Vanessa Stelmach is a Realtor with The Gongee Team in Miami.
Every week, we ask a Miami real estate professional for their thoughts on the top three stories from the week before. This week, we spoke with Vanessa Stelmach, a Realtor with The Gongee Team in Miami. In 2008, Keller Williams Realty recognized Vanessa as a top new agent; since then, Vanessa has gone on to build a successful, sustainable business.
Miami Agent (MA): We recently reported that owning is cheaper than renting in Miami. Is this consistent with what you see, and why do you think that is?
Vanessa Stelmach (VS): Yes, absolutely. Rents are getting pretty expensive in Miami. It definitely is a good investment – especially with the interest rates being as low that they are today – to actually invest in owning a property. When I got into real estate in 2008, the rents were so low. It was affordable to do both, and a lot of people were actually leasing their homes, as well. The rents are rising because of demand. We live in such a wonderful city, and we get an influx of people, especially during the winter; everybody tries to escape the cold to come here. We’re really lucky and blessed, and I can understand why so many people would want to be here.
MA: Going along with that, we also wrote about the increase in new home sales; they hit a five-year high in January. Why are new homes selling right now?
VS: There are several reasons, one of them being that interest rates are so low. Another thing is that this is our peak season in Miami. I’ve had a lot of clients who have told me, “That’s it – I do not want to deal with the cold any more,” and they actually make the decision to purchase and to move here in Miami. Also, in Miami, we’re such an international city. People from other states aren’t the only people looking to move here; the demand to move to Miami is worldwide.
MA: According to recent reports, the number of first-time homebuyers is still relatively small. Are you seeing that, as well, and what might be some factors that affect first-time homebuyers?
VS: Yes, in my market place, that is absolutely the case. We’re getting a lot of investors and a lot of out-of-country, out-of-town buyers. I think that people are still a little bit fearful of what happened when the market crashed, and that’s still fresh in everybody’s minds. Home prices are rising, too, and that motivates and scares people at the same time.