For Sale in Leisure World of Maryland week of Oct. 25, 2020  Click Here for all Homes for Sale in Leisure World this week   Leisure World of Maryland is a Private, Gated, Age-Restricted CommunityThe best 55+ housing opportunity in Montgomery County, Maryland! Living at Leisure World is a great lifestyle choice - it's also a smart financial decision.  This community is for anyone aged 55 or older. The 650-acre campus located in Montgomery County, Maryland offers a variety of housing options and offers lots of amenities. The community can be entered through 3 secure entry gates, staffed with Leisure World security personnel. Leisure World is convenient to shopping, entertainment and offers its own shuttle bus transportation. Click Here to Search for Homes for sale in Leisure World of Mary... 10/25/2021

Selling in Leisure World Maryland? Not All Agents Are Created Equal   In today’s fast-paced world where answers are just a Google search away, there are some who may question the benefits of hiring a real estate professional when selling a house. The reality is, the addition of more information can lead to more confusion. A real estate agent can be your essential guide, but truth be told, not all agents are created equal. Finding the right agent for you and your family should be your top priority when you’re ready to sell your house. The right agent is the person who can truly walk you through the whole process, look out for your best interest, and seamlessly lead you through all the steps along the way. In today’s complex market, the way we execute real estate transactions is changing ... 07/11/2020

Economists Forecast Recovery to Begin in the Second Half of 2020 With the U.S. economy on everyone’s minds right now, questions about the country’s financial outlook continue to come up daily. The one that seems to keep rising to the top is: when will the economy begin to recover? While no one knows exactly how a rebound will play out, expert economists around the country are becoming more aligned on when the recovery will begin. According to the latest Wall Street Journal Economic Forecasting Survey, which polls more than 60 economists on a monthly basis, 85.3% believe a recovery will begin in the second half of 2020 (see graph below):There seems to be a growing consensus among these experts that the second half of this year will be the start of a turnaround in this country. Chris Hyzy... 07/09/2020

Three Reasons Leisure World of MD Homebuyers Are Ready to Purchase A recent survey by Lending Tree tapped into behaviors of over 1,000 prospective buyers. The results indicated 53% of all homebuyers are more likely to buy a home in the next year, even amid the current health crisis. The survey further revealed why, naming several reasons buyers are more likely to move this year (see graph below):Let’s break down why these are a few of the key factors motivating buyers to actively engage in the home search process, and the corresponding wins for sellers as well. 1. Low Mortgage Rates The biggest reason potential homebuyers indicated they’re eager to purchase this year is due to current mortgage rates, which are hovering near all-time lows. Today’s low rates are making it more affordable ... 06/23/2020

Thinking of investing in Leisure World of MD? Real Estate Is Best Investment Poll for 7th Year Running Every year, Gallup conducts a survey of Americans to determine their choice for the best long-term investment. Respondents are asked to select real estate, stocks/mutual funds, gold, savings accounts/CDs, or bonds. For the seventh year in a row, real estate has come out on top as the best long-term investment. Gallup explained: “Real estate remains the most favored investment to Americans, as has been the case since 2013, when the housing market was on the rebound. More than a third of Americans have named real estate as the top investment since 2016.” This year’s results indicated 35% of Americans chose real estate, followed by stocks at 21%. The full results covering the last decade ... 06/20/2020

Real Estate Will Lead the Economic Recovery With more U.S. states reopening for business this summer, and as people start to return to work, we can expect the economy to begin improving. Most expert forecasts indicate this economic recovery will start to happen in the second half of this year. As we get back to work and the financial landscape of the country begins to turn around, many experts also agree that real estate has the potential to lead the way in the recovery process. According to Ivy Zelman of Zelman & Associates:  “Housing will fare better than expected during this severe downturn.” In addition, CNBC notes: “Mortgage demand from home buyers shows unexpectedly strong and quick recovery…The quick recovery has surprised most forecasters.”  Robert Dietz, Chief Economist and Sen... 06/15/2020

Are You Ready for the Summer Leisure World of Maryland Housing Market? As the health crisis started making its way throughout our country earlier this spring, sellers have been cautious about putting their homes on the market. This hesitation stemmed primarily from fear of the spread of the coronavirus, and understandably so. This abundant caution has greatly impacted the number of homes for sale and slowed the pace of a typically busy spring real estate season. Mark Fleming, Chief Economist at First American notes: “As more homeowners are reluctant to list their homes for sale amid the pandemic, the supply of homes available to potential home buyers continues to dwindle.” With many states beginning a phased approach to reopening, virtual best practices and health and safety guidelines ... 06/12/2020

Leisure World of Maryland Home Prices: It’s About Supply and Demand As we enter the summer months and work through the challenges associated with the current health crisis, many are wondering what impact the economic slowdown will have on home prices. Looking at the big picture, supply and demand will give us the clearest idea of what’s to come. Making our way through the month of June and entering the second half of the year, we face an undersupply of homes on the market. Keep in mind, this undersupply is going to vary by location and by price point. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), across the country, we currently have a 4.1 months supply of homes on the market. Historically, 6 months of supply is considered a balanced market. Anything over 6 months is a buyer’... 06/09/2020

Why This Summer Is the 2020 Real Estate Season for Leisure World of MD With stay-at-home orders starting to gradually lift throughout parts of the country, data indicates homebuyers are jumping back into the market. After many families put their plans on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, what we once called the busy spring real estate season is shifting into the summer. In 2020, summer is the new spring for real estate. Joel Kan, Economist at The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) notes: “Applications for home purchases continue to recover from April’s sizable drop and have now increased for five consecutive weeks…Government purchase applications, which include FHA, VA, and USDA loans, are now 5 percent higher than a year ago, which is an encouraging turnaround after the weakness seen ... 05/30/2020

Buying or Selling a Leisure World of MD Home? You Need an Expert Guide In a normal housing market, whether you’re buying or selling a home, you need an experienced guide to help you navigate through the process. You need someone you can turn to who will tell you how to price your home correctly right from the start. You need someone who can help you determine what to offer on your dream home without paying too much or offending the seller with a low-ball offer. We are, however, in anything but a normal market right now. We are amid one of the greatest health crises our nation has ever seen. The pandemic has had a dramatic impact on the journey consumers take to purchase or sell a home. To successfully navigate the landscape today, you need more than an experienced guide. You need a ‘Rea... 05/28/2020

Why Selling a Leisure World of Maryland Home on Your Own Is a Mistake There are many benefits to working with a real estate professional when selling your house. During challenging times like the one we face today, it becomes even more important to have an expert help guide you through the process. If you’re considering selling on your own, known in the industry as a For Sale By Owner or FSBO, please consider the following: 1. Your Safety Is a Priority During this pandemic, your family’s safety comes first. When you FSBO, it is incredibly difficult to control entry into your home. A real estate professional will have the proper protocols in place to protect not only your belongings, but your family’s health and well-being too. From regulating the number of people in your home at one tim... 05/26/2020

Leisure World of MD Interest Rates Hover Near Historic All-Time Lows Some Highlights Mortgage interest rates have dropped considerably this spring and are hovering at a historically low level. Locking in at a low rate today could save you thousands of dollars over the lifetime of your home loan. Let’s connect to determine the best way to position yourself for a move in today’s market. Thinking of buying or selling in Leisure World of Maryland? Call the Authorized Leisure World Specialist... Barbara Michaluk / Weichert Realtor 240-506-2434 / em: michaluk@verizon.net / www.BarbaraSellsMDhomes.com 05/22/2020

Will Leisure World of MD Home Values Appreciate or Depreciate in 2020? With the housing market staggered to some degree by the health crisis the country is currently facing, some potential purchasers are questioning whether home values will be impacted. The price of any item is determined by supply as well as the market’s demand for that item. Each month the National Association of Realtors (NAR) surveys “over 50,000 real estate practitioners about their expectations for home sales, prices and market conditions” for the REALTORS Confidence Index. Their latest edition sheds some light on the relationship between seller traffic (supply) and buyer traffic (demand) during this pandemic. Buyer Demand The map below was created after asking the question: “How would you rate buyer traffic in yo... 05/19/2020

Financial Benefit of Leisure World of MD Homeownership: Family Wealth While growing up, we were taught by our parents and grandparents that owning a home is a financially savvy move. They explained how a mortgage is like a “forced savings plan.” When you pay rent, that money is lost forever. When you make a mortgage payment, much of that money accumulates as equity in the home. So, what exactly is equity? The equity in your home is the amount of money you can sell it for minus what you still owe on the mortgage. Every month you make a mortgage payment, and every month a portion of what you pay reduces the amount you owe. That reduction of your mortgage every month increases your equity. A recent study by CoreLogic explained that homeowners gained substantial equity over the last twelve ... 05/18/2020

Leisure World of MD Housing Positioned to Help the Economy Recover  Some Highlights Expert insights are painting a bright future for housing when the economy bounces back – and it will. We may be facing challenging economic times today, but the housing market is poised to help the economy recover, not drag it down. Let’s connect to make sure you’re informed and ready when it’s time to make your move. 05/17/2020

How to Test-Drive Leisure World of Maryland While Sheltering in Place Some Highlights Staying at home doesn’t mean your search for a new place needs to come to a standstill. Check out these tips on how to explore other neighborhoods virtually in the homebuying process. You may find a spot that better suits your needs without ever leaving your living room! Let’s connect today so you have help with all of the additional steps along the way, and you’re ready to make your next move. 05/09/2020

Leisure World of Maryland Home Equity Is a Bright Spark in Housing Market Given how we have seen more unemployment claims than ever before over the past several weeks, fear is spreading widely. Some good news, however, shows that more than 4 million initial unemployment filers have likely already found a new job, especially as industries such as health care, food and grocery stores, retail, delivery, and more increase their employment opportunities. Breaking down what unemployment means for homeownership, and understanding the significant equity Americans hold today, are important parts of seeing the picture clearly when sorting through this uncertainty. One of the biggest questions right now is whether this historic unemployment rate will initiate a new surge of foreclosures in the mar... 05/08/2020

Leisure World of Maryland Housing Market Is a Powerful Economic Driver With businesses starting to slowly open back up again in some parts of the country, it’s important to understand how housing can have a major impact on the recovery of the U.S. economy. As we’ve mentioned before, buying a home is a driving financial force in this process. Today, many analysts believe one of the first things we’ll be able to safely bring back is the home building sector, creating more jobs and impacting local neighborhoods in a big way. According to Robert Dietz in The Eye on Housing:  “The pace of new home sales will post significant declines during the second quarter due to the impacts of higher unemployment and shutdown effects of much of the U.S. economy, including elements of the real estate sect... 04/30/2020

Leisure World of Maryland Homes for Sale New This Week 9/30 - 10/5/18  3320 Chiswick Ct #61-2D, SILVER SPRING, MD 20906 MLS#: MC10363152 Year Built: 1967 / 1 Bedroom / 1 Bathroom Type: Coop Garden 1-4 Living Area: 800 sfList Price: $79,900 Description: Separate dining area, large patio, extra storage, free laundry room adjacent to unit, coop fee includes maintenance. No stairs to navigate; just park in your reserved spot and walk to your lovely property.   3563 S LEISURE WORLD BLVD #23-1D, SILVER SPRING, MD 20906MLS#: MC10362805 Year Built: 1967 / 2 Bedrooms / 1.5 BathroomsType: Coop Garden 1-4 Floors / Model: Elizabeth Living Area: 1,308 sfDescription: Stair-free accessible by patio door. Updated kitchen with bright, white cabinets, granite countertops and backsplash. Enclosed patio is... 10/05/2018

If you are thinking of selling your Leisure World of Maryland home, call Barbara Michaluk, Realtor and Authorized Leisure World Specialist. I can help you determine what your home is worth. Phone 240-506-2434 07/23/2018