Joel Cone | U.S. News & World Report
Wild fluctuations in the nation’s real estate cycle have taken investors on a roller coaster ride since the early part of this century. From the first decade, marked by overheated home prices in many of the nation’s most popular metropolitan areas, to the post-Great Recession era sending home values into a free fall, investors have had to adjust and adapt their investment strategies to market conditions.
So, going forward, which are the best strategies to pursue for real estate investors next year?
The big picture for 2015. Looking at the nation’s housing and economic indicators, there is plenty of positive news to justify continued investor optimism in 2015. Home sales – both existing and new – are projected to increase next year, which is welcome news for fix-and-flip investors.
At the 2014 Realtors Conference & Expo, Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, or NAR, predicted a rebound for existing home sales for the next two years, and he projects home prices will rise at a moderate 4 percent in each of those years. On the new home front, David Crowe, chief economist for the National Association of Home Builders, is forecasting that multi-family housing starts will increase 15 percent next year.