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Ocala homes sales are up and prices are down

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A recent article in the Ocala Starr Banner states that home sales in the Ocala Marion County area for May 2010 are up 39% compared to May 2009.  That’s because the median home price here in Ocala is down 13% from the same period in 2009. The current median home price is $96,700.00 down from $111,600.00 a year ago. The median home price is the point where half of the sales are more and the other half are less and should not be confused with the average.

The median home price in Ocala is the lowest in the state of Florida. If you are interested in Ocala homes email me, call me or use my Ocala Dream Home Finder. Be specific we have over 5,000 homes for sale & I can’t send you them all.

Looking at homes online vs real life

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Real estate online has revolutionized the industry. It has empowered the consumer. Real estate agents used to be able to just show buyers listings of their own or those of their broker but all that has changed. Buyers can look at hundreds of houses from the comfort of their own homes and develop a real feel for value. This is a good thing.

I constantly send listings to buyers through my Ocala Dream Home Finder which sets buyers up with a predetermined search of their choosing and automatically emails them listings.

The problem is that there is just no substitute for seeing a house in person. You need to get a feel for the space, imagine yourself living there, check out the neighborhood. The size of a house can also be very deceiving. Online all you can do is look at the square feet of living area. I’ve been in houses with great floor plans that felt 25% larger than they really were and just the opposite with poor floor plans. Buyers see a great priced foreclosure but don’t realize that it’s in the middle of no where. Realtors don’t know what to expect from a listing either until they see it. I’ve been in foreclosures that were obviously never lived in and I’ve been in others that were so nasty I wanted to go home and take a shower. I once went to show a really nice looking house. We pulled into the driveway and saw the neighbor with cars parked on his lawn. There he was working on his Harley in the driveway.  A guy who looked like a member of the band ZZ Top.

The moral of my story is the internet is a great thing for real estate. The internet has brought transparency to buying process. However it is just one tool. A starting point and no substitute for a good real estate agent. That would be me of course.

Florida population down, Marion County up

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While Florida lost population for the first time since the end of WW2, Ocala Marion County gained in population. From April 08 to April 09 Marion County added a little over 3,800 residents. Over all Florida lost over 58,000 people. Some counties losing more than others and a few counties actually gaining population like Marion County.

Why are people coming to Ocala and Marion County?

  • The lowest median home prices in Florida.
  • Lower property taxes than much of the state.
  • Lower home owners insurance than much of Florida.
  • Much lower hurricane risk than south Florida.
  • Less traffic and crime than other parts of the state.
  • Just a better quality of life.

There has never been a better time to buy a house in Ocala Marion County than now. Interest rates are at historical lows with no where to go buy up. Home prices are down 50% in some areas from 2005-07. Call or email me today and I’ll send you a list of homes that would meet your needs. All I need to know is what you want. Or try my Ocala Dream Home Finder. What ever is easier for you.

There’s a new insurance company in town.

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Well not really a new insurance company. More like an established insurance company moving into a new market. AAA which is best know for rescuing stranded motorists and for car insurance is entering the home owners insurance market here in Florida. The big deal is that other major insurers are leaving the property insurance market here in Florida. Big insurance companies only want to collect premiums and they really don’t want the risk that comes along with Florida hurricanes.
The Ocala area doesn’t have the insurance costs of south Florida because Ocala isn’t in the path of hurricanes. Hurricanes generally either hit south Florida, go up the Atlantic coast or into the Gulf of Mexico. So there is less risk and lower insurance costs here in Ocala.
I think this could be a great idea in AAA’s part. A lot of people want to get their car and home owners insurance from the same company. This could be a great way to get market share in a very large state.

People are still moving to Ocala

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I’ve read several times in several places that people are leaving Florida for other places. Most of these articles are based on statistics from moving companies claiming the have more trips leaving the Florida than coming down here.

This may be true for other parts of the state of Florida but it is not true for the Ocala Marion County area.

The US census has just reported that Ocala had an increase in population of 5,500 people. People are moving to Ocala because of low homes prices, lower taxes and property insurance than other parts of Florida, a more laid back life style and the fact Ocala has never been hit by a hurricane.