Investment Buying in Warm Climates

By: Jason Couillard
Although there has been a nationwide pull back in realty sales, some areas have avoided the price plunges. Why is this? Media hype is telling us that the financial market is affecting house prices, and yet some areas are still smiling. Often it is the areas with the pleasant winter climates, the type of area that the 'snowbirds' often travel to. For instance, one of these sunny areas has reported increases in realty sales of up to 20% in the last two years.

Everyone wants to invest their real estate dollars into a safe price market, but these shifts can be unnerving - unless they can be understood.

In this case, the fact that some areas have not plummeted can be puzzling, until you put the baby boomers into the equation. It is logical that they will be affecting the situation. They account for a very large part of any population. One theory is that they will be the last generation to have an adequate pension, and they can therefore afford to move cities to pursue their retirement dream.

When retirement time arrives, it often means that a move will be anticipated. Sometimes it will simply be downscaling in size and staying in the same area to keep friends and loved ones close by. In other circumstances, it may require a complete change of scenery to pursue a dream or to join loved ones. Either way, it probably involves buying and selling a home.

Prime retirement areas are still experiencing above average sales. And that is the clincher. Many of the areas that are still experiencing a robust realty market are markets that appeal to the retirement age groups. The baby boomers are only just beginning to retire, and most of them still only thinking about it. This is because the oldest boomers are still only 61, with most working until age 65. The (birth) boom started in 1946, when life returned to normal after the war!

Many baby boomers are buying their retirement home in advance of their retirement, to finance it before they give up the salary and the pension kicks in. If you are a baby boomer it is good sense to get in now before the real rush happens in 2011 (when the first wave of baby boomers reach 65)

This means it is still a good time to buy a home and expect a profit in many of these choice areas. Baby boomers are flocking to the warmer climes of USA and even further south. Many of the southern coastal areas of USA still have bargains to be snapped up, but there will not be so many as 2011 approaches. For anyone looking to invest in real estate, these southern coastal areas are beckoning. A home bought now, and re-sold when the baby boomers start flying south, will probably reap big profits!

Written on behalf of Kokopelli Property Management. If you're looking to purchase an investment property in the Santa Fe real estate area, or to learn about turning your home into a Santa Fe vacation rental, contact Kokopelli today