REALTOR Conspiracy to Lower Property Values, Kill Trees and ... Rock the Casbah?

The real estate market is a local market. It is not a national market. For example, people buy and sell homes in Colorado Springs for reasons that match NO other real estate market in the United States. Having 6 military bases in and around Colorado Springs only adds to our home buying and selling uniqueness.

I do my best not to watch the news or listen to the news... especially when it has to do with the "state of the real estate market" ... not because I do not LIKE it, but because I do not BELIEVE it.

Where are these reporters getting their information?

Last time I checked, their "sources" were not local real estate agents and local statistics on the local housing market. And since the right questions (How's the Local Market?) were not asked to the right people (Local real estate agents), then their information is wrong, at best.

The media really bothers me because too many home buyers and sellers are making HUGE decisions based off of wrong and misplaced information. The national media is doing a complete disservice to the public when they make broad, sweeping statements about the real estate market, like they do.

Yes. My local real estate market is shifting: Homes are not appreciating at the exorbitant rates that they were in 2005, but homes are still appreciating at a decent rate. Homes for sale are staying on the market longer, but well priced homes are still selling in just a few months.

I do not recommend basing your local home buying and selling decisions off of the national media. If you do, you might as well also hire the counsel of the man in Austin who believes that REALTORS are conspiring to lower property values by killing trees... and Rock the Casbah!*

The BEST advice you can get regarding buying or selling a home, is from an experienced real estate agent. Better yet? Talk to a couple different agents and you will get a great idea of what your local market really IS doing and you will then become a better informed and educated real estate buyer or seller.

*Thank you to Lani of SinglePointe Austin TX Real Estate for pointing me to Beth's blog to read this delightful story.