Summing Up the 2018 Real Estate Market

By Mike Roth

I’ve been in the real estate business for over 40 years and have closed over 7000 deals. There hasn’t been a problem we’ve come across that we can’t solve in today’s market – especially in the challenging market we have today.

In 2018, we saw the number of homes that actually sold in the Greater Milwaukee area drop about 2.5% compared to 2017. Interestingly enough, the number of listings that came on the market was also down almost 5%, meaning there were fewer homes available for buyers to choose from. Overall, in most marketplaces, we saw prices go up anywhere from 5% to 6%.

With interest rates expected to rise again this year, we expect a lot more homes to come on the market, especially in the spring—there could be 25% to 30% more homes available. With all the buyers trying to lock in a home before the interest rates go up again, now is the time to put your home on the market, even before Spring.

The Roth Team had one of its best years in 2018—we closed on 245 homes, and our overall sales were up close to 15%. For that success, we thank you, our past and current clients, for all your referrals and your business.