How Will The 2024 Election Affect the real estate market?

by Sarah Arlington

Dear Buyers and Sellers, 
 
As you know Rooster Homes uses data to deliver content that answers the leading questions we are hearing from you. With an election approaching there is a lot of uncertainty and confusion around making the right decision regarding your real estate goals. Should I buy now, should I sell now, how can I make the best decision? 
In this blog post, we hop into our real estate time machine and look at the previous election years. Come on this journey with me and I will show you how during times of certainty, leveraging historical data can help you accomplish your goals. 
 
Presidential elections or election years affect the national housing market and mortgage rates through three related channels: uncertainty, policy expectations, and consumer confidence. These three channels lead to consumers choosing to possibly postpone a major purchase or sale until they gain greater confidence in the country's direction.
 
Let's review the data together and look at what happened across three critical metrics: Home Sales, Home Values, and Interest Rates. These metrics will provide insight that will increase your confidence in making an educated decision about how to enter this year's housing market with a plan.
With each metric, I will offer some insights on what we can anticipate given the data. 
 
Figure 1: Data show in the last 9/11 years, in the year immediately following a presidential election year, home sales went up. 
 
Following an election year home sales are predicted to go up. Those buyers and sellers who remain uncertain may find themselves in a more competitive market. For buyers, there may be more buyer competition during the home search. 
 
Figure 2: Data show in the last 7/8 years, in the year immediately following a presidential election year, home prices went up. 
 
If we refer to the most recent 2020 election year, home prices jumped up 18% the following year in 2021. 
Let's go through the last 7 years together and calculate the average increase in sales prices. 
 
1992-1993 = 3.41%
1996-1997 = 5.2%
2000-2001 = 6.31%
2004-2005 = 12.19%
2012-2013 = 11.39%
2016-2017 = 5.64%
2020-2021 = 18.2%
 
Average across the past 7/8 years  = 8.9% 
 
If we use the average home sales increase in the year immediately following an election year, it's fair to predict that we may expect an 8.9% increase next year in home sales prices. This will of course vary on some factors such as location and the type of home, but I think it's a fair and conservative assessment of what we can expect. In addition to this, our last metric revolves around interest rates, and with the anticipation of a drop in rates, we may experience an increase of over 8.9%. 
 
Figure 3: Data show in the last 8/11 years, in the year leading up to the presidential election, mortgage rates decreased. 
 
This is hopefully not news to you readers. Many buyers are becoming more savvy and staying in tune with where rates are currently standing at any given point in time. Brandon and I keep a tight watch and lean into our lender resources to make sure we stay up to date on rate decreases. 
As rates continue to decline we will see more and more buyers jump back into the market to purchase a home at an affordable price. We are seeing a couple of strategies with this expectation:
1. Some lenders are offering adjustable rate mortgages, 2-1 buy-downs, and other strategic programs, planning to refinance the loan once rates drop. This way buyers could enter the market now, before the anticipated return of more buyers, and refinance out of their rate, locking in a lower rate. 
2. When the opportunity presents itself we are utilizing an offer strategy of asking for seller credits to help our clients buy the rate down. This means that when we submit an offer, we may ask for 25k back in seller credits at closing so our buyers can utilize those funds to buy their interest rate down. This is just an example. 
 
With these three factors to consider; home sales, home prices, and interest rates, data can be your ally in making an educated and informed decision that is best for you and your family. We always tell our clients, it has to be the right decision for you and your family. 
Let's connect and explore these data together and what strategies might make the most sense if you are on the fence about how to make a move during an election year! 

LOS FELIZ LISTINGS

REVIEWS

Claudia Chan

Helped me rent a Condo home in Playa del rey, Playa del rey, CA.

My best friend referred me to Sarah when my boyfriend and I were looking to relocate to California from New York City. Sarah is very friendly, responsive, and thoughtful. When we had our initial conversation about looking to rent, she was very transparent about taking the time to research which areas/neighborhoods that we would be interested in before seeing any of the listings. During our visit, she was available to show us some listings and I thought she really asked the right questions. She was also very on top of our requests like reaching out about pet deposit/fees and scheduling showings. She made us feel very taken care of too because we were new to renting and working with an agent. We did eventually find our home to rent with her help and she made sure to read through the rental agreement for any errors or mistakes. It was a smooth process and overall, we were very happy with our experience and highly recommend her!

Kylie Lam

Helped me rent a Apartment home in Alhambra, CA.

Sarah made apartment hunting so much fun and hassle-free! She was very responsive and supportive throughout the whole process. Sarah provides a wealth of knowledge in terms of comparative leasing comps, negotiating, and overall application progress. Lastly, I never met any other agent that emits as much genuineness and compassion as she. I highly recommend her as an agent for leasing or buying!

Janet Sau Sum Cho

Bought a Single Family home in 2022 in East central, Pasadena, CA.

Brandon is so positive, supportive, and responsive to any and all my needs in the entire process of looking and buying a new home. He is extremely patient, knowledgeable about the market and procedures, thoughtful, and made excellent recommendations every step of the way. Honestly, he went above and beyond my expectation! I feel very confident with Brandon. I appreciate that he helped me to analyze what I need together, and find the perfect place for my partner and I.