Last week the National Association of Realtors announced nationwide data showing that home sales fell 5.9% from February to March, down 2.4% from a year ago. While some national influences do of course matter, it’s important to remember that the real estate market is local in nature. Looking at the local real estate market in Haverhill, MA shows a different picture. Haverhill home sales actually INCREASED 14% from February to March, UP a full 24% from a year ago. In fact, comparing March 2025 to 2024, the total dollar volume of homes sold locally increased almost $5.5 million. Wow!
Don’t just go by what you read in the newspaper. Whenever selling or buying a home, it’s important to trust a local real estate agent who can accurately tell you about the local market and how to properly position your property goals within it. If you’re in the Merrimack Valley (or looking to move into it), give Lyric Properties a call at (978) 494-4450. We’re ready to assist you!
(Data Sources: National Association of Realtors, MLS-PIN. No claim to original data; no promise or warranty is made herein. Data is presented for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon for making independent decisions to buy, sell, or rent property.)
Today’s real estate market is extremely competitive. In order to win, you need to be savvy and strategic.
Here are three tips to help improve your chances of buying successfully:
1. Know your budget with confidence
Most of us wouldn’t go to the store without knowing how much money we have to spend. And yet, it’s very common for buyers to start window shopping for real estate without really knowing what their true budget is. That’s a mistake in a market where you sometimes need to act fast in order to win.
If you’re a serious real estate customer, it is crucial to know exactly how much purchasing power you have before you look at listings. For everyone except pure cash buyers, that usually means working with a mortgage broker who can take a look at your financial picture and tell you realistically what you can afford and what plans you might qualify for. Don’t just toss a few numbers into an online calculator and hope for the best. Talk to a real person and get an honest, comprehensive, and reliable assessment of your financial situation, along with recommendations of financing products you might qualify for and tips on how to improve your finances over time.
2. Know what you’re looking for and act fast
The real estate shows on television make it seem so simple: a buyer goes out with an agent, peacefully looks at a few houses, picks the one they like, and… voila! Unfortunately, in the real world, finding the home of your dreams isn’t always that easy.
One thing that can help is to have a clear picture of what you want ahead of time. There’s nothing wrong with browsing (in fact, it’s fun), but in a competitive real estate market it’s important to act fast and make quick decisions when needed. Having a good idea of exactly what you’re shopping for can help to focus your search for property and make you more nimble when you find what you want. And, be sure to either have your real estate agent along with you when you look at property so they can give you advice on-the-spot.
3. Be ready to put it all on the table
As a follow-on to the two points above, buyers need to be ready to go all-in once they find what they’re looking for if they want their offer to be accepted. If you’re serious about buying a piece of property, be prepared to put your best foot forward and to make your best-and-final offer early in the process, if not right at the start. You’re likely to be up against stiff competition for property that’s truly worth it, so be ready to bring your A-game right off the bat.
There is never any recipe for guaranteed success in real estate, so even if you follow all these tips you still might face challenges buying property. But take our word for it, buyers who don’t follow these tips are already putting themselves at a serious competitive disadvantage in today’s market.
As always, the best advice is… give us a call! We’re here to help!
