Barbee Dream Homes ~ Real Estate Group, LLC
Barbee Dream Homes Real Estate Group, LLC


If you’re thinking about buying a home today, there’s welcome news. Even though it’s still a sellers’ market, it’s a more moderate sellers’ market than last year. And the days of feeling like you may need to waive contingencies or pay drastically over asking price to get your offer considered may be coming to a close.

Today, you should have less competition and more negotiating power as a buyer. That’s because the intensity of buyer demand and bidding wars is easing this year. So, if bidding wars were the biggest factor that had you sitting on the sidelines, here are two trends that may be just what you need to re-enter the market.

1. The Return of Contingencies

Over the last two years, more buyers were willing to skip important steps in the homebuying process, like the appraisal or inspection, to try to win a bidding war. But now, fewer people are waiving the inspection and appraisal.

The latest data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows the percentage of buyers waiving their home inspection and appraisal is declining. And a recent survey from realtor.com confirms more sellers are accepting offers that include these conditions today. According to their August study:

95% of sellers reported buyers requested a home inspection
67% of sellers negotiated with buyers on repairs as a result of the inspection findings

This goes to show buyers are more able to include these conditions in their offers today and negotiate as needed based on the outcome of the inspection.

2. Sellers Are More Willing To Help with Closing Costs

Generally, closing costs range between 2% and 5% of the purchase price for the home. Before the pandemic, it was a common negotiation tactic for sellers to cover some of the buyer’s closing costs to sweeten the deal. This didn’t happen as much during the peak buyer frenzy over the past two years.

Today, as the market shifts and demand slows, data from realtor.com suggests this is making a comeback. A recent article shows 32% of sellers paid some or all of their buyer’s closing costs. This may be a negotiation tool you’ll see as you go to purchase a home. Just keep in mind, limits on closing cost credits are set by your lender and can vary by state and loan type. Work closely with your loan advisor to understand how much a seller can contribute to closing costs in your area.

Bottom Line

Regardless of the extremely competitive housing market of the past several years, today’s data suggests negotiations are starting to come back on the table. This is good news if you’re planning to enter the housing market. To find out how the market is shifting in our area, let’s connect.

    Joe Barbee - MRP, ABR, SFR
  Broker/Owner
  Barbee Dream Homes Real Estate Group

  478-978-3428 ~ Direct Line
  478-919-2165 ~ Office 
  www.FindHomesInWarnerRobins.com
  www.Facebook.com/BarbeeDreamHome

What our clients are saying  

Barbee Dream Homes did an excellent job selling our church’s rental home. They work hard to get your home sold. They are great with communication, advice and care about their sellers. I would recommend them without hesitation. If you need your home sold, you can trust them to give all they have on your behalf!

 

~ Craig Ruesch

I have known Joe for around 8 years or more. He has always been a man of integrity and runs his real estate team the same way. It was a no brainer when we went to purchase our home to use Joe & Jenny.

 

~ Michelle Griffin

Joe and Bob had our house closed within a month of getting it on the market. They're super quick about returning calls and messages and really took care of us. They're also laid back, which helps uptight people like me :)

 

~ Melanie Hazen

Joe made my first home buying experience unforgettable!! His dedication, integrity, and honesty are unmatched! The process was smooth and we got what we wanted. When I choose to buy again, the Barbee team will be my resource! Thank you Joe!!

 

~ Crystal Marie

So thankful for the hard work and dedication to get our house sold. They are honest, knowledgeable and great to work with.

 

~ Refuge Church

Awesome source for your real estate needs. Was very easy dealing with and informative.

 

~ Andrew Herndon

The Barbee Dream Team has truly been amazing. Every time I called and wanted to look at something or had a question they were there and available to help us. They have outstanding knowledge and compassion about the job which made this experience so amazing.

 

~ Alex Behling

Joe has been are buying agent for 2 homes. No question he has earned his commission before, during, and after our purchases. Without his hard work we could have never gotten our 2nd house, and on top of that his referrals to various contractors has saved us thousands of dollars.

 

~ James Rivers

The Barbee Dream Homes Team rented our investment property in no time. We are looking forward to investing more money in the Warner Robins area and The Barbee Dream Homes Team will be our exclusive agent. Thanks for a job well done.

 

~ Sandy Camp

Most trustworthy, hardworking, and knowledgeable agents in the middle GA area! I would not go through any other team BUT them! If you worried about who you can trust and who is going to work the hardest for you, let me put your mind at ease and refer you to The Barbee Dream House Team!!! Joe and Jennifer will work their hardest for you!

 

~ Lindsay Thrasher

By far the best agents I've ever used. Great service. They go above and beyond to exceed needs. Very professional and knowledgeable.

 

~ Kathy Jarzynka

We have worked with Joe on several occasions. He recently sold one of our rental houses for us. He was also the one we bought the home from as well as another rental house that we purchased with his help. Joe has always been honest and extremely helpful. I remember one time we were looking at a house and he told us we could look but that he wouldn't let us buy this house because it had too many problems and wasn't worth buying. He was very good at the negotiations and always had our best interest in mind. We recommend he all the time when we hear someone needs a realtor!

 

~ Pam Cliffe

Joe is very honest and hard working. When I purchased my first home he took care of everything made sure my family settled in to a nice house at an affordable price.

 

~ Aaron Meredith

I could not ask for a better Realtor than Joe Barbee. He is the most honest and trustworthy person I have dealt with. He never made us feel pressured to make an offer. It was a GREAT buying experience and we are so happy in our the home he helped us purchase!! He returned every call we made to him and was available ANY time we wanted to view a listing. I will use him again and I recommend him to everyone I know looking to buy or sell.

 

~ Chrissy Todd

Joe always returned my phone calls and emails promptly which was extremely important to me as I had dealt previously with a realtor who was not very responsive. He was very flexible with the times he was available to show me houses. He's very friendly, laid back and approachable.

 

~ Jessica Gaskins

Joe Barbee is our hero! He is very straight-forward about a house's assets and sort-comings and never tried to "sell us ON a house", but instead searched high and low for the perfect home for our needs, desires, and price, so that THE HOUSE sold ITSELF to us. His diligence and dedication continue to amaze us. Our lengthy circumstances presented him with numerous challenges and obstacles in the selling of our home and the purchase of another. But he hung in there with us from start to finish. Every issue that arose was handled quickly and professionally, and usually before we even knew there was a problem! I would definitely recommend Joe Barbee to anyone looking to buy or sell real estate in Middle Georgia. We are extremely satisfied customers.

 

~ Domino Persson

Working with Joe was fantastic. He really took the time to ensure our needs were met. I have never seen anyone work harder to get the job done right and in a timely manner. Plus, his demeanor was so easy going that I truely felt that I was talking to an old friend. I would recommend him, without reservation to anyone in need of his skills.

 

~ Rachel Benton

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