Author: megan@tonyratchford.com

When your home fits you, it becomes a dream home. It is where your lifestyle is empowered. It is a reflection of who you are, where you are going, and what’s most important to you. It enables you to live your dreams with comfort, freedom, and security.

Finding a dream home is an emotional experience involving a complex mix of real estate knowledge, financial savvy, business sense, negotiation skills, and human psychology. The ability to interpret data and create a happy experience requires extensive thought and planning.      

To accomplish an ideal outcome one must truly understand the reason behind their desired features. Why is it important to have a master bath or an extra garage stall? Look for the benefit of a particular feature and try to discover a value that triggers your emotion.  

A young parent wants 3 bedrooms on one level so both children will be close at nigh - the importance, or value, is security. A master bathroom delivers privacy. An extra garage stall where cars and big toys are safe, or a workshop for protected serenity.

Every home purchase is driven by a motivating trigger from at least one core value. Others to consider include family, safety, financial, prestige, comfort, convenience, love, adventure, contribution, fun, friendship, wellness, or entertainment. There are many more to choose from.

It’s good to test one’s choice. Ask yourself “what is the payoff, or who benefits and why, if I get what I want?” The more depth to the research the better the outcome will be for you.

To help our clients gain confidence with their process, we developed a system where they could be assured to maximize their dollars and save them valuable time. Creating a comprehensive plan delivers peace of mind knowing they are on the right path. The steps include discovery, assessment, planning, implementation, and satisfaction.

The idea is to slow down the process in the beginning, putting all the pieces together before one gets too far along. It works. We invite you to give it a try.

Tony Ratchford, licensed Broker, Author, Coach, Manager, and Sales Consultant
Keller Williams Realty Sioux Falls

Everyone loves to talk about real estate, at least those I know. They read or hear the news about how hot the market is and assume it’s a wonderful thing, but like most things, it’s in the eye of the beholder.

Sellers are doing quite well this year. Homes are selling faster. An average of 76 days on the market in the metro area. That’s down 12% from last year. The average sale price is up to $293,826 or 15.7% year over year. Demand for homes is sky high.

Buyers aren’t having as much fun as sellers. Lower inventory levels limit their choices and are driving prices up. So far, buyers have good purchasing power, thanks to low mortgage rates; presently below 3% for a 30 year loan, but when values go up so do payments. Buyers will start to lose interest when the percentage of their income for housing goes too high. Demand will diminish and home values will retreat.

There are some frustrated sellers too; those who want to move up but have nowhere to go at the moment. This can either stop them from selling or force them to make two moves or potentially owning more than one house.

The reason for the current market condition is plentiful. The dip in inventory is deeper than most cycles. Complications from Covid-19 lockdown has disrupted the natural market, and the government ‘fixes’ have made the situation worse. What we do know is real estate ownership in the Sioux Empire looks to be solid for a long time. Favorable economic and political environments are creating exceptional momentum for growth. Employment demand is up, wages are rising, and consumer confidence remains high. In addition, mortgage rates are expected to remain near the present level. Unfortunately, inflation is about to rear its ugly head. One of the best ways to protect one’s wealth is to be invested in hard assets such as real estate. Get in early and stay in.

Many people think real estate transactions are easy, but 95% of the time they are not. There are many moving parts plus high levels of emotions, requiring constant monitoring and finesse. Problem solving is a regular daily exercise. The Dream Home Process™ helps our clients maximize their dollars, save them valuable time, and deliver greater peace of mind as they maneuver through the maze.

We invite you to call or text 605.359.4100

Tony Ratchford, licensed Broker, Author, Coach, Manager, and Sales Consultant