I had a local real estate agent contact me last week asking for a update on Les Chenier Subdivision as there really hasn’t been much home sales activity in this development, but a development that has experienced some REO or foreclosure activity.

This development has puzzled me for several years as to how it climbed so high in home prices after Hurricane Katrina for these smaller homes. The Median Sales Prices from 2005 to 2010 climbed and then rightfully so corrected from $167,000, $186,000, $191,000, $195,250, $193,500, $180,000 and now one (1) distressed sale in 2011 for $155,000. It would appear that the $193,500 to $195,000 price range is high for Les Chenier, or about $117/sf. I’m just not sure that over $117/sf is really sustainable for Les Chenier interior lots (those homes not fronting McCrory Rd 1). And, I just posted a video report about the housing price corrections taking place in in this immediate market here: Ascension Parish Home Appraiser Charting Of Declining Housing Market 2008-2011

Total # 2010 Sales: 7
Average Sales Price: $191,964
Median Sales Price: $180,000
Average Sold Price: $111.60/sf
Average List To Sale Price Ratio: 98%
Average Days On Market: 85

FORECLOSURES.

Regarding REOs, 1 2010 sale was an REO and the 1 2011 sale was an REO or Real Estate Owned. According to Legal News, there have been 3 REO sales since 1/2010 being Lots 25, 29 & 90.

CURRENT LISTINGS: ZERO FORECLOSURES!

There are currently 6 listings from $179,900 up to $210,900 or $114/sf up to $126/sf, which some are priced high and certainly not priced according to the correction in home prices taking place in this market. In fact, if one examines the 2007 to 2009 highs in the market on that chart above, the average sold prices per sq. ft. were $116.51/sf, $119.53/sf and $115.38/sf. So, why in 2011, when the market isn’t as strong, are there homes listed above the previous highs, homes listed at $120/sf, $125/sf, $126/sf and $126/sf? Of all 6 listings, all are Active and none are Pending.

Keep Up With Ascension Parish Real Estate Buzz on Facebook!

NOTE: Based on information from the Greater Baton Rouge Association of REALTORS®\MLS for the period of January 1, 2005 to April 23, 2011. This information was extracted on 4/23/2011. YES, permission was granted by GBRMLS to use Subdivision Price Trends Chart Report!

Top Subdivision Entrance Photo Is Courtesy of Homes Of Baton Rouge Blog: http://www.homesalesofbatonrouge.com/

Author’s Bio:

Bill Cobb is Greater Baton Rouge’s Home Appraiser frequently called upon by banks, homeowners, and savvy real estate investors to assess property values. A home appraiser with 20 years experience, Bill Cobb brings a wealth of knowledge to the table as a home appraiser.

Bill’s company, Accurate Valuations Group, serves Greater Baton Rouge (East Baton Rouge Parish, West Baton Rouge Parish, Western Livingston Parish and Northern Ascension Parish).

Contact Bill Cobb and Accurate Valuations Home Appraisal Group for your next home appraisal:
Office: 225-293-1500, Cell: 225-953-0638
Fax: 1-866-663-6065
info@accuratevg.com
http://www.accuratevg.com/

The longer I appraise homes for purchases, the less I understand about how homes are properly and ethically priced for listings! This post is about an example in the Greater Baton Rouge housing market I recently experienced. THE HOME DID NOT APPRAISE FOR THE PURCHASE PRICE! AND, this was one of those deals where they tried to roll in excessive seller paid concessions.

Disclaimer. In order to protect the identity of the Agent and the home in question, which is still Pending, details as to location and physical address are withheld.

Physical Details. Subject or home under contract is located somewhere in Greater Baton Rouge. Subject is 20 years old, 1,750sf to 2,000sf 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms located in a restricted subdivision where the homes are similar size and age. There is 1 sale and current listings in this development. Price range is somewhere between $180,000 to $220,000. While subject is in good condition, it’s not updated and has some inferior vinyl flooring.

Appraisal Inspection Setup & Request For Comps Used To Market Subject. As is my custom, at the same time the appraisal inspection was setup, the comps used to market the home were requested from Listing Agent. I’ve always believed that there are 2 to 3 real estate professionals involved in the sale or purchase of a home: the Listing Agent, Selling Agent and The Appraiser. Agents do know and see things in the market that appraisers do not and I want to know what I might be missing about a deal. School district could be an example. And, by requesting the comps up front, I hope to avoid an appeal or rebuttal later.

Home Was Priced High And The Sellers Gave it Away! Before visiting subject, I noticed subject was priced high and Agent provided 5 “sales”, which turned out NOT to be true comps. When I arrived at the home, the sellers were obviously nervous and were asking me questions about the appraisal and comps and making stating statements like, “I hope the home appraises with the extra concessions rolled in because we have a contract on another home…..”

The “Sales”, not “Comps” Sent. Also, Note That Appraisal Is Being Completed In March 2011 and Lenders Want Comps Within 90 to 180 Days Or 3 to 6 Months. Here’s a review of the 5 sales sent to me.

Sale #1, sold in 4/2010, is 200sf smaller in size, is similar in age but is updated. While this sale can be added a supplemental comp, this “sale” is too old for underwriters in 2011 to give heavy consideration to it.

Sale #2, sold in 6/2010, is 240sf smaller in size, was built in 2006 or is 5 years old, is located in a newer development with a newer design/appeal. So, design/appeal, age, location and condition are all superior. How is this “5″ year old home comparable to a 20 year old home? The 240sf difference in size raises the gross and net adjustments above underwriter tolerance of 15%, which indicates it’s not truly a comparable. Also, the 6/2010 “sale” is too old for underwriters in 2011 to give heavy consideration to it. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing here!

Sale #3, sold in 8/2010, is 312sf smaller in size, was built in 2005 or is 6 years old, is located in a newer development with a newer design/appeal AND an IG Pool. So, design/appeal, age, SLAB GRANITE COUNTERS, location, IG Pool and condition are all superior. How is this “6″ year old home comparable to a 20 year old home? The 312sf difference in size raises the gross and net adjustments above underwriter tolerance of 15%, which indicates it’s not truly a comparable. Also, the 8/2010 “sale” is too old for underwriters in 2011 to give heavy consideration to it. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing here!

Sale #4, sold in 10/2010 is within 75sf of subjects size, BUT was built in 2000 or is 11 years old, has a newer design/appeal AND is located on a half acre subdivision lot. So, design/appeal, age lot size and condition are all superior. How is this “11″ year old home comparable to a 20 year old home?

Sale #5, sold in 6/2010, is within 75sf of subjects size, is similar in age and condition. While this sale can be added a supplemental comp, this “sale” is too old for underwriters in 2011 to give heavy consideration to it.

What I did and didn’t do! This appraiser ended up using Sales 1, 4 & 5 in the report, Sale 4 simply because of the lack of sold homes in this market, along with 2 other more recent solds to comply with underwriters wanting more recent comps. This appraiser did not bend ethics and use Sales 2 & 3 as there was NO remote similarity to the subject and 5 & 6 year old homes. And, per lender requirements, this appraiser also added 3 listings into the report from the immediate market, of which were located in subjects own development.

THIS IS NOT A HOUSING MARKET OF STRENGTH AND….THIS POST HURRICANE KATRINA MARKET IS UNDERSTANDABLY AND LOGICALLY STILL CORRECTING! While GBR is performing better than the general U.S. housing market, we do face challenges. There has been a barrage of economic data and news suggesting national economic malaise in the housing sector with no signs whatever of even price footing, U.S. home prices continue to fall, and Corelogic and Baton Rouge Business Report reporting that Greater Baton Rouge is in its’ 6TH STRAIGHT MONTH OF HOME PRICE DECLINES. Greater Baton Rouge also has a fore closure and shadow inventory problem with 22 months of current shadow inventory. I’m not here to put down our market, but I do believe it’s about time we admit the challenges and price local listings accordingly, especially in the under $300K range where it really matters. The over $300,000 market appears to be weathering this downturn better than the under $300,000 markets.

WHAT I DON’T SOMETIMES SEE IN THE GBR HOUSING MARKET. What I don’t see sometimes, not all the time, are GBR home listings priced according to these facts and trends above! Some homes are priced as if it were still 2007. Homes shouldn’t be listed based on the sellers dictating listing price but rather based on market support and a little cushion for negotiation and normal seller concessions.

LOW APPRAISALS. And, when homes are overpriced, this is why that “low appraisal” occurs. Low Appraisals could be the result of a faulty appraisal, and/or it could be more about bringing reality to the situation and reflecting a flaw in the expectations created by a faulty and unrealistic listing pricing at the beginning of the process. This is exactly the example I have provided in this article, the totally unrealistic listing price for this home that didn’t appraise. And, it didn’t appraise based on the Agent’s 3 actual comps and the 1 sale and 2 current listings in the subjects own development. I believe those 5 & 6 year old “sales” provided were to help prop up the deal, which didn’t happen with this appraiser!

REASONS FOR LOW APPRAISALS. Low Appraisals can occur because the home listed wasn’t actually measured…this does happen in our market. Low appraisals can occur because the listing agents failed to deduct excessive seller paid concessions when they completed that MLS CMA to price that home. And, the GBRMLS doesn’t automatically deduct excessive concessions. So, if local agents don’t do more than a simple MLS CMA to price their listings, if they don’t examine seller paid concessions on each sale they base value, they could end up with a low appraisal because that appraiser IS going to deduct excessive seller paid concessions on comps used based on Fannie Mae selling guidelines, which instructs appraisers to do so below:

“Lenders are reminded that excessive sales concessions can artificially inflate the sales price of a property, which can then lead to an inflated market value. Particular attention should be given to unusual sales or financing concessions to ensure that they are properly accounted for in the appraisal report. Fannie Mae’s definition of market value is intended to ensure that appraisals reflect an opinion of market value after adjustments for any special or creative financing or sales
concessions have been made, such as interest rate buydowns or payment of condo or homeowners’ association fees.”

Fannie Mae and FHA know that when there’s no skin-in-the-game or down payment, there could be a higher default rate!

GREATER BATON ROUGE HOME BUYERS SHOULD GET A PRE-PURCHASE HOME APPRAISAL! With the local housing market still correcting and “some” overpriced listings in this market, it’s this appraisers advice to get a Pre-Purchase Home Appraisal before negotiations!

Here’s an interesting video by Jay Papasan, an executive of Keller Williams Realty. We see “Jay” on the month “This Month In Real Estate US: November 2010″ videos on YouTube. In this video, Mr. Papasan explains why some houses just sit there on the market while others sell, which is an appropriate topic for locals now that the expiration of the Federal tax credit means a lot homes locally are just sitting.

I thought his explanations were helpful explanations. The visual displays of these concepts of his x/y axis were helpful as well.

I’m curious to hear the experience of both home owners and real estate agents as to what if Mr. Papasan is explaining is reality locally? Any ideas on what it would take for homes to sell faster? Are locals just waiting for a bottom before buying or is there something more going on in their psyche – more of a concern about what’s taking in Washington, DC than a concern for the Baton Rouge economy maybe?

You can follow Jay Papasan on Twitter at @jaypapasan, and on Facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/jaypapasan . Mr. Papasan is also coauthor of The Millionaire Real Estate Agent, The Millionaire Real Estate Investor & SHIFT.

]]> http://www.batonrougerealestateappraisal.com/2010/11/baton-rouge-real-estate-appraisers-why-do-some-houses-sit-on-the-market-while-others-sell/feed/ 0 http://www.batonrougerealestateappraisal.com/2010/09/western-livingston-parish-home-appraisers-august-2010-market-data/ http://www.batonrougerealestateappraisal.com/2010/09/western-livingston-parish-home-appraisers-august-2010-market-data/#comments Thu, 16 Sep 2010 11:36:43 +0000 Baton Rouge Real Estate Appraisal http://www.batonrougerealestateappraisal.com/greater-baton-rouge-subdivision-video-tours/western-livingston-parish-home-appraisers-august-2010-market-data/ http://www.denhamspringsappraisers.com/ - Western Livingston Parish Home Appraisers: August 2010 Market Data

The August 2010 housing numbers are in from the Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors from 8/1/2010 to 8/31/2010 and from 8/1/2009 to 8/31/2010, extracted on 9/16/2010.

Livingston Parish August 2010 Market Data
(For MLS Areas 80, 81, 82 & 83)

Total Monthly Sales: 56 (Lowest Number Of Sales In Period)

Average Listing Price: $164,295 ($162,914 in 8/2009)
Average Sold Price: $161,018 ($160,232 in 8/2009)
Median Sold Price: $140,900 ($152,500 in 8/2009)
Average Days On The Market: 92 (85 in 8/2009)
Listing To Sales Price Ratio: 98% (98.3% in 8/2009)
Current Inventory: 811 (703 in 8/2009)
Months of Inventory: 14.5 (Longest In Period, 5.9 in 8/2009)

Annual View From 8/2009 to 8/2010:

Total Monthly Sales: 1210

Average Listing Price: $167,849
Average Sold Price: $164,948
Median Sold Price: $152,147
Average Days On The Market: 90
Listing To Sales Price Ratio: 98.3%
Average Current Inventory: 719
Average Months of Inventory: 7.1

Accurate Valuations Group’s “MARKET WRAP”:

NUMBER OF HOME SALES DECLINES. Based on these numbers, home sales are slowing considerably from 120 in August 2009, 109 in June 2010, 83 in July 2010 to just 56 in August 2010, a decline of -53% since August 2009.

LOCAL HOUSING INVENTORY SWELLS. With the number of home sales declining, this resulted in an increase to over 14 months of inventory. The good news is that in August, it still took an average days on the market of 92 days to sell a home.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE DECLINE. The median sales price declined sharply from $152,500 in August 2009, $149,000 in June 2010, $155,000 in July 2010 to just $140,900 in August 2010, a decline of -7.6% since August 2009. This shows that this market continues to favor the more affordable housing options over that of the higher end homes market. Area home builders have reacted and are building smaller homes to accomodate this market demand.

WHY WE USE MEDIAN SALES PRICE OVER AVERAGE SALES PRICE? NOTE: Why Median Sales Price is a better indicator than Average Sales Price! Median Sales Price is the barometer by which the National Association of Realtors uses to report on national housing markets. Average Sales Price tends to take all of the home sales prices from the lowest, say $50,000, to the highest, say $1,000,000, and state the average of them all, sometimes skewing the numbers because of the extreme highs and lows. Median Sales Price tends to focus more on the middle of where the bulk of home sales prices are taking place. Generally, the Average Sales Price is going to be higher because it includes the extreme high sales prices in a given market.

http://www.batonrougerealestatebuzz.com/

Mike Mueller has a helpul post on Active Rain Network this morning about Dropbox. http://activerain.com/blogsview/1722200/do-you-dropbox-

File Sync: Dropbox allows you to sync your files online and across your computers automatically.

File Sharing: Sharing files is simple and can be done with only a few clicks.
Online Backup:

Dropbox backs up your files online without you having to think about it.
Web Access:

A copy of your files are stored on Dropbox’s secure servers. This lets you access them from any computer or mobile device.
Security & Privacy:

Dropbox takes the security and privacy of your files very seriously. Military level encryption!

Mobile Device Access: The free Dropbox application for iPhone, iPad, and Android lets you access most everything on the go!

Setup dropbox for yourself and let me know what you think.

Welcome To The $100. 00 Greater Baton Rouge Comparable Sales Reports! Greater Baton Rouge Comparable Sales Reports Is A Desktop Appraisal Service Performed By William D. Cobb, CREA, with Accurate Valuations Group, Serving East & West Baton Rouge Parish, Northern Ascension Parish and Western Livingston Parish. William Uses An Approved Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac Appraisal Form (SSDVR) To Complete This Report.

What Is An SSDVR Report? A desktop appraisal report conducted by Louisiana State Certified Appraiser, William D. Cobb, CREA, License #R0851. Bill will drive-by the home being appraised, rely upon the physical data the client provides, research the MLS database, select the 3 most similar and competitive sales/comps and render a value opinion.

Welcome To The $100. 00 Greater Baton Rouge Comparable Sales Reports! Greater Baton Rouge Comparable Sales Reports Is A Desktop Appraisal Service Performed By William D. Cobb with Accurate Valuations Group, Serving East & West Baton Rouge Parish, Northern Ascension Parish and Western Livingston Parish. William Uses An Approved Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac Appraisal Form (SSDVR) To Complete This Report.

What Is An SSDVR Report? A desktop appraisal report conducted by Louisiana State Certified Appraiser, William D. Cobb, CREA, License #R0851. Bill will drive-by the home being appraised, rely upon the physical data the client provides, research the MLS database, select the 3 most similar and competitive sales/comps and render a value opinion.

Home To Be Listed With:

Ronald Julien & Associates, 1926 Wooddale Boulevard
Baton Rouge, LA 70806-1539
(225) 926-3475

Tags: West Baton Rouge, Port Allen, 70767, Homes For Sale, West Baton Rouge Foreclosures, Port Allen Foreclosures

By Monthly Home Sales Comparison. March Monthly Sales were 87 home sales. For February 2010, there were only 77 sales, which represents a March increase of 13%. Comparison of March 2009 vs. March 2010? There were 90 sales in March 2009, which means a small decrease of 3%.

By Average Sales Price Comparison. Average Sold Price was $159,377. Comparison to February 2010: Decreased slightly 1% from $160,746. Comparison of March 2009 vs. March 2010: Decreased 5.76% from $169,115.

By Median Sales Price Comparison. (Which This Appraiser Believes Is A Much More Accurate Indicator). Median Sold Price was $150,000. February 2010 was also $150,000. Comparison of March 2009 vs. March 2010: Decreased 3.54% from $155,500.

Current Inventory or Number Of Homes On The Market. Current “Months Inventory” is 7.59 months. In February 2010 it was 8.35 months, which means we’re better in March 2010. In March 2009, there was a 6.24 months supply.

Average Time It Took To Sell A Home? In March 2010, it took 110 days. In February 2010 it took 106 days and in March 2009 it took 91 days.

What Price Range Had The Most Home Sales? In March, the price range experiencing the most sales was the $130,000 to $139,999 range. Same for February 2010 as well. And, same for March 2009 as well.

NOTE: Based on Detached Single Family Solds in MLS Areas 80, 81, 82 & 83 information from the Greater Baton Rouge Association of REALTORS\MLS for the period 03/01/2010 through 03/31/2010. This information was extracted on 04/21/2010.