“Fear is greater than financial incentive” is my favorite way to describe consumer behavior in uncertain times – including my own behavior. The “national media” covers the horror stories (that are true) from many housing markets in the country, because these are the stories that everyone wants to read. We are uncertain, so we don’t do anything at all.
The horror stories you read, however, have not been an issue in Topeka. We are so fortunate to live here because of our “boringly stable economy” as I have often described it over my real estate career. Yes, many of us have been affected by the economy; I am just describing the local housing market.
Today, the Topeka Capital-Journal published a good, factual article about the Topeka housing market. They obtained their information directly from the Topeka Area Association of REALTORS, for whom the President, Jeanine Wells, is the only official spokesperson. This adds such an element of credibility to the story – one doesn’t have to worry if it is simply someone’s opinion. That data is supported by the opinion of the Shawnee County Appraiser in another article.
The Topeka housing market, combined with the first-time homebuyer tax credit (of up to $8000) will only help the entire Topeka economy. $8000 is a significant amount of money, given the average price of homes in Topeka – and this is certain to have a trickle-up and trickle-out effect to everyone.
If you haven’t read the Topeka Capital-Journal’s Sunday paper article on housing, please take a moment to read it here: http://tinyurl.com/Topeka-Housing – it should make you feel very confident, whether you are wondering if it’s the time to buy, or if it’s the time to get your home on the market. The article about the Shawnee County appraiser is here: http://tinyurl.com/Appraiser-Info.
