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New Affordable Housing Projects to Stabilize Columbus Housing Market

The Columbus housing market has been showing signs of stabilization after several years of stagnation. The Columbus Dispatch reports that the southern side of the city is making the strongest rebound after years of deterioration and tepid job growth. However, policymakers have remained concerned about the lack of affordable housing options for many low income residents. They have recently passed several new measures to address the problem, which should commence shortly. Read more

Commercial Loan Growth is a Boom for Columbus Housing Market

The Central Ohio economy is finally beginning to show some signs of life. Crain’s Cleveland Business reported that job growth is trailing the rest of the country, but still accelerating from its pace in 2014. The Ohio Department of Taxation has also shown tax receipts have increased, which means that economic activity is starting to pick up as well.Financial-District-Toronto-Canada
New data shows that the commercial sector is growing faster than originally expected, which suggests that job growth will pick up as well. This report indicates that the economy is starting to grow more rapidly. Recent reports on rising commercial loans corroborate this prediction.

Commercial Loans Indicate Columbus Economy on the Upswing

Columbus businesses have been expanding more rapidly over the past year. According to Fifth Third Bank, the number of commercial loans it received in 2015 has increased 12% since the prior year. Jerry Kelsheimer, the CEO of the bank’s headquarters in the northern part of the Ohio, said that the number of loans in that region is growing over twice as fast as other markets it serves.

The rising number of loans isn’t the only factor demonstrating that the economy is becoming more robust. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. has released data showing the average dollar value of each commercial loan is rising by 8%, which means that the total value of all commercial loans has risen 50%.

The rising number of commercial loans indicates that businesses are expected to grow much faster over the coming year. This suggests that the Ohio economy is going to be much stronger in the coming year.

Housing Market Will Rise As Private Sector Jobs Are Created

There is a strong correlation between private sector job growth and housing sales. New commercial loans indicate that private sector employers are looking to expand. They will probably need to hire new staff to meet their needs as they strive to penetrate new markets and reach more customers.

Stronger job creation will ultimately lift the housing market. Realtors throughout Northern and Central Ohio are confident that housing sales will boom as hiring picks up. Demand for housing may increase even more rapidly if out of state residents are drawn to Central Ohio seeking jobs.

Homeowners that are interested in selling their properties should be aware of this trend. They should pay close attention to changes in the job market, because they will likely be followed by a rising demand for new housing in the area.

Columbus Real Estate Professionals Call for New Housing Starts

The Columbus housing market started to show new signs of life over the past year. While the market is surging, some experts worry that new housing construction may be insufficient to meet growing demand. They are calling on lawmakers to increase housing starts to avoid a housing shortage.

Housing Sales Climb, Albeit at Slower PaceSold-Home

Housing sales in Columbus have continued rising over the past year. The Columbus Association of Realtors said that new sales decelerated in the summer, citing figures showing that the growth rate was half that witnessed in the first half of the year. While the market is growing at a slower rate, it is still gaining traction.

Since demand for housing in Columbus and adjacent community is rising, price increases are also. Median home prices in the region rose 5% in September.

“The market is hotter than previous years and both buyers and sellers have really gotten that message,” said Kathy Shiflet, president of the Columbus Association of Realtors.

Most experts expect that the market will keep growing for the foreseeable future. Price increases will likely follow, especially if the supply of new housing isn’t sufficient to serve the growing number of people relocating to Central Ohio.

Housing Starts Decrease from Previous Year

The Commerce Department recently announced that the number of new housing starts in Central Ohio decreased 16% from 2014. This contrasts with the national average, which shows that the housing starts rose 6.5% over the same time period.

Declining housing starts and rising demand could be setting the stage for a perfect storm for a housing shortage. This could lead to a couple of problems:

  • Rapidly rising prices that most consumers wouldn’t be able to afford.
  • A cooling housing market as many customers grow frustrated looking for housing in Columbus.

These problems could be avoided, but local officials must recognize the challenges. They are going to need to make creating new housing units a priority as demand continues to rise.

The data shows that housing construction across the country is starting to peter out. However, construction in other areas is still rising, even though at a slower pace than in 2014.

Fortunately, new solutions have been proposed, which could make a big difference in the months to come.   Fifteen organizations including Community Development for All People have started investing in the Housing Strategy Project, which will increase the number of housing units available to working and middle class residents. Katelin Hansen and other residents in South Columbus are pleased with the new project and confident it can solve the housing needs of many local residents.

Real estate professionals are also encouraged. They feel that creating new affordable housing will reduce pressure on the housing market to allow for sustainable growth.