MD real estate Archives - The Hersh Group

Happy New Year! The start of the year is always an exciting time for us at The Hersh Group. It’s a chance to plan for the future and review as we look back on the past year. It’s also when we hear from many clients who want to know how the past year in real estate ended, and where the next is headed. Getting perspective on the past year’s trends helps us see how the future will unfold. Here are a few of the key developments the real estate market experienced in 2019. Interest rates were low, so money was cheap. While experts predicted a rise in interest rates last year, we saw drops below 4%. These low rates are expected to continue in the year ahead unless something changes bringing calm to the world economy. Demand for housing was ample, although supply was limited. It remained a sellers’ market in 2019 across most areas at the low to mid-level price points, with a continued lack of inventory for sale. Homeownership rates rose, thanks to low mortgage rates. Buying continued to be more economical than renting as rates dropped, and that brought a jump in homeownership rates, according to Census Bureau […]
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It’s National Homeownership Month!

by Ira Hersh· June 04, 2019· in Market Trends, Real Estate Report· 0 comments tags: Bethesda real estate, DC Real Estate, DC To The Sea, Delaware beach real estate, Investing, Investors, Market update, MD real estate, Selling the DMV, The Hersh Group, VA real estate, Washington DC Real Estate

In celebration of National Homeownership Month, recognized by the National Association of Realtors each June, we thought we’d share with you a few facts about owning a home in America today and the current real estate market conditions. Homeownership rates are holding steady. In the first quarter of 2019, the homeownership rate leveled off at 64.2 percent, down slightly from the quarter prior. While rates have been rising since late 2015, they’ve hovered around the 64 percent range for the past year. Today’s homeownership rate represents a healthy market. News outlets often talk of the peak rate, which hit almost 70 percent in 2004. However, that high preceded (and frankly contributed to) the market downturn in that a large number of home buyers were getting loans they didn’t have the ability to pay back. That led to affordability challenges and increasing numbers of loan defaults. Today’s rates are closer to the averages in the 1990s, when we had a more stable and positive housing market. More and more millennials are buying homes. The much talked-about generation has been steadily moving from renting to homeownership, as they get married and start families. Mortgage rates have also remained at historic lows, driving […]
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Selling in a Seller’s Market

by Ira Hersh· May 20, 2019· in Selling· 0 comments tags: DC Real Estate, DC To The Sea, Delaware beach real estate, MD real estate, Real estate, Seller's market, Selling strategies, Selling the DMV, Staging, The Hersh Group, VA real estate, Washington DC Real Estate

You’ve probably seen the headlines that there’s still a shortage of homes for sale in our area, and we’re heading deeper into a seller’s market. However, just because home sellers are favored when there’s low inventory, that doesn’t mean every property will sell for top dollar immediately just by picking a price and going on the market. Buyers in our market are extremely savvy and very selective, and if you’re getting ready to sell, you should take that into account when preparing and pricing your home for sale. So what can you do to help attract the most interest and get top dollar for your home in the shortest amount of time? Make your home move-in ready. Call it the HGTV effect, but more and more buyers come to the market with high expectations and desires for a move-in ready home with the latest updates and designs. Stage your home for success. Staging is critical these days, and a huge value-add for your sale. Many buyers have trouble imagining themselves living in a home, or hoe their belongings will fit into each space. Staging allows a buyer to mentally move into the home and shows how each room “lives” and […]
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Save the Date! 5th Annual Dog Adoption Event on May 18th

by Ira Hersh· April 11, 2019· in Giving Back, Local Events, Things To Do· 0 comments tags: Bethesda, Bethesda real estate, dog adoption, Giving Back, Local Events, Maryland, MD real estate, PetConnect Rescue, Puppy Love, The Hersh Group, Westwood Pet Center

“Happiness is a warm puppy.” —Charles M. Schulz (cartoonist, Peanuts) Spring is truly here, and it’s the perfect time to welcome a new furry family member into your heart and your home! Please join Lisa Levine and The Hersh Group, your Bethesda neighborhood experts, at our fifth annual adoption event in Bethesda with PetConnect Rescue. We’re thrilled to be sponsoring this event again and helping to provide these wonderful dogs with a new family and loving home. As one of Long & Foster’s top teams in the DC Metro area, our goal is to help people find the right house for their needs. What better way to complete a home than adopt a pet? We are pleased to partner again with PetConnect Rescue and the Westwood Pet Center to host this dog adoption event so that more of our neighbors can find the newest additions to their families and give these pets the loving homes they deserve. Please join us: Saturday, May 18th, 2019 11am – 1pm Westwood Pet Center 5428 Westbard Ave Bethesda, MD For more information, call Lisa at (301) 332-5721 or email us at thehershgroupllc@gmail.com. Check back here or ‘like’ our Facebook event to receive updates, and […]
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Inventory Boom or Bust? What 2019 could bring for the local real estate market

by Ira Hersh· January 01, 2019· in Buying, Market, Market Trends, Real Estate Predictions, Selling· 0 comments tags: DC Real Estate, DC To The Sea, Delaware beach real estate, DMV, Market update, MD real estate, Selling the DMV, The Hersh Group, VA real estate, Washington DC Real Estate

Happy New Year! As we kick off 2019, we thought it was a great time to reflect a bit on the 2018 real estate market and look forward at 2019 predictions. The market in 2018 was consistently defined by lack of inventory across the country, and particularly here in the DMV. Will that low inventory trend continue into 2019? Experts are saying yes, but that the trend won’t be quite so severe. Here are a few more of the real estate trends that our team at Long & Foster expects to occur in 2019: Inventory will increase a little, but still not enough to meet demand. Inventory will expand this year, but primarily in luxury housing. While demand is strong for entry-level homes, there won’t be much more housing available in that segment. Mortgage rates are likely to rise. The Mortgage Bankers Association predicts that mortgage rates will reach 5.1% by the end of 2019. While that’s higher than the rock-bottom rates of the past few years, keep it in perspective – rates are still historically low. Home values will rise, but at a slower pace. The National Association of Realtors predicts that prices will rise about 3% in 2019 over […]
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Jam with us (again!) at the 8th Annual Bannockburn Music Festival

by Ira Hersh· September 16, 2018· in Uncategorized· 0 comments tags: Bannockburn, Bannockburn Music Festival, Bethesda, Bethesda real estate, DMV, Giving Back, Local Events, Maryland, MD real estate, Real estate, The Hersh Group, Washington DC Real Estate

This September, Lisa Levine and the Hersh Group are proud to again sponsor the Bannockburn Music Festival 2018! The annual event showcases local musical talent in the Bannockburn neighborhood of Bethesda, MD, while raising funds for the maintenance of the historic Bannockburn community clubhouse. Lisa and her family are longtime neighbors and enthusiastic supporters of this great event, and we’re delighted to join them. It’s a great way to celebrate the Bannockburn community, local musicians and vendors, and a fun fall weekend, with a terrific lineup of local bands and artists each day. When Saturday, September 22nd, 2pm to 10pm Where Bannockburn Community Clubhouse 6314 Bannockburn Drive Bethesda, MD Festival Schedule* 2:00 – 3:00 pm Combo Skillet (jazz) 3:15 – 4:15 pm Bob Marley Workshop (reggae) 4:30 – 5:30 pm The Truck Farmers (country) 5:45 – 6:45 pm MyKey and Colin Kelly (original pop) 7:00 – 8:20 pm The Montgomery Warlocks (Grateful Dead) 8:40 – 10:00 pm The Allman Others (Allman Bros.) *at least one Bannockburnian in every group! Vendors Ted’s Woodworking Shop, Kathy Bryant’s Mustards & Condiments, Snow Cabin Pottery, Runaway Silver (Jewelry), Kathryn Bird Glassware, and Blugnu Products. Silent Auction Live Jazz Party, […]
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Taking the Mystery out of the Mortgage Process

by Ira Hersh· July 27, 2018· in Buying, Financing, Mortgages· 0 comments tags: DC Real Estate, Delaware beach real estate, DMV, Investing, Investors, MD real estate, Selling the DMV, The Hersh Group, VA real estate, Washington DC Real Estate

Don’t let mortgage misconceptions hold you back from homeownership or real estate investing! The mortgage process can sometimes feel like one of the most intimidating aspects of buying a home. When we talk to clients, we sometimes find that they’re letting misconceptions about borrowing keep them out of the real estate market. We’d like to share with you some recent developments you might want to consider if you’re thinking of purchasing a home or diversifying your investment portfolio into real estate. Mortgage interest rates are trending higher. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate on home loans is currently around 4.5%, but that rate is projected to approach 5.0% by the end of the year. Although 5.0% is higher than what we’ve seen the past few years, it’s still historically low. Mortgage interest rates are influenced by yields on the 10-year Treasury, the benchmark that helps determine other interest rates. As investors move more money in the 10-year Treasury, the yield decreases, and 30-year fixed rates go lower. Conversely, as money is pulled out of the bond market and put into other investments, the yield increases, and 30-year fixed rates track higher. The 10-year Treasury yield is expected to gradually move […]
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Tips for Maintaining Your Home in Summer

by Ira Hersh· June 01, 2018· in Home and Garden, Home Maintenance· 0 comments tags: DC Real Estate, DC To The Sea, Delaware beach real estate, DMV, Home maintenance, Home tips, MD real estate, Selling the DMV, Summer, The Hersh Group, VA real estate, Washington DC Real Estate

Happy June! If you’re like us, you’re thrilled that warm weather has arrived so you can finally enjoy not only the inside of your home, but the outside too. You’ll get even more enjoyment if your house is in good repair, and you’ve taken measures to address the effects of severe winter weather. Here are a few suggestions for gearing up for summer: Check outdoor spigots for leaks: If you didn’t drain your outdoor water spigots before the weather got cold, ice could have expanded the pipes to the point of bursting. Call a professional to have it checked out if you think you could have a leak, before you end up with a big water bill or flood damage! Reseal exterior woodwork: Extend the life of your decks, fences, railings and other wooden structures by resealing every year or two. (Be sure to scrub or pressure-wash them first – great for the life and look.) Check your roof and gutters: Heat, wind, debris and ice can do a lot of damage up there. Get the roof checked to see if water has gotten to the underlying plywood. Also, have your gutters cleaned to keep your roof in good shape […]
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Should You Consider Investing in Real Estate?

by Ira Hersh· April 26, 2018· in Uncategorized· 0 comments tags: Bethesda real estate, DC Real Estate, Investing, Investors, MD real estate, Real estate, The Hersh Group, VA real estate, Washington DC Real Estate

With the stock market experiencing increased volatility and more experts warning of an impending “Bear Market,” many people are considering real estate as a stable and reliable investment to balance their portfolios. A recent Bankrate survey concluded that 28% of respondents prefer real estate compared to 17% stocks when given the choice of long term investing. As real estate professionals, we’ve seen firsthand the value of investing in real property, from a simple diversification of assets to significant returns on investments. Why Invest? Real estate provides the investor four main benefits. In addition to steady cash flow from rental income, the investor will benefit from appreciation, depreciation, and principal reduction. Unlike a stock, real estate offers a tangible asset for individuals—an actual home in which you could live, if necessary. Here is a little more about the significant financial benefits attainable through investing in real estate: Cash Flow: An investment property—whether it is a condo, townhouse, suburban single-family house or an oceanfront vacation home —could bring positive cash flow from rental income. Tax Advantages: Deductions and depreciation are just two of the tax benefits that may be available to you as an investment property owner. Your tax adviser can help […]
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Save the Date! 4th Annual Dog Adoption Event on May 19th “Happiness is a warm puppy.” —Charles M. Schulz (cartoonist, Peanuts) Spring is the perfect time to welcome a new furry family member into your heart and your home! Please join Lisa Levine and The Hersh Group, your Bethesda neighborhood experts, at their fourth annual adoption event in Bethesda with PetConnect Rescue. We are thrilled to be hosting this event again and helping to provide these wonderful dogs with a new family and loving home. As one of Long & Foster’s top teams in the DC Metro area, our goal is to help people find the right house for their needs. What better way to complete a home than adopt a pet? As the saying goes, a house is not a home without that furry friend. We are pleased to partner again with PetConnect Rescue and the Westwood Pet Center to host this dog adoption event so that more of our neighbors can find the newest additions to their families and give these pets the loving homes they deserve. Please join us: Saturday, May 19th, 2018 11am – 1pm Westwood Pet Center 5428 Westbard Ave, Bethesda, MD For more information, call […]
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The 2019 Real Estate Year in Review (plus a look ahead to 2020)