The recent economic "meltdown" has effected the housing market in various ways in the last few years. We can't seem to escape the constantflow of bad news coming from our televisions every night on the evening news, can we? Today we'll explore why it's a great time to buy real estate in Vermont, and the Burlington and surrounding areas of Chittenden county, specifically.
The first thing I always remind buyers and sellers is this; Vermont real estate, like politics is first and foremost LOCAL. What's happening in Miami, Las Vegas, or Southern California doesn't really affect us up here in Vermont. Here are some major reasons why:
- Vermont did not experience the "Boom" those other areas experienced, and we hence have not experienced the "Valley" either. Vermont's home values, even in the growing of the housing boom, staying fairly level. Vermont has laws that prevent speculative buying, and our building community to did not over-build the available inventory to sell. This has helped maintain home values in Vermont and the more localized areas of Burlington, South Burlington, Williston, Essex, Charlotte, Colchester, and Shelburne.
- The current national unemployment level is hovering at around 9%. The unemployment level in Vermont, and more precisely Chittenden County, is nearly 1/2 that amount. The bottom line is that jobs in Vermont have not been nearly as affected as they have in other parts of the country. Employers like UVM, IBM, and Fletcher Allen Health Care have a long employment record in and around Burlinton. There's no reason to believe they'll go anywhere in the time-being, either. If jobs are the key to the economic recovery, and an improved housing market- we're already where we need to be.
- Mortgage rates remaining remarkably low. In fact, you can STILL qualify for a low rate of 4.9% for a 30 year fixed rate. This low rate, coupled with the relatively flat but somewhat lower prices than what we have seen in recent years means that homes in Vermont are more affordable than ever. See the link here to a recent Vermont affordable housing study: http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20110315/NEWS01/103150303/Study-Vermont-housing-more-affordable