INMAN announces “Mortgage rates see the biggest plunge in over a decade as the 30-year-fixed rate fell from 4.28% to 4.06%. Home sales jumped as buyers rushed to take advantage resulting in the biggest single-week decline in rates since 2008, according to Freddie Mac’s latest Primary Mortgage Survey released on Thursday. Freddie Mac chief economist Sam Khater said the drop is due to the Federal Reserve’s economic outlook, which predicted slowing economic growth.” Now that mortgage interest rates are back down, you can look to being a buyer again. You will certainly come across a rehabbed home or a fixer-upper. Should you bite? Can you save any money buying a fixer-upper?
According to Zillow, you can save about $11,000 buying a fixer-upper. The real-estate service found that homes described as fixer-uppers or with phrases such as “needing TLC” were listed for about $11,000 less than their estimated market value. Nationwide, 1.6 percent of listings came with such a description. Zillow advised buyers to look carefully at homes requiring repairs to make sure the repair cost doesn’t exceed the discount.
When you are buying a fixer-upper, it may have a charm that new construction doesn’t have. It may have crown moldings and features that require fine craftsmen’s skills that cost too much today. It may be in an old neighborhood with full-grown trees and amenities nearby that attract buyers. It may be near downtown close to work rather than in the suburbs and a long commute.
But, older homes have some drawbacks like antiquated kitchens and bathrooms, furnaces that look like an octopus making the house expensive to heat, and a need for a 220 electrical system to handle the modern electrical loads. Naturally, when you purchase the home, you will spend money bringing the home up to 21st century standards. You may choose to buy and do your own renovation or buy a home already rehabbed.
We buy and sell properties throughout the greater Kansas City area. We specialize in buying distressed homes, then renovating and reselling them to home buyers and landlords. Terra Firma Property Solutions, a compamy excited to be part of the economic rejuvenation of Kansas City and its surrounding areas.
Call us today at (816) 866.0566