Wednesday, May 23, 2012

HOME OWNERSHIP MATTERS


By John Mangas, Real Estate Broker at RE/MAX Preferred Toledo, Ohio


I had the great privilege to be in Washington DC for theREALTOR Rally at the Washington Monument. There was patriotic music, terrific speeches and a feeling of oneness. But the message was much, much more.

Home ownership matters. It’s the reason that many of our ancestors came to America in the first place and the legacy was demonstrated throughout the program. People spoke about the tangible benefits of home ownership such as a great long term investment. However, they also spoke how owning your own home provides a sense of community and can even be traced to higher testing scores among students. Home owners take pride in their property and get involved in the neighborhood, schools and community in ways that are meaningful and provide stability.

Locally, RE/MAX Preferred was involved in over 1900 transaction sides in 2011 which helped many in the Metro-Toledo area achieve their goal of home ownership. In 2012 we are seeing even more people getting into the housing market with historically low interest rates, abundant inventory in nearly all markets and price points and an improving job market.

The dream of home ownership doesn’t need to just be a dream. The opportunity has perhaps never been greater. Housing affordability remains terrific, and in fact the Toledo Market was recently recognized by the Brookings Institute and the 3rd mostaffordable housing market in the United States! It’s time now to turn the dream of home ownership in to the reality of owning a home of your own.