by Andrew Edlin on 20 November 2009
It’s a good time to sell your house! so long as it’s at $200,000 or below. And if you have a condo, a neat smaller house (especially a ranch), or a more modern duplex, you’re especially in luck. The market here has a chronic shortage of inventory – only a third of the usual number of houses. The up to $8,000 first time homebuyers’ tax credit has helped, but the Fairfield market is holding its own in any case.
The market above $200k is very thin, which is normal. The rental market is as tight as it has ever been; good luck finding an apartment. Of course price is still key, but certainly I know plenty of potential buyers out there. So if you are thinking of selling, give me a call at CENTURY21 Hayes-Heartland 919-4663. You may be surprised what you can get!
About the author:
Andrew Edlin - who has written 3 articles on Fairfield Voice.
Andrew was born in Brighton, England, and received his Real Estate license in 1997. He is an agent at Century 21 Hayes-Heartland, to be found at 60 N. Main on the NW corner of the square. He is well known as a local actor, especially in his own play 'Churchill'. He volunteers on various community boards, including the Fairfield Library Foundation, Fairfield Area Community Theatre, Fairfield Friends of the Library, and the Jefferson County Compensation Board. For 6 years from 1998 - 2004 Andrew was on the Board of Directors for the Jefferson County Civic Center. He owned and ran the Odyssey Stage/16th Street Theater for 10 years. He is a member of Fairfield Rotary Club. He has two grown children, Holly and Zachary. His wife Lee passed in 2000 from breast cancer. Andrew is happily dating FMS teacher and performer Tena Nelson.
Have ranch homes always been popular in Fairfield, or are they enjoying a renewed interest?
I am glad to see this confirmed. I suspected this was the case. I also suspect that the new census coming out will show Fairfield has grown. What do you think Andrew?
This is the difference a decade+ makes. Jim and I are about the same age and our generation's kiddles have flown the coop. Hopefully when they start breeding, they'll return to one of the best places on earth to raise children.
I'm very curious to see the census results. In some way I hope we stay a tad under 10K – it creates advantages with grants, and some other funding.
I don't know how common our situation is. My wife and I moved to Fairfield for MSAE, but now our youngest is a senior and off to college next year. We're renting now but considering buying. We love Fairfield but will we stay 15-20-30 more years once the kids have moved on, maybe elsewhere?
Andrew, what do you suggest given these question marks?
Not having a lot of chains is a good thing imo. I like eating at Top of the Rock, Revelations and George's. Before moving to Fairfield I loved on Bainbridge Island, Washington with a population of over 20k. They have strict codes in place to make it difficult for large chains to set up shop in the community. It was the single best feature of living their imo. It ensures that your town does not look like every single other town in this country.
One of the reasons I was bummed that Walmart bought a family business on the square and set up their branding.
Pop. will likely decline. FFSchool and MSAE have both had huge declines in enrollment in the last 5 years. Our population is continuing to age. Think of all the people you know who 10 years ago had 2,3,4 kids at home — they are now gone and it's just mom and pop — or often Just mom OR pop.
jim rubis
Not in population. Certainly the average value of houses has grown, and maybe per capita income. But school enrollment is down, which is a strong indicator of population level or dropping. What is certain is that thge quality of our infrastructure, with the Fairfield Arts and Convention Center, the Jefferson County Health Center, the loop trail, improvements to the square has hugely improved the town's facilities in the last few years.
Although I know so many homeschoolers in Fairfield, and there are about 30 kids at our son's waldorf kindergarden, so I wonder if the declines in school enrollment have something to do with the local homeschooling movement? I also know so many young families with kids who have moved to Fairfield in the last few years, mine included.
I actually have the opposite perspective (which may not be accurate). I feel like there are a LOT of families in town with young children for a town this size.
Always. The two to three bedroom ranch is both the choice of the first time buyer or young family, and the scaling down retirement option. If I had a choice of the best house to sell it would a three bedroom ranch on East Fillmore. And you guessed it, there aren't any available!
As in my post to Will above, I'm pretty sure you wish will be granted! From a commercial point of view 15,000 is the magic population number for all kinds of businesses to open in Fairfield. A 50% increase is a long way off, and in many people's view undesirable because the changes it would bring.
Why is 15% the magical number?
Buying and owning is nearly always a better deal than renting, especially now with historically low rates. If you haven't owned a home in 3 years you qualify for the first time homebuyer's tax credit, worth up to $8,000 (10% of purchase price). Hardly anybody who takes out a 30-year mortgage stays to the end of it, so don't worry about that. Consider the numbers. You could easily pay $600 a month for a decent 2-bed apartment, if you can find one! For the same $600 at current rates you could buy on a 30-year loan on $100,000 (not including taxes, insurance or closing costs).
Presume you mean population 15,000? I don't know how they calculate it, but a lot of business chains set 15,000 as a minimum population to set up a store, restaurant etc. That's why Fairfield doesn't have an Applebee's for example.
You're right that homeschooling is above average in FF. But I don't think any more so now than in previous years. As Jim says it is a demographic change. However quite a lot of people are retiring here or moving here from elsewhere in Iowa.