Julie Paez GRI, CHMS

In Eagle River Wisconsin it IS the TIME to BUY if you are a first timer!!

With all of the media noise about the market these days the one item that I will agree with is that it remains a great time to be a first time home buyer. In our community of Eagle River , Wisconsin, we have a large amount of homes for sale whether you are a buyer looking for in-town living or country living. There is something for everyone and if you are willing to shop around there are definite "deals' to be had. While it is true that lending has tightened up if you have some money down and good credit you should be able to secure yourself decent financing that will rival interest rate all the way back to the 1970"s. This is good news for many of your out there.

If you are concerned about the market being at its bottom or if the time is right for YOU, with your special circumstance , definitely talk to a local professional and get their advice. Remember, the benefits of purchasing now rather than continuing to wait for a bottom that may have already past us are great.

Some of those advantages are:

1. Less competition so you are less likely to get into a multiple offer situation.

2. Interest rates are at an all time low and the new tax credit could allow you up to 7500 dollar in tax credits .

3. We are inventory rich so you have a lot of parcels to choose from.

4. With increased inventory there is often an increase in the ability to negotiate.

For a complete list of all advantages including tax advantages , again, contact a local expert in your community. Depending on purchase price and the amount of money you have down a REALTOR in your area should be able to give you an idea of all the advantages that come with home ownership.

So, start looking and seize the opportunity at hand. Remember, the one investment that has continued to increase over time has been the value of homeownership!!!

I had to meet with some clients last night to discuss their property and I had to give them the unfortunate news that there property needed to be dropped in price by at least 50,000 to sell.

It is so difficult to try boost your spirits in a time when you are having to break others. No, they don't have to sell and that is what I advised, but it sure makes it tough to get a listing and even tougher to get a sale without any of the first. In a time when optimism keeps you going it is necessary to also offer some realism. Sometimes a large dose is necessary especially if you are coming in trying to show realistic outcomes.

Having just receive the WRA stats our region in Wisconsin has been particularly hard hit and we have seen a 47% decrease in sales from last year to this year. The neighboring county has seen a decrease of about 35%. Those are the majority of my market. Our average home sale price has actually not fallen much but sales are so down we are just not selling much.

It creates a weird economic paradox b/c our supply( or lack of demand for it) has not caused prices to fall. We have seen sellers pull b/c they don't have to sell and buyers writing multiple offers to try and cherry pick the listings. It is the mentality the mob had rushing WalMart... where can I save the most money....who do I have to trample to get the best deal.... It has sort of created a stale mate here b/c the sellers refuse to budge and the buyers refuse to spend more than say...30% less than asking price b/c that is the national average ( that day) of what prices have dropped. It is a very confusing time here and patience will be necessary to keep buyers looking and sellers negotiating.

I want to offer optimism to my clients and be positive that their property can and will sell but I feel very guarded b/c in this market it is hard to say there is a sure sell or a buyer out there. I think a hard dose of reality is what both the client and the agent need in this market...

Father's Day weekend had to be shared this year by our own Eagle River, WI Sport & Home Show. It was wonderful seeing so many familiar faces and old friends and clients. I look forward every year to working this event b/c it is a great opportunity to show support for our community by being present.

The weekend had good traffic and was in a new spot...our new high school. What an amazing facility and that was probably one of the top ten comments I heard. Many members of our community felt like this was their opportunity to come out and take a look at both the vendors and the school. It is an honor to have this new facility in our home town and many individulas were feeling the pride as they came through this weekend.

We did a free home giveaway as well as a gorgeous floral basket giveaway for our customers & people were generally pretty excited about the idea of giving away a home... Did I mention it was a condo unit for the birds???? It was cute and people responded well. I think you can see the home and the basket below in the photo..

I did have a couple of my Seller's request that while they may look at Offer's from Buyer's at this time they are not yet ready to do a "giveaway". Again, most everyone felt it was a cute idea.

In closing I just wanted to take a moment to say thanks to everyone who stopped by the booth to say Hello!!! It is a pleasure being in this community with you all and it was great to see everyone support the Home Show again this year!!

Amazing Condominums that have just been reduced in price!!

They say location is the key and these have it.. In the heart of Eagle River, WI, on Yellow Birch Lake of the Eagle River Chain of Lakes, and across the street from our municiple Golf Course, so you'll never have to buy golf balls again!!! Out your front door is the green of Number 1 and out your back door is the chain of lakes.

These condo's have everything from 3 levels of finished living space to a 2 car attached garage, master suite , & your own pier. Designed for ease everything you need is on the main level.

They are also extensively landscaped and priced to sell.

Go to www.ertownhomes.com for additional info or call for your personal viewing!!!