Is it still a buyerโs market today in Seattle? As experts in the Seattle real estate market, we get asked this question a lot.
The answer isn’t as simple as yes or no.
The State of the Market for Buyers in Seattle Washington
First off, it really depends on the property type and location.
Single-family homes in great locations that are priced well have been flying off theย shelves. Thereโs a lot of demand in the market for certain areas, while others canย seem like ghost towns.
Buyers are often looking for the same thing โ good neighborhoods, access toย transportation, shopping, good schools, close to work, etc. Properties that deliver allย these are definitely a hot commodity. Sellers with a highly desirable property are inย control of the market.
But for condos and townhouses โ especially those a little off the beaten path, or withย some funky features โ it can be quite a different story. Prices were down in certainย areas of Seattle, but seem to be rebounding as the rental market increases.
Investment properties are in demand. The massive amounts of foreign cash floodingย in to invest in US real estate have impacted the market in unique ways.
Overall, those people in a position to pay cash for properties have been picking upย the good deals in the marketplace.
Lots of sellers are trying out speculative prices just to see if anyone bites, but mostย investors are walking away from deals that donโt pencil out.
Financing is still a major obstacle for buyers. Banks are being incredibly strict,ย requiring lots of money down and even changing their terms at the last minute. Itโsย not uncommon for approved buyers to get their loans pulled right before closingย escrow, although itโs getting better than it was just a couple of years ago.
Overall the markets remain incredibly polarized โ there is a lot of action at the veryย top and the very bottom, with the biggest challenges in the middle.
Sound confusing? It is. But We Can Help.
Thereโs a lot of shakeup in the US economy still taking place, and the markets areย moving fast in lots of directions at once.
We’re investing in Seattle because we believe in the community and the people here.
If you need to sell a property near Seattle, we can help you.
We buy properties like yours from people who need to sell fast.