positive economic data reports, which placed upward pressure on mortgage rates this week…As a result, interest rates on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose to the highest level since the last week in April 2010.”

So prices have remained stable but interest rates have risen dramatically in the last 90 days. What does that mean to a buyer looking to purchase a home this year? The price is the same. It just costs more. Let’s show you what the news means:

By sitting on the sidelines for the last 90 days a purchaser lost:

$89.44 a month

$1,073.28 a year

$32,198.40 over the thirty year life of the mortgage

If you buy a $340,000 home, double all these numbers.

Bottom Line Even if prices fall another 10% this year, the cost of a home will increase if interest rates go up more than 1%. Buyers should not worry where prices are going. They should be concerned where costs will be later in the year. The Cost of Waiting for Prices to Fall by THE KCM CREW on FEBRUARY 11, 2011

Homes Sales Pick Up in 2010 in the metro Knoxville Tennessee

Knoxville - Tennessee - JustListedKnoxville.com . Homes Sales Pick Up in 2010 in the metro Knoxville Tennessee area according to the JustListedKnoxville.com real estate group, affiliated with real estate brokerage Realty Investors. Closed sales climbed to 9,155 single family homes in 2010. Included were 2,230 Foreclosures and 435 New Homes sales which includes 33 Million dollar Plus Homes. Highest closed price $3,000,000.00 Average closed price of $170,990.

Expired Listings properties that did not sell in 2010 totaled 10, 201.

Withdrawn properties that were taken off the market by the owner totaled 8.210 in 2010. Real Estate agents listed a total of approximately 27,566 single family properties in 2010 with 33% of listed single family properties selling.

"We are observing a more vigorous house price recovery and we are forecasting prices in the metro Knoxville area to appreciate over the next 12 months. A trend that should continue for the rest of 2011 into 2012."

Top Single-Family Sales By type of Financing used in 2010 were, Conventional 43%, FHA 22%, Cash 22%, VA 4% and Owner 1%

Single-Family Unit Sales in 2010 By Days on Market rank, 181+ Days 31 - 60 Days 121 - 180 Days 61 - 90 Days 1 - 30 Days 91 - 120 Days Average Market Time117 Days

TOP MLS Housing Style sold in 2010 was the Ranch Home followed by 2 Story Homes with 1-5 Acres, 1-1/2 Story, Split Foyer, 2 Story Basement, Homes with 5+ Acres, Tri-Level, Split Level, and 2-1/2 Story Homes.

TOP MLS Exterior Features of sold homes in 2010: Fenced Yard, Storage Shed, Handicap Accessible or Handicap Equipped, In Ground Pool, Hot Tub and Additional Living Quarters

TOP MLS Lot Description in 2010 Mountain View, Lake View, Golf Course or Golf Community Lake Front, Creek, Lake Access, Pond and Dockable

Top Advertising Terms in 2010 included: Motivated Seller followed by As Is, Reduced, Closing Cost, Rental, TLC, Short Sale, Investment, Furnished, Make Offer, and Secluded

Home Sales Report Beginning 01/01/2010, Ending 12/31/2010. INFORMATION DEEMED RELIABLE BUT NOT GUARANTEED, may vary, and are for illustration comparison. Mathematical extrapolations and metrics used in statistics. Steve Albin web site JustListedKnoxville.com Affiliated with real estate brokerage Realty Investors LLC 507 N Cedar Bluff Rd Knoxville, Tennessee 37923 Tennessee Real Estate License 261417 865-691-5348 Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated. KAAR Home Sales Report http://kaarmls.com/homesalesreport.htm

"It's the start of the buying season," for property in East Tennessee says Steve Albin, of Just Listed Knoxville.com.

"It's the start of the buying season," for property in East Tennessee says Steve Albin, of Just Listed Knoxville.com. He says now is traditionally the best time of the year to buy property, and this season looks no different. As a matter of fact, it's been several years since opportunities for buyers have looked this good.

There are more homes on the market at this time of the year, making it a prime time to close a deal. For buyers, the good news just keeps coming, "says Tina Mounger of Just Listed Knoxville.com. "Lots of people wait until now to put their house on the market because they know the buyers will be there," says Steve Albin of Just Listed Knoxville.com. "Things warm up and it's a nice time to go out and shop for a house." According to Trenna Hamilton of Just Listed Knoxville.com, now the market will favor buyers even more than it has during the last several years. "There's a unique opportunity right now that hasn't existed since 2000," he says. "That is the willingness of sellers to negotiate."

Sellers and home builders are much more willing to make concessions in many areas, including sale price and terms. Now, sellers are going to be especially motivated. Once inventories level off, home prices will begin to climb again and the bargaining power may return to the seller. If you wait too long, you could miss out on some great opportunities. You never know when the market will actually peak out and you don't want to get caught in the upswing, or even worse, a bidding war with other buyers.

In more good news, some areas are still appreciating at a steady pace, making it an ideal time to invest. "Real estate professionals say the important thing to remember about real estate is that it's local, and looking at national statistics can sometimes be misleading. In other words, just because the sky seems to be falling across the nation doesn't mean there aren't areas that are still stable".

JustListedKnoxville.com Real Estate Team affords you the luxury and helps to insure "Your Home, Your Family, Your Investment, Our Priority" also a Final word. Please note that we do not provide a one time search service but rather an ongoing client/consultant relationship, Services Include: Personal advocacy for relocation , home mortgage approval, title and legal document preparation, home marketing assistance, home inspection and appraisal coordination, household goods management, referral management, destination home buying counseling, home warranties and more all this for individuals.