If you are waiting for a good time to invest in real estate, I'd say, "What are you waiting for?" Our American economy has historically experienced crisis after crisis. We've experienced the great depression, world wars, inflation, stagflation, market booms, market bubbles, economic slow downs, stock market bears and bulls too.  But the one thing that remains consistent and true; those who invest inteligently in real estate will over time become wealthy. 

If you are waiting, and trying to "time" the market, good luck. Wealthy people like Warren Buffet and T. Boone Pickens are investing right now, and in this economy!  No one can "time" the market,by the time you have decided to act, the opportunity has passed you by.

As a real estate professional in Harrisonburg, Virginia, I believe this a great time to invest right here in the Shenandoah Valley.  

And here are some reasons why:

1.    Harrisonburg is a college town with outstanding schools like James Madison University and Eastern Mennonite University.

2.    The Shenandoah Valley is one of the most beautiful places on earth.

3.    Harrisonburg has low real estate taxes and a low crime rate with a great proximity to major cultural areas.

4.    The local economy is resilient and strong and continues to have one of the lowest, if not the lowest rate, of unemployment in the state.

5.    From agriculture, to high tech, Harrisonburg Virginia has it all.There is an abundance of investment opportunity here.

While other areas of the country have been hard hit by the recent economic problems, our area continues to be, and has been, stable with few real estate foreclosures and good price stability. But even with that said, there are still bargains to be had. So, purchasing real estate in the valley is a smart investment.


Remember, unlike other types of investments, when you buy a piece of land, a home, or other real property, you have a tangible asset that is unique, and generally speaking, never worth zero.
Contact me for more information.

Barry Suttles – Realtor
New Homes Group
Kline May Realty



 


As a Realtor I am constantly hearing the buzz about the housing market across our country. As I focus on the Harrisonburg/Rockingham County market I can see that the home owners are holding their chins high as they are not facing the devistating drops in home values or experiencing record breaking forclosure rates as the metropolitan areas in Virginia are facing.

Historically real estate in The Shenandoah Valley has not experienced the dramatic peaks and valley's in a fluciating market place, this hinges as a result of taking a more conservative approach to real estate investing. The beauty of the Harrisonburg/Rockingham County area is that it houses James Madison University, RMH, an Agriculture Community and many other venues allowing for pentiful opportunity and continuing to bring growth to our area. With a mix of opportunity and a legacy of smart investing, the Valley is truly a desirable locallity to invest in real estate.

Kline May Realty is dedicated to providing the most accurate local market statistics, maintaing a community focus and insuring the best customer service an agency can provide. Our focus is to deliver security to home owners in today's turbulent market.

This morning’s edition of the Daily News-Record ran a story reporting that the unemployment rate in the Harrisonburg-Rockingham area has dropped to 3.5%, which is down from 4.2% a month earlier. More good news on the stability of our local economy can be found on this very cool web resource provided by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. (Thanks to JoDee Lambert of StellarOne Mortgage in Harrisonburg — she sent this to me earlier today in an email.) You can find the foreclosure rate for almost every city and county in the country on this map. Here are the rates for some nearby localities:

Augusta County, 0.87%

Staunton, 2.64%

Waynesboro, 1.23%

Shenandoah County, 1.62%

Page County, 1.58%

Rockingham County, 0.53%

Harrisonburg, 0.77%

The rates for Rockingham County and Harrisonburg (especially the county) are among the lowest in Virginia — and the nation. This is great news for local property owners, and for our local economy in general!

 

Harrisonburg real estate and Rockingham County real estate isn’t as bleak as the economy may suggest! Check out a recent story from WHSV (Harrisonburg's local TV station) regarding this very subject.

Many sellers are still lowering prices on their homes to get them sold, and often are willing to negotiate with buyers. Home buyers are often able to get more “bang for their buck” because of the housing prices and lower mortgage rates. We can’t say it enough these days… Now is the time to buy!