When is the best time to buy real estate? When it is a buyer’s market, right? So, what are you waiting for? Our Bradenton real estate market is a ripe opportunity for investing in real estate or buying your dream home.
As I sat down to write this article I thought I’d write about the Top Ten Reasons to Buy Bradenton Real Estate. These thoughts are coming to me as I type:
1. Bradenton has a wonderful, desirable location. Bradenton is located in Manatee County which is between Sarasota and Tampa on Florida’s West coast. The largest city in the county is Bradenton, but the name Bradenton is used for most of the unincorporated area of the county as well. Other cites include Palmetto, Ellenton, Parrish, Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach, and Anna Maria. Bradenton offers easy access to all of central Florida, including Orlando.
The Manatee River runs through the county and provides easy access to the Gulf of Mexico. Boating, fishing, and water sports are great area attractions. Or maybe, you’d prefer relaxing on some of the best beaches in Florida.
2. Bradenton has a huge supply of inventory, but it seems to have topped out. Excess inventory is what drives prices down, but just as importantly, it gives you plenty of choices. Just two years ago if you could find five homes in your price range, you were lucky. Now you can select from among hundreds of homes. Better selection equals a better purchase.
Now that our inventory is beginning to shrink, it may signal that the bottom has already occurred. Buy now before the seller’s market returns.
3. Bradenton prices are down. Our residential prices are down over 20 percent from the high of 2005. This is unprecedented and represents a great buying opportunity. If you were to tell someone that you could buy real estate at a 20 percent discount, they would call you a genius. Opportunities like this don’t last long.
4. Interest rates are still near historical lows. Ask anyone in the business where interest rates are going to go over the next few years. Everyone believes that rates will go up. For every increase in interest rate, thousands of buyers are shut out of the market. Your dollars will go farther today than they will a year from now. Taking advantage of today’s rates is like buying your house at a discount. Financing guidelines are tightening on a daily basis. This is a sure sign that rate hikes are coming.
5. In Bradenton it is still possible to buy with little to zero down. 100% financing has all but disappeared. However, it is still available for many. Then there are other options like 97% percent, or 95% financing. On top of that, today’s sellers are willing to pay some or all of the buyer’s closing costs. We have seen many buyers get into the home of their dreams with virtually no money out of pocket.
6. The baby boomers are coming to Bradenton. A few short years ago Money magazine named Bradenton, Florida as one of the top five places to retire. Well, it’s an even better area today than it was five years ago. Our proximity to the white, sandy beaches of the Gulf of Mexico is quite attractive, since we are a coastal county. We are also located near two major airports (Tampa and Sarasota). The Interstate highway system provides great access to Manatee, Sarasota, Pinellas, and Hillsborough Counties. As long as it keeps snowing up North the baby boomers will keep coming here. Our area is just a fantastic place to live, work, and play.
7. Bradenton sellers are motivated to sell. Some homes have been on the market for over a year. They have reduced their price again, again, and again. Some are desperate and most are quite motivated. Having practiced real estate for thirteen years in Bradenton, I have never seen sellers so motivated. Now is the time to get a great deal!
8. Bradenton’s foreclosures and short sale market is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Since many speculators overextended themselves in 2005 our foreclosure and short sale rate has skyrocketed. If you are an investor, this represents a tremendous buying opportunity. Your strategy should be to buy at a discount, hold for a few years, and then sell for a big profit. Put a tenant in the property and allow them to pay down your mortgage for an even greater profit. If you are buying a home to live in, the advantage is even greater.
9. New home builders in Bradenton are offering unprecedented incentives. Buy a new home, get a free pool. Need help with financing? No problem. One builder is offering to hold a 15 %t second mortgage for five years, no interest, no payments. Others are offering $10,000 or more towards closing costs. All of this is on top of the $50,000 to $100,000 price reductions. Your Realtor will know where the best deals are.
10. The Bradenton real estate market is poised for a quick rebound. It is predicted that our market will experience what’s called a “V” recovery. It was quick to go down and it will be quick to recover. If you are the type of buyer waiting to find the bottom you have probably already missed it. Even if you believe the bottom is still to come, buying today locks in your discount during a historical opportunity. Waiting now may only mean paying more in the future.
Well, there you have it. Here are my thoughts on the Top Ten Reasons to Buy Bradenton Real Estate. Actually, it was quite easy to come up with these ten reasons. There are probably ten more I could have written about.
