What Can Home Sellers Expect in 2020?
Louisiana Realtors • December 31, 2019
Selling your home is a big decision and the success of the outcome of this transaction is based on a number of variables. Market conditions, the economy, and more all influence the amount of time that a “For Sale” sign stays in your yard, as well as the figure on your check at the closing table. So as we enter not only a new year, but a new decade, what can you expect if 2020 is the year you decide to sell your home?
Mortgage Rates Will Decrease
While you may not consider falling mortgage rates as a variable that impacts the home selling process. But this is a condition that can work out in your favor. Buyers will be motivated by low interest rates, meaning they could make you an acceptable offer sooner rather than later. Working with a knowledgeable, professional REALTOR® can help you gauge your expectations in terms of both asking price and a selling timeline.
Home Prices Will Increase
Obviously the sale price of your home is a major, likely the most important, result of selling your home. The good news is that for the past several years home prices have been on the rise. While the increase has sagged year-over-year, it is an increase nonetheless. This means that you can capitalize on a higher asking price than you may have thought. However, this environment of higher prices can quickly exceed many buyer’s budgets. Leveraging the experience and expertise of a REALTOR® can help you find a balance between a lucrative and competitive asking price that won’t leave your house on the market for months.
From the Louisiana Department of Insurance: Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple joined Governor Jeff Landry and Senate Insurance Committee Chairman Kirk Talbot today to announce that Louisiana is investing an additional $20 million in Fortified homes, bringing the total amount invested in state Fortified projects this year to $100 million. Governor Landry announced that $20 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will be transferred to the Louisiana Office of Community Development Restore Resilient Opportunities for Overhead Fortification (Restore ROOF) program to strengthen residential structures and reduce long-term disaster risk. Earlier this year, the Legislature passed a bill that allows $50 million in additional Katrina and Rita bond money from Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation to be added to the Department of Insurance’s Louisiana Fortify Homes Program (LFHP). Also beginning this year, LFHP is projected to receive approximately $30 million annually from taxes and fees the Louisiana Department of Insurance collects from the insurance industry. “Building stronger homes is a vital part of making homeowners insurance affordable in Louisiana,” said Commissioner Temple. “I appreciate Governor Landry’s leadership and support as we work with legislators like Chairman Talbot to make Louisiana a national leader in the adoption of Fortified roofs.” The Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI) has finalized its promulgation of Regulation 136—Fortify Homes Premium Discounts. The purpose of Regulation 136 is to implement the statutory provisions set forth in La. R.S. 22:1483, et seq. , which require that all Louisiana property and casualty insurers provide premium discounts or insurance rate reductions for homes constructed or upgraded in accordance with the fortified standards created by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. View Regulation 136 here .
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