It's hard to believe that we're nearly halfway into January. The way the holidays fell on the calendar, it felt like we were sprinting from Thanksgiving to the start of the new year! I had seven closings in December, which was a fun, busy and satisfying way to end 2019. I'm looking forward to carrying that momentum right through into the busy spring and summer seasons. Congratulations to all those clients who accomplished their real estate goals this year, and thank you for your business. It was my pleasure to work with you, and I look forward to our next transaction. 

The Roanoke Valley market finished strong, too. The Roanoke Valley Association of Realtors will release final numbers in the next few days. After seeing several record-breaking months throughout the year, I feel pretty confident in saying we'll break another record for the year as a whole. 

Just so you know, it's not just real estate agents that make all those transactions happen. There are so many people involved in getting just one transaction from start to finish. Imagine the number of people who touch all the purchases and sales that happen in our billion-dollar-a-year residential market. I want to wish each one of you my sincere thanks for all you do to help make our clients' real estate dreams come true. I appreciate your work and professionalism, and I look forward to continued successes together. A special shoutout to the folks here at MKB who keep the place running smoothly. 

If you've been on the fence about buying or selling, you may think you've missed your chance now that such a busy year has come to a close, but that's not true. There are still plenty of buyers and sellers in the market, and those numbers will just increase as we get further out from the holidays. 

So what's your next step if you've been considering a real estate transaction but haven't made a move? 

Buyers: You've probably already been looking at properties, and that's great. Your next step is to talk to a lender. Inventory will grow, but it's tight right now. To be competitive with an offer, you need to be ready to quickly prove your creditworthiness to a seller. If you don't know where to start with lenders, get in touch, and I can connect you. After that, sit down with your Realtor and start talking about your goals and must-haves. You've likely got some properties identified, and your Realtor will be able to point you to others. Especially if you've got your eye on a particular property, take action now. 

Sellers: Your next step is to talk to a Realtor to start outlining a to-market strategy for your home. That means identifying any improvements you need to make, preparing your home so that buyers see it in its best light and determining a smart price that will get the home sold on your timeline at the best return possible. (If you're also buying a property, let's get you in touch with a lender.)

Investors: Real estate investors did particularly well in 2019. Roanoke has some very nice, older neighborhoods that are experiencing some revival. Especially if you're new to the Roanoke Valley market — or to investing in general — get in touch. There are opportunities at all tiers of the market, whether you plan to lease the property or rehab it for resale. 

Thanks again to my family, friends, clients and colleagues for an excellent 2019. I wish you a healthy and prosperous 2020. As always, if I can be of help, please contact me at (540) 793-0442 or rpayne@mkbrealtors.com.