Discover Publications
These articles were written during 2024 for Discover Publications, a direct mail marketing solutions firm built for real estate agents. Each of the articles I wrote were for different agents across the country, following article guidelines as provided by the company. Here they are compiled: Discover Publications Articles
Writing for agents involved learning idiosyncratic styles, speaking in knowledgeable terms and being simple enough for the general reader.
Or, if you’d rather not click a link, here’s a sample:
Ventura Market Update
Summer Sunshine Amidst Steady Shortages
When talking about the housing market in Ventura, it is necessary to address some complex troubles. Ventura is the second-least affordable metropolitan area in the US, surpassed only by Los Angeles.
Housing Shortage
Since the housing crisis in 2008, Ventura has not been able to keep up with the number of people who want to live here. This is nothing new, but it is a persistent issue. Ventura has one of the starkest housing shortages in the US, and according to the Housing Shortage Tracker by NAR (National Association of Realtors), a new single housing permit is issued within our county for every 17.30 new jobs. For context, the historical average, what is considered to be a good ratio, is one permit for every two new jobs.
It’s not all bad news, there are many projects and voices dedicated to remedying this widespread issue. If a housing shortage is one thing, it is difficult to fix. Groups like Housing Land Trust Ventura County and Ventura Land Trust are dedicated to developing and saving land for affordable housing construction and protecting the future of our community. The world keeps moving forward; we have to work together and ensure that we do too.
Home Sale Prices
And as the world chugs along, year-over-year median sales prices in Ventura continue to rise, too. At a 4.1% increase over last year, median sales prices are sitting at $833,000 as of May. Looking at trends through a year-long lens shows that there is very little change in prices. Over the last five years, however, a steady climb is apparent.
Homes are, on average, selling for their listing price and they have been for several years now. Slightly less than half of all homes sold are sold above their listing price, with no clear seasonal trend. Strategic marketing for your home is the best tactic for selling your home at your ideal price.
Number of Homes Sold
In May, a total of 71 homes were sold in Ventura. This is a year-over-year increase of 20.3%, which is a hopeful statistic. After peaking in October of 2020 with 132 homes sold, this figure has steadily lessened over the years.
However, there are fairly clear-cut seasonal trends. In late summer, July or August, there are consistent spikes in the number of homes sold. The middle of the year is also the point with the highest rate of new listings. December is also a somewhat consistent high point in homes sold. The annual winter break is convenient for families to pack up and go—or perhaps some people just enjoy when Santa has a harder time finding them.
In any case, now is doubtlessly the best time to set your home up for sale. And with the increased supply of home listings available, deep summer marks the best time to buy, too.
What to Expect?
As August undulates and rolls into September, the weather will even out, and the sun may retreat a few steps. Current weather conditions are as perfect as they can get for selling your home and the summer is the easiest time for families to make a move. Come September, this will be harder, and you may need to pick up some of the slack dropped by the changing seasons. Autumnal lighting—fireplaces, lampposts, even paint colors—will certainly expediate the selling process.
And while the seasons continue to change, the best tool you can have in your belt is a steadfast, experienced real estate agent. If you have any questions about buying or selling your home, please reach out to me at (XXX)-XXX-XXXX or email@email.com. The next move is yours.