Is It Okay To Buy Homes In Ocala Today?

by Vanessa Arellano Doctor

The city of Ocala, and Marion County as well, are often referred to as the crossroads of Florida,. Its location in the north-central part of the state places it within an hour or two of the state's major metropolitan hubs.
Ocala is at the hub of the system of federal and state highways that make their way through the state. Residents here are afforded easy access to Interstate 75 for north and south travel, to U.S. highways 27, 301, and 441, and state roads 40 and 200, which connect the city with major points to the Atlantic and west to the Gulf of Mexico.

Median Home Prices In Ocala

Whether you wish to purchase homes in areas like Ocala, Belleview, Dunnellon, Anthony, Citra, Sparr, Fort McCoy, Weirsdale, Silver Springs, Lake Weir, Ocklawaha, Orange Lake, Orange Springs and surrounding areas, there are many home options to choose from in the county.

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), The median home cost in Ocala is pegged at $175,000, and home appreciation the in 2007 has been -2.23 percent. When compared to the rest of the United States, Ocala's cost of living index is 18.16%, which is quite lower than the U.S. average.

How to Choose a Home Here

According to local property brokers, here are some helpful hints to help in determining which home option is the best for you. Once you've narrowed your choices, and finally settled on a couple of preferred neighborhoods, it's now time to select a few homes to view. It's also good to have a house features "wish list", which will aid in keeping you focused on which home features are the best for you.

When narrowing down the home search, know what types of home you want to buy, determine what age and condition of the house you want to buy , consider the home's resale potentials, utilize a features wish list to keep focused, carry a home search comparison chart to keep you organized, and lastly, act decisively when you have already decided on which is the right home for you.

Housing Conditions Today in Florida

With the housing and credit crunch hurting most markets, the state of Florida as a whole has seen the property market slide from bad to worse, as there truly is no denying what's happening to the real estate market. Marion County, fortunately, never really felt how bad the rest of the state was, and probably never will. Although the Ocala area is not a great market, however the opportunity is still there.

According to real estate analysts, a major aspect of the housing worries in Marion County, is that many sellers haven't come to "terms" in regards to properly listing their homes. A lot of local realtors here have actually fueled the problem and made it an obstacle, as some agents place "Offers" to sellers around county, only to be told by the selling agent that their client won’t consider this offer.

Some agents also refuse to present offers or even counter, which sometimes may compound the already gloomy situation. However, the good thing is that the Ocala market is far from collapsing, and many consider today as the right time to be a home buyer. The rental market here seems to be growing, and this will probably lead to many potential buyers down the road.

About the Author
Vanessa Arellano Doctor